If you’ve tried to order new laptops or servers recently, you may have already noticed it: prices are up, stock is lower, and lead times are longer than expected.
The global RAM shortage is real. And it’s affecting businesses of all sizes, and for SMEs across the UK, the impact on IT costs and hardware availability is only going to grow.
Here’s what’s driving it, why it matters, and what you can do about it today.
What is RAM, and Why Does It Matter?
RAM, or Random Access Memory, is the short-term memory inside your devices. It’s what allows your computers, laptops, servers, and smartphones to run applications, process information, and keep everything moving at a reasonable pace.
Every device your business relies on depends on it.
When there’s plenty of RAM in the supply chain, prices stay stable and devices are easy to buy. When supply tightens, costs rise and stock becomes harder to find.
Why Is There a Shortage?
Three companies – Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron – produce almost all of the world’s RAM.
Over the past year, all three have significantly redirected their production towards a specialist type of memory used in AI systems and data centres, and the reason is straightforward: AI technology is extraordinarily memory-hungry.
The vast data centres being built to power AI tools, machine learning platforms, and cloud infrastructure require enormous quantities of high-performance memory components.
Because that demand is so lucrative, manufacturers have prioritised it above everything else, leaving far less capacity for the standard RAM that everyday business devices depend on.
According to research firm Counterpoint Technology Market Research, DRAM prices surged approximately 80-90% in Q1 2026 compared to the previous quarter. Industry analysts at IDC expect the shortage to persist well into 2027.
How This Affects Your Business
For SMEs throughout the country, the practical impact is showing up in a few key areas:
- Rising device costs. Replacing or upgrading computers, laptops, and servers is becoming noticeably more expensive. Memory components, which recent research reveals previously accounted for roughly 15-18% of a laptop’s build cost, now account for roughly 35%, effectively doubling their share of the overall price.
- Delays to planned upgrades. If your business runs regular technology refresh cycles, lead times are likely to be longer and prices higher than you’re used to budgeting for.
- Knock-on effects for IT projects. Any project that depends on new hardware – whether that’s expanding your team, improving your infrastructure, or rolling out new software – could be affected by longer delivery times.
- Increased pressure on IT budgets. Unplanned cost increases are hardest to absorb when IT spending has no structure behind it. Reactive IT management becomes considerably more expensive when the market turns against you.
What Can You Do About It?
There are practical steps you can take now, without needing to overhaul your entire approach overnight. These include:
- Review your current equipment. Before committing to any purchases, assess what you have and prioritise what genuinely needs replacing. Focus first on devices that are critical to cyber security, performance, or compliance.
- Order earlier than usual. Lead times are increasing. If you have equipment approaching the end of its useful life, plan ahead and begin the process now rather than waiting until it becomes urgent.
- Explore cloud-based alternatives. Many tasks that once required powerful local hardware can be handled through cloud platforms. If your team is running resource-heavy applications on ageing devices, it’s worth exploring whether a cloud-first approach could reduce your reliance on expensive new equipment.
- Build a plan for your IT spending. If technology purchases are currently driven by whatever breaks or runs out, the current shortage is a timely reason to change that. Even a straightforward technology roadmap that sets out what you have, what you’ll need, and when puts you in a much stronger position when prices are rising.
How Long Will This Last?
Most industry analysts are not expecting meaningful relief before 2027, when new manufacturing facilities may begin to increase supply. This isn’t a cause for alarm, but it does mean that businesses planning on a short-term basis are likely to face continued cost pressure.
The businesses best placed to manage that pressure are those that:
- Review their technology regularly rather than waiting for something to fail
- Plan purchases in advance rather than responding to urgency
- Build IT decisions into their wider business planning
For SMEs that take that kind of structured approach, there’s a real opportunity to make smart choices now that protect both budget and operations over the next two years.
Talk to Our Expert Team Today
At Outbound Group, we work with businesses across the UK to take the guesswork out of IT planning. And with budgets tight, we offer deferred payment options to help with cashflow – so the right support doesn’t have to wait.
Whatever your IT challenges look like right now, we’re here to help you plan ahead and make the right decisions for your business.
Get in touch with our team today to talk through where you are and what you can do next.
FAQs
- What is causing the global RAM shortage?
The three companies that produce the vast majority of the world’s RAM have redirected manufacturing capacity towards high-performance memory for AI data centres. That leaves less standard RAM available for everyday business devices, pushing prices up and reducing availability. - How will the RAM shortage affect my business costs in 2026?
Expect to pay more for computers, laptops, and servers and to wait longer for orders. Costs are expected to remain elevated through 2026 and into 2027, with businesses managing IT spending reactively likely to feel the impact most. - What can small businesses do to manage rising IT hardware costs?
Review your existing equipment, prioritise essential upgrades, and order earlier than usual. Shifting some workloads to cloud platforms can also reduce reliance on new hardware. A structured IT plan helps you anticipate needs before rising costs force the issue. - When is the RAM shortage expected to end?
Most analysts expect the shortage to persist in 2027, when new manufacturing facilities should begin to increase supply. Planning purchases well in advance is the most practical way to manage the wait.
