The global memory chip shortage, driven by insatiable demand from AI data centers, continues to hit consumers' wallets hard. Analysts at Jefferies Equity Research warn that in the third quarter of 2026, the cost of DRAM and solid‑state drives will jump by 40% to 50%. In the fourth quarter, an additional increase of 30% to 40% is expected, and in 2027 prices will rise by another 40% to 45% year‑over‑year.

Experts do not expect any near‑term relief. Market recovery is not expected before 2028, thanks to the launch of new production lines, but even then the price drop will be a modest 15% to 20%. Previously, former Samsung chief Kyung Hyun‑kyo predicted an earlier end to the crisis due to growing Chinese capacity, but those hopes have not materialized. It turned out that the budget DDR5 memory from CXMT was a myth: its price fully matches that of giants like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron.

The blow to ordinary consumers' wallets has already become a reality. PC builders and buyers of new consoles like the Steam Machine are now at risk. Vendors are being forced to raise retail prices: Apple has already increased the prices of MacBooks and iPads by hundreds of dollars, and iPhones will follow suit. Representatives of the tech giant admitted they had never before seen such a rapid increase in component prices in such a short time.

Amid these events, questions are increasingly being raised about how justified the construction of giant AI farms is, if ordinary citizens are losing the ability to afford basic electronics. The situation is exacerbated by the colossal losses of AI industry leaders: in 2025 alone, OpenAI lost over $38 billion, which gives some analysts a faint hope for a near‑term bursting of the AI bubble. For now, the question remains whether component prices will return to historical levels or permanently settle at a new, much higher level.