DRAM and GPU Memory Shortage Expected to Last Through 2030

Suppliers of DRAM and GPU memory have already sold the bulk of their 2027 production capacity, and industry executives expect tight supply to persist for years, according to Engadget. The outlet reports that Micron has sold roughly 75 percent of its 2027 output, while SK hynix's chairman said it will take at least four to five years to build adequate wafer supply, with production lagging 20 percent behind demand until at least 2030.

The pressure is already visible at retail. Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5090 is currently selling for $4,920 above its $1,999 suggested price, according to Engadget, and some gaming GPUs in Japan are priced roughly 41 percent above their US counterparts. GameStop is marketing Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro at roughly $500 above MSRP on the resale market.

A JP Morgan report projects that DRAM prices will have risen 400 percent between 2024 and the end of 2026. Three companies — Micron Technologies, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix — account for roughly 90 percent of global DRAM production.

Executives see no quick relief

Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said in a recent earnings call that supply would be much tighter in calendar 2027 and 2028 than in 2026. SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung told Reuters in July that next year would be the worst year in the industry's history from a supply perspective.

The GeForce RTX 5090 launched in January 2025 with a $1,999 suggested price. In September, a Samsung executive told Reuters that HBM could account for nearly 30 percent of total DRAM production in 2027, up from 20 percent the year before. Micron ceased direct-to-consumer sales last year to dedicate resources toward AI production.