RAM shortage chaos expands to GPUs, high-capacity SSDs, and even hard drives (arstechnica.com)

The tech industry is grappling with a significant RAM shortage driven by the escalating demand for AI technologies, which is set to dominate discussions in 2026 and beyond. Prices for consumer RAM kits have skyrocketed by 300 to 400 percent by the end of 2025, with SSD prices also experiencing noticeable increases. This situation is likely to have downstream effects on the broader PC market, impacting costs for computers, smartphones, and other devices reliant on RAM and NAND chips. While existing supply contracts have mitigated immediate price surges for some products, the long-term outlook suggests continued volatility. In this context, GPU manufacturers are reconsidering production priorities, especially regarding models like the RTX 5070 Ti, which shares components with the more expensive RTX 5080. The economic logic favors reallocating resources to higher-margin products, where the existing silicon and RAM can yield greater profits. Currently, RTX 5070 Ti prices are climbing above their MSRP of $749, making them less attractive for manufacturers when they could invest in the more lucrative RTX 5080 line. This trend highlights both the financial pressures within the GPU market and the broader implications of memory shortages on innovation and pricing strategies in the AI and tech sectors.