Samsung Warns Memory Shortage Could Worsen Through 2027 and Last Into 2028

Samsung expects the ongoing RAM chip shortage to persist into next year, intensify in 2027, and remain tight until at least 2028. The signal matters because Samsung manufactures and supplies roughly a third of the world’s memory chips, making its outlook a key read on the broader hardware supply chain.

The core takeaway for device makers, buyers, and investors is simple: memory availability is becoming a multi-year planning issue, not a short-term disruption.

Samsung said on its Q2 earnings call that frontier AI labs have been sharing medium- to long-term demand forecasts directly with the company to secure future supply. That demand gives Samsung more visibility and lets it prioritize customers willing to sign long-term contracts.

For Samsung, longer-term demand visibility can support equipment installation and production expansion while reducing exposure to the memory industry’s historic boom-and-bust cycles.

The AI-driven memory squeeze has pushed up chip prices in recent months. Samsung’s semiconductor unit reached an all-time sales high in Q2, but higher-priced chips also hurt profitability in its smartphone and TV divisions by increasing component costs.

Samsung has begun passing some component-cost increases to consumers through higher Galaxy smartphone and tablet prices, and demand for those devices has dropped. Apple has also raised prices on MacBooks, Macs, and iPads amid the shortage, according to the article.

The article says memory manufacturers are shifting production capacity toward AI data centers and away from consumer electronics, creating a new reality of higher device prices. Nvidia is expected to raise consumer graphics card prices by 20% to 30%, which could put additional pressure on gaming devices, desktops, consoles, laptops, and similar products.

If you are planning hardware purchases or managing device refresh cycles, treat memory pricing and availability as a central factor. The clearest near-term implication is that devices with heavy RAM or graphics requirements may remain exposed to price pressure.