Growing demand from AI data centers for high-bandwidth memory is already driving up prices for gaming consoles, portable gaming PCs and other consumer electronics, and the imbalance could persist for years, a report says.
Manufacturers shift production to AI-focused memory
According to the report, major memory makers — Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron — have been allocating a large share of their output to high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI accelerators. That reallocation has reduced the availability of traditional DDR5 DRAM and NAND flash chips used in consoles, laptops and smartphones.
Consoles and gaming PCs see price effects
The analysis cites price adjustments by several hardware makers throughout 2026. Products specifically named as affected include the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Machine and portable gaming PCs such as the MSI Claw and ROG Ally.
Higher costs for both memory and storage components are identified as the cause of those increases, with the report noting that DRAM prices rose about 170% during 2025, while some NAND contracts climbed more than 60% over certain periods.
Why normalization could take years
The report says the supply imbalance emerged as manufacturers prioritized HBM production to meet demand from companies running large AI models and expanding data-center capacity. With less manufacturing bandwidth devoted to DDR5 and standard NAND, component prices climbed rapidly.
New fabrication facilities announced by firms such as Micron are not expected to significantly expand consumer memory supply until around 2027 or 2028. Consulting firm Kearney projects that the market may not fully normalize until as late as 2030.
Longer-term pressure on the gaming market
The gaming industry is singled out as particularly vulnerable because consoles and gaming PCs require large amounts of high-speed memory and storage. If demand for AI infrastructure continues at its current pace, the report warns the effect could extend into future hardware generations and lead to further price adjustments.
