A few Japanese computer stores in Akihabara have started limiting the sales of storage and memory modules due to limited inventory. According to Akiba PC Hotline [machine translated], several shops have imposed limits to prevent hoarding, with one limiting customers to just eight items per group. Another one has even more stringent restrictions, only releasing two storage drives or SO-DIMMs and up to four pieces of memory per buyer, although customers buying a completely new PC can negotiate for a higher limit.
These shops imposed these caps because they haven’t been receiving the expected number of deliveries for these items, and their inventories are running low. Distributors are reportedly suspending deliveries of some products, with no clear outlook for when supply will return to normal. This crunch means that prices for these components are expected to skyrocket, with PC builders and enthusiasts looking for performance parts to be hit the hardest by the shortage and price hikes.
The shortage of these memory and storage chips is caused by the massive demand for AI GPUs, with manufacturers pivoting their production lines to accommodate the insatiable demand for SSDs, DRAM, and HDDs for the AI infrastructure build-out. It's gotten to the point that memory pricing has already climbed by 100%, meaning you’ll have to pay a lot more for the best RAM for gaming.
You also won’t save money if you opt for older DDR4 tech, as supply for these chips has also started dwindling, as memory makers transition to the newer and more lucrative DDR5 modules. This meant that companies still using this for cheaper product lines are now stockpiling supplies, further increasing your costs if you’re looking to replace or upgrade the memory on your older system. While some companies are extending or restarting DDR4 production, their volumes are not sufficient to reduce market pressure.
This perfect storm of increased demand and reduced supply has pushed the memory and storage industry to the brink, with consumers getting shocked by the pricing changes. Even if manufacturers want to increase production capacity, it takes years to build new factories capable of churning out more memory and storage chips. Aside from that, there’s the specter of the AI bubble, with many experts saying we are already in one, and that the pop is just a matter of time. Because of this, companies might avoid aggressive expansion, as demand could vanish at any time.
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