- AI-driven memory production limits availability of consumer hardware
- DRAM costs are rising faster than most manufacturers expect
- Dell and Lenovo announce double-digit price increases for enterprise servers
Server and PC makers are facing sharply rising component costs, largely due to memory shortages.
Analysts warn that DRAM and HBM production is increasingly focused on AI servers, reducing the availability of standard consumer hardware.
TrendForce estimates that DRAM prices could rise between 8% and 13%, while Counterpoint predicts an even steeper increase.
Industry Responses and Price Adjustments
This shift in production priorities has prompted companies to reconsider their product lines, with some brands abandoning consumer-focused memory to meet business demand.
Major OEMs, including Dell, Lenovo, HP and HPE, are planning significant price hikes for servers, estimated at around 15%, while PC prices are expected to rise by around 5%.
Dell’s chief operating officer called the shortages “unprecedented,” noting that supply is struggling to keep pace with growing demand.
Memory components, NAND, hard drives, and advanced semiconductor nodes are all under pressure.
Retail sources suggest that extended delivery times are now common across all brands, with the exception of Apple Mac and Microsoft Surface products, which appear less affected.
Memory manufacturers are increasingly moving toward AI-driven production, which affects the availability and cost of general hardware components.
Micron recently announced the discontinuation of its Crucial brand, aiming to prioritize larger customers with AI servers.
Samsung has reportedly increased memory prices by up to 60% as factories shift capacity toward AI workloads.
This increase in demand has created volatility in the memory market, forcing manufacturers to scramble to adjust their pricing and supply strategies.
Supply chain sources say almost all major manufacturers are planning double-digit price increases for servers and moderate hikes for PCs.
Lenovo’s COO warned that cost pressures on memory and SSDs are “more dramatic than usual”, making mitigation difficult.
HP described higher memory costs as a “temporary headwind” that primarily affects PCs rather than peripherals.
Despite these adjustments, IDC analysts note that the current market movement is unusually large compared to past fluctuations.
This trend reveals the growing influence of AI in hardware markets, with demand for servers, CPUs and GPUs leading to memory shortages.
As manufacturers work to manage the impact, the pace of these price changes suggests that budgets for enterprise and consumer hardware will come under sustained pressure.
Via The register
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