2026 memory crisis
The Memory Crisis is Structural, Not Cyclical:
Is Your 2026 Budget Protected?
Secure your supply chain now: Quadrupling prices and nine-month lead times have made traditional procurement obsolete.
The global IT landscape is undergoing a seismic shift.
The "AI Demand Shock" has forced manufacturers to reallocate 33–50% of wafer capacity away from traditional DRAM to High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM). This is not a temporary glitch; it is a structural realignment that will persist through 2027. With memory prices projected to quadruple and lead times ballooning to 9 months, traditional "just-in-time" procurement will not suffice.
Projected QoQ price increases in Q1 20263
+0–0%
DRAM
+0–0%
NAND Flash
+0%
PC DRAM
+0–0%
SSD
Solving for the supply & price challenges
Supply will become constrained and prices are projected to rise 10-20% QoQ throughout 2026.
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A "stock up" strategy presents massive CapEx challenges, a move to an OpEx based approach can help.
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Create a performance-based device refresh strategy to help you preserve cash and protect productivity.
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Estimate your potential savings.
See how much you could save by extending device life and improving lifecycle efficiency.
Estimate your savings →
Protect your budget.
Purchase your stock at today’s pricing and use Insight’s Customer Owned Inventory (COI) storage and massive shipping scale to deliver against your project timelines.
View the COI Solution Sheet →Secure your allocation in a deficit market.
Reserve essential hardware to bypass global supply chain constraints.
View the CRI Solution Sheet →
Insight Master Rental Agreement (MRA)
Structure asset costs as periodic fixed rental expense at less than 90% of the total cost of capital purchase and realise device savings to reinvest
Contact us for more information →Extended Lease Deployment
Secure stock at today's rates but roll out hardware over a 12-month period realising expense once assets are live & insitu.
Contact us for more information →Single Upfront Payment (SUP)
Secure a 15% saving for organisations with immediate budget to spend. Device Lease Rental programs designed to deliver accelerated costs savings coupled with defined asset refreshes.
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Estimate your potential savings.
See how much you could save by extending device life and improving lifecycle efficiency.
Estimate your savings →Why Insight for your 2026 procurement strategy?
Insight is a global Fortune 500 Solutions Integrator that brings together hardware, software, services, and 6,400+ skilled experts to help organisations modernise, optimise, and securely manage their technology. With 35+ years of technology expertise, we help lower total cost of ownership by eliminating the hidden waste that drains budgets.
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Protect budgets.
Lock in pricing early and use Insight’s warehouse storage and massive shipping scale to avoid inflated hardware costs.
Extend device life.
Stretch device value and avoid refreshing during peak pricing with Insight's refresh strategy.
Stay operational.
Deliver your upgrade and refresh projects on time, even as shortages and delays rise.
Trusted partnerships across every major OEM.
What should I know about 2026 Memory Shortage?
What's happening?
What can I do about it?
Have more questions? Hear from a specialist
Don’t face the Memory Shortage alone.
Whether you need a risk assessment, a price‑lock quote, or just an answer to a question, our specialists are here to help.
Map your escape from the Memory Shortage.
Our experts can analyse your current fleet and projected 2026 needs to identify exactly where you can avoid the 15–30% price hike.
Let's connect
1Larsen, L. (2026, Jan. 8). The Daring Attempt to End the Memory Shortage Crisis. WIRED.
2The Memory Shortage Trade: 7 Stocks Goldman Says Can Keep Running.
3TrendForce. (2026, Feb. 2). Memory Price Outlook for 1Q26 Sharply Upgraded; QoQ Increases of All Product Categories to Hit Record Highs, Says TrendForce
4IDC Blog. (2025, Dec. 18). Global Memory Shortage Crisis: Market Analysis and the Potential Impact on the Smartphone and PC Markets in 2026.