Navigating the 2026 Industrial RAM Shortage: What Our Customers Need to Know

Over the past few months, many of our customers have noticed a sharp increase in the price of industrial-grade RAM, along with longer delivery times for modules that were once easy to source. At Distec, we want to provide some clarity on what’s happening across the memory industry and how these changes may affect upcoming projects that rely on DDR4 and other legacy RAM technologies.

The current shortage is being driven by one overwhelming force: the global surge in demand for Artificial Intelligence hardware. As AI training and inference workloads grow, memory manufacturers have shifted tremendous resources toward producing next-generation technologies such as DDR5 and High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), both of which are essential for modern AI accelerators and data centre deployments.

This shift has had a direct knock-on effect on the industrial computing market, which still depends heavily on DDR4 and other mature DRAM types for embedded systems, automation, digital signage players, transportation hardware, and long-lifecycle industrial PCs.

Here are the key factors that have created today’s supply crunch:

Major DRAM producers like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, have begun reallocating production lines away from DDR4. Their focus is now on DDR5 and HBM3E/HBM4, where demand and margins are significantly higher. DDR4, while still widely used in industrial and embedded systems, is no longer a priority for capacity allocation.

AI servers require enormous amounts of high-performance memory, and this sector is currently absorbing a large portion of the world’s available DRAM. As manufacturers chase this high-value market, older memory types are being deprioritised.

One of the more abrupt changes came when CXMT, previously a major supplier of DDR4, shifted its production almost overnight to DDR5 at the start of 2025. This left a significant gap in global DDR4 supply that other manufacturers have not filled.

We are now seeing formal EOL announcements for many DDR4 components. As these plans progress, less new stock is entering the market, and the remaining supply is being absorbed quickly.

With demand from legacy systems still strong and supply tightening, DRAM pricing has increased sharply, sometimes doubling within a matter of months. This has also created hesitation among module manufacturers, causing delays in launching new products.

Industrial and embedded systems don’t shift to new memory standards overnight. Many platforms are designed around DDR4 for long lifecycles, validated firmware, and stable supply chains. This reality puts industrial users in a difficult position: the technology is still needed, but the market is moving on rapidly.

Our team at Distec is monitoring these changes closely and working with suppliers to secure stock wherever possible. However, we want to ensure customers are aware that:

• Prices are expected to continue rising through 2025 and into 2026.
• Lead times may extend further
• Some DRAM modules may become unavailable with little notice
• Forward planning is now essential

If your current or upcoming projects rely on industrial RAM types, now is the time to review supply needs and plan ahead. Our team can help with:

• Forecasting and buffer-stock planning
• Identifying alternative memory modules where possible
• Securing long-term orders to lock in availability
• Guiding product transitions when appropriate

Every application is different, so the best approach is to speak with us early, contact us here

Louise Knowles is the Marketing Manager at Distec Ltd, a UK-based technology solutions provider specialising in cutting-edge industrial computing, embedded systems, and innovative IIoT and Edge solutions. Working with leading technology partners, Louise Knowles shares the latest product news and insights that support businesses across industrial automation, healthcare, retail, marine, and military sectors.