RAMpocalypse 2026

Many of you have already heard about the RAMpocalypse – it’s the umbrella term for what is currently happening in the memory market (RAM, SSD, NVMe, …).

What happened?

Like many supply chain challenges, the RAM shortage isn’t the result of a single cause, but a combination of factors:

AI is consuming a huge share of memory production.

Training and running large AI models require massive amounts of high-performance memory, such as HBM and DDR5. These workloads have become a priority for many manufacturers, reducing the overall supply.

Manufacturers are shifting toward higher-margin AI products.

Companies like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are focusing more on AI-optimized memory, which means standard DRAM is getting less attention.

Supply can’t ramp up fast enough.

Building and scaling DRAM fabs takes years, and manufacturers are hesitant to overinvest while long-term AI demand remains uncertain.

Data-heavy applications keep growing.

Cloud computing, machine learning, analytics, and enterprise workloads continue to expand, adding even more pressure to the memory market.

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The three major memory manufacturers that dominate the global DRAM and NAND flash market are:
Samsung Electronics
SK Hynix
Micron Technology

These companies account for roughly 95% of all DRAM revenue and are key suppliers of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI, controlling the majority of the world’s RAM supply.

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Samsung Electronics:

Based in South Korea, it is the largest manufacturer, holding a significant portion of the global DRAM and NAND market.

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SK Hynix:

Also headquartered in South Korea, it is a dominant leader in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI applications.

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Micron Technology:

Based in Boise, Idaho, it is the only major American manufacturer among the “Big Three”.

After 29 years, Micron Technology even shuttered their Retail site Crucial Memory as of February 2026.
That press release can be found at:
https://investors.micron.com/news-releases/news-release-details/micron-announces-exit-crucial-consumer-business

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These companies are recognized as the primary suppliers that dictate market trends and supply, especially during AI-driven demand surges like we are currently in.

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We would be lying if we said this wasn’t affecting us at Starburst Services, and we would like to give you a fully transparent update on where things stand – even though we don’t have all the answers yet.
The situation keeps evolving very quickly.

What are we doing now:

This situation affects the entire worldwide hosting industry – major providers have already announced price increases for both new and existing customers.
This doesn’t just impact new systems, but also hardware renewals and replacements.
It reverberates all the way through the datacenters.

We know that some of you are frustrated and disappointed – we understand, because we’re in the same boat.

This is where things stand right now – fully transparent.

We will do everything we can to keep the impact on you as small as possible – but realistically, there will be some impact.

We’ll keep fighting for the best prices and keep you updated as things develop – the situation is very dynamic and as soon as we have more information, we’ll be back with an update.