- Major memory manufacturers earned more in Q1 than the entirety of 2025 combined.
- Revenue will rise even more in Q2 as demand for DRAM and NAND is only going up.
- Analysts predict a 40% price hike for memory contracts in Q2, with the supply-demand gap widening further.
As the second quarter of 2026 rolls in, the memory crisis is showing no signs of slowing down. Entry-level products have seen a price surge of 100% or more, and analysts predict that the situation will get much worse before it gets better.
Phison’s CEO said that due to the overwhelming demand, memory shortages could last for another 10 years. However, this is only going to hurt consumers as memory makers like Samsung are generating record profits, making more money this year than in the entirety of 2025.
Why it matters: It looks like the AI bubble is not going to burst anytime soon, so gamers could have to put up with exorbitant component prices for longer than expected.
According to a report from CTEE, the five major memory chip manufacturers have generated more revenue in Q1 2026 than in the whole of last year. Companies like ADATA, Macronix, and Apacer have seen a substantial increase in profit, which will only grow during the second quarter.
ADATA alone increased its revenue by 163.4% year-on-year during Q1, with net profit surging by 17 times versus 2025. The company’s chairman revealed that market supply will not ease in the short term, as prices and demand for DRAM and NAND Flash memory keep rising.
To make matters worse, analysts hold a similar view, estimating that the cost of memory contracts will surge by a whopping 40% in the second quarter. A big reason for this is the structural support for the AI sphere, which is set to make this tight supply of memory products a long-term issue.
ADATA’s chairman also claimed that the supply-demand gap for NAND flash memory will increase as SSD requirements continue to rise, and traditional hard drives could be in short supply for three years. If that wasn’t enough, the DRAM market will not settle down in the near future either because of the AI boom.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devotedly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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