GoKawiilYou've probably heard people say that AI is coming for your job. But right now, it's coming for your laptop budget.
The latest tech panic has a fittingly dramatic name: RAMageddon. It refers to the global memory-chip supply shortage pushing up the price of laptops, phones, graphics cards and other devices.
AI data centers need enormous amounts of memory, especially a premium type called high-bandwidth memory, or HBM. Big Tech demand is massive, margins are better and chipmakers are following the money. The AI industry has become its main goal, pulling supply toward servers and away from regular consumer tech.
So what does this mean for you, and how could it affect your next laptop or smartphone purchase? Let's dive deeper.
What is RAMageddon?
Westend61/Getty Images
RAMageddon is the nickname for the AI-driven memory shortage affecting consumer electronics.
Before we get all technical, a few memory terms might help explain what's happening.
RAM, or random access memory, helps your device juggle tasks. More RAM usually means smoother multitasking, faster app switching and better performance when you have too many browser tabs open because apparently we all live like that now.
DRAM, or dynamic RAM, is the working memory used by computers, smartphones, servers and graphics cards
... continue reading