Global DRAM shortage could persist through 2027 as capacity additions lag demand

The world's three largest memory manufacturers—Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron—are working to expand production capacity to address a persistent global DRAM shortage. However, the timeline for relief remains lengthy. According to reporting from Nikkei Asia cited by The Verge, manufacturers are forecast to satisfy only 60 percent of total demand by the end of 2027, with SK Group's chairman suggesting the supply crunch could persist until 2030.

New fabrication facilities designed to increase production are staggered across the coming years, with the majority not expected to begin operations until 2027 or 2028. SK Hynix opened one facility in Cheongju in February 2026, marking the only production increase among the three major players for that year. The gap between supply capability and market demand reflects a mismatch in production planning: industry analysts at Counterpoint Research project only 7.5 percent annual production growth for 2026 and 2027, whereas Nikkei's assessment suggests a 12 percent increase would be required to close the demand gap.

Production priorities are further complicating the shortage. The new facilities being constructed will predominantly manufacture high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a specialized memory type essential for artificial intelligence data center operations. This concentration of effort on AI infrastructure comes at the expense of general-purpose DRAM used in consumer electronics, meaning new capacity additions may do little to ease price pressures on phones, laptops, virtual reality headsets, and gaming handhelds, all of which have already experienced cost increases tied to the supply shortage.