Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron — the three companies that produce the vast majority of the world's DRAM and HBM — have sold out their entire manufacturing capacity for 2027. Every last chip, allocated.
DigiTimes reports that some AI firms have been "begging" suppliers and paying above market rates just to secure whatever scraps remain. The demand driven by the AI arms race has simply outrun what fabs can physically produce — a ceiling no amount of money or urgency can raise overnight.
The ripple effect is already hitting consumers. Xbox Series X is up
$150, Nintendo's Switch 2 price hike is coming next month, and the iPhone 18 Pro is shaping up to breach $1,399. Hardware normally gets cheaper as it ages — someone forgot to tell 2025 that.AI hoarded the future and handed gamers the invoice.
IGN