Every DRAM and HBM memory chip that Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron plan to make in 2027 has already been sold — more than a year before those chips ship. According to DigiTimes, reported by GameSpot on 6 August 2026, the three manufacturers that dominate global memory production have finished their full-year capacity negotiations early, with both DRAM (the working memory inside computers, phones and consoles) and HBM (high-bandwidth memory, stacked chips built for AI data centres) fully booked in advance.

The cause is straightforward: AI companies racing to build data centres have pushed demand past what factories can produce. A-Data chairman Chen Li-Bai confirmed to DigiTimes that HBM and AI-server applications alone will account for nearly 70% of DRAM capacity next year. SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won told the same outlet that 2027 AI semiconductor demand could rise 60–100% over 2026, and called the coming supply-demand imbalance the most severe in history.

For anyone who makes or buys consumer electronics, the squeeze is already visible. Microsoft stated in June 2026 that console storage and memory prices have climbed more than 2.5 times, and that it expects another doubling by autumn 2027. Consoles, smartphones, laptops — anything that needs memory is feeling the pinch.

Memory buyers typically sign deals months ahead to lock in supply. Now the terms have hardened. DigiTimes reports that buyers, whether or not they hold long-term contracts, are paying advance deposits to reserve capacity — and even then, memory makers can supply only about 60–70% of what customers originally request. Hyperscalers (the massive cloud operators like Amazon, Google and Microsoft) and device brands are, in DigiTimes' words, "begging" for supply.

The memory market itself has shifted shape. Instead of the traditional cycle of standard products sold quarter to quarter, manufacturers are now signing three-to-five-year supply agreements with major AI customers. That locks up future capacity well in advance and leaves less room for everyone else.

NAND Flash — the storage memory in phones, SSDs and game consoles — is not yet as tight as DRAM, but DigiTimes reports that 2027 NAND capacity from Samsung, Micron and SanDisk is already pre-sold. Kioxia and SK Hynix are expected to finalise their allocations before the end of August 2026, with an earlier sell-out possible.

Final prices for 2027 memory will be decided closer to shipment dates, though DigiTimes expects price increases to moderate even as high prices settle in as the norm. Enterprise SSD demand is projected to stay strong, and tight supply could persist into 2028.

Micron, in its SEC filings from March and June 2026, stated it is modernising and expanding DRAM and HBM production capacity to meet rising demand. Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron have also directed the bulk of their capital spending into HBM and DDR5 lines. Market research institutions cited by DigiTimes predict the HBM shortage will continue through 2027 despite the expansion.

What this means for games and gadgets is simple enough. The chips that power your console, your phone and your laptop are being outbid by data centres. When the companies that build the hardware say prices have already more than doubled — and expect them to double again — the next generation of devices will carry that cost. A shortage this far up the supply chain does not stay there.