Memory shortages will get only worse in 2027 and 2028, warns Samsung

We all expected as much, but now even Samsung just told investors that this debilitating memory crunch isn't even close to peaking. During its Q2 2026 earnings call, the company said DRAM and NAND shortages will get worse in 2027 before easing anywhere close to normal, with tight supply sticking around through 2028.

Jaejune Kim, Samsung's EVP of memory, put it bluntly on the call:

"We believe it will be unlikely to see any increase in incremental supply through 2028. The supply constraints are expected to become even more severe in 2027."

That's a rough one for anyone who's been watching RAM shortages drag into 2027 already, hoping for relief on the other side. Instead, Samsung is describing 2027 as a harder year, not the recovery year.

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While Samsung is busy warning us that our RAM will continue to get more expensive, their own profits are soaring. Samsung's chip division posted a profit jump that's hard to wrap your head around, with operating profit up roughly 19 times year over year, and memory alone accounted for almost all of it. It's the kind of quarter that usually signals a company riding a temporary spike. Except, Samsung is now saying the spike still has a couple of years left in it.

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Samsung said it's locking in 60 to 70 percent of its capacity into multi-year supply deals with data center operators and AI labs, some of whom are reportedly approaching Samsung directly instead of going through cloud providers. While that's a great arrangement for Samsung's balance sheet, it also means less capacity left over for the modules, SSDs, and GPUs that eventually land in consumer PCs. That's on top of pressure from new US memory tariffs that could squeeze supply even further.

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These warnings are not new, as SK hynix has also said DRAM supply growth will stay tight into 2028, and industry analysts expect real relief on new production lines to be delayed until at least the second half of 2027.

Not every voice in the industry agrees on timing, though. A former Samsung executive recently predicted things could ease by late 2027 as Chinese production ramps up. ADATA's chairman seems to think we'd be stuck in this vortex for an entire decade, which is a terrifying thought.

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As far as consumers go, this probably means the shortages that have already pushed prices to absurd levels aren't fading out next year. Memory kits, SSDs, laptops, and prebuilt PCs are likely to stay expensive well into 2027, and Samsung isn't offering much hope for 2028 either.

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this news using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below.

Question #1

What reasons did Samsung give for tighter consumer memory supply through 2027–2028?

Samsung said it expects incremental supply not to increase through 2028 and warned supply constraints will worsen in 2027. It is locking 60 to 70 percent of its capacity into multi-year supply deals with data center operators and AI labs, which leaves less capacity for consumer modules, SSDs, and GPUs, and new US memory tariffs could further squeeze supply.

Answered

Question #2

Could new US memory tariffs mentioned in the article further reduce consumer memory availability?

Yes. The article says new US memory tariffs "could squeeze supply even further," adding pressure on available capacity that is already being locked into multi-year deals with data centers and AI labs. That reduced supply pressure is presented as likely to further limit modules, SSDs, GPUs, and consumer PC availability.

Answered

Question #3

Based on this article, should I delay a PC build or RAM upgrade waiting for prices to fall in 2027?

No , Samsung warns DRAM and NAND shortages will get worse in 2027 with tight supply sticking around through 2028, so prices are unlikely to fall next year. The article concludes that if you are holding off waiting for cheaper RAM or builds, that wait probably will not end soon.

Answered

Question #4

Which alternative industry viewpoints (for example former Samsung exec or ADATA chairman) were cited about when the memory crisis might end?

A former Samsung executive predicted the shortage could ease by late 2027 as Chinese production ramps up. ADATA’s chairman warned the crisis could last for an entire decade.

Answered

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If you've been holding off on a RAM upgrade or a new build waiting for prices to cool off, this warning from Samsung is a pretty clear signal that the wait probably isn't ending soon.