Building or upgrading a gaming PC in 2027 could become increasingly difficult as RAM prices remain under pressure. However, rising hardware costs might not be the biggest obstacle facing PC gamers. Memory availability could become an even greater concern over the coming months.
TeamGroup CEO Chen Ching-wen, also known as Gerry Chen, has warned that the global memory shortage could worsen. His forecasts suggest that the industry still faces several difficult quarters before conditions begin to improve.
Why RAM prices could remain high throughout 2027
The growing demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure is transforming the memory industry. AI data centers require enormous quantities of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and server DRAM.
Consequently, Samsung, SK hynix and Micron have prioritized enterprise memory products with higher profit margins. This strategy leaves less manufacturing capacity available for consumer DDR, LPDDR and GDDR memory.
According to market research firm TrendForce, servers will represent 43.7% of global DRAM demand in 2027. This distribution illustrates how enterprise customers are becoming increasingly influential within the hardware market.
Furthermore, AMD’s perspective on the future of PC gaming amid the AI data center boom highlights broader industry challenges. Consumer hardware manufacturers must compete for resources in a market increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
DDR5 chip prices reveal the scale of the shortage
Recent changes in memory procurement costs illustrate the severity of the situation. Contract prices for 16-gigabit DDR5 chips have increased dramatically within less than a year.
- October 2025: approximately $8.70 per chip.
- September 2026: approximately $48 per chip.
- Price evolution: more than five times higher.
- Spot market premium: TeamGroup pays between 30% and 50% above contract prices.
Importantly, these figures represent individual memory chips rather than complete RAM modules sold to consumers. Therefore, they do not indicate an equivalent increase in retail prices.
Nevertheless, higher procurement costs create additional financial pressure across the hardware supply chain. Manufacturers may respond by increasing retail prices or reducing memory configurations without lowering product prices.
When could RAM prices finally start falling?
Chen discussed the industry’s outlook during TeamGroup’s third-quarter earnings call on November 2, 2026. His expectations offer little encouragement for consumers hoping for cheaper hardware next year.
According to information published by Wccftech, citing Taiwan’s Economic Daily News, the shortage has not reached its worst point.
The most challenging period could extend from November 2026 until the end of June 2027. Moreover, Chen does not anticipate memory price declines throughout 2027.
A healthier balance between supply and demand might not emerge until the second half of 2028. Even customers willing to pay higher prices could struggle to secure sufficient memory supplies.
Meanwhile, SK hynix has offered an even more pessimistic outlook. The South Korean manufacturer has suggested that the shortage could persist until 2030.
TeamGroup’s record earnings expose a changing memory market
While consumers face mounting uncertainty, TeamGroup is experiencing significant financial growth. Its latest quarterly results illustrate how commercial demand is reshaping its business.
An analysis published by Hardware Busters highlights several notable figures from the company’s financial results:
- Quarterly revenue: NT$10.14 billion (approximately $311 million).
- Quarterly revenue growth: 33.6%.
- Gross margin: 49.3%, compared with 42.8% in the previous quarter.
- Business sales revenue share: rose from 24.6% to 64.6%, comparing the first nine months of 2025 and 2026.
Additionally, TeamGroup expects its new manufacturing facility in New Taipei to begin production during 2027’s second quarter.
However, stronger financial results and additional production facilities do not necessarily guarantee cheaper consumer memory. Availability will also depend on manufacturing priorities and the evolution of enterprise demand.
How the memory shortage could affect gaming PCs
For PC gamers, the consequences could extend well beyond the cost of a DDR5 upgrade. Graphics cards also face potential pricing pressure because they rely on GDDR memory.
As a result, building an entirely new gaming PC could become more expensive across multiple component categories. Prebuilt computers and smartphones might also experience price increases or reductions in standard memory configurations.
Ultimately, high RAM prices could reshape gaming PC budgets throughout 2027. Much will depend on AI infrastructure investment, consumer demand and the arrival of additional manufacturing capacity.
For now, TeamGroup’s warning remains a forecast rather than a guaranteed outcome. Nevertheless, memory availability could become just as important as affordability for future hardware upgrades.
Creator of the website, Pokemon trainer by nature. Trying to report on everything related to the world of video games, series and movies. Yu-Gi-Oh is my weakness, collecting cards since the dawn of time.
