Memory makers mint megabucks while buyers beg for mercy
Memory manufacturers are recording record profits as datacenter and AI accelerator demand outpaces supply. Though bit shipments rose only 4% this quarter, DRAM revenue reached nearly $200 billion—five times the level a year ago. Manufacturers have prioritized lucrative server memory products, creating shortages that squeezed PC and smartphone supplies, resulting in higher consumer device prices and falling shipments as buyers faced double-digit cost increases.
Key points
- Q3 2026 DRAM revenue jumped 369% year-over-year to ~$200 billion
- AI and datacenter demand transformed memory from commodity to scarce resource
- PC and smartphone shipments fell due to rising memory costs and supply constraints
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