5 December 2025
Storm Technologies
Global Memory Constraints Impacting EUC & Infrastructure in 2026
At Storm, we pride ourselves on being independent thinkers who focus on practical, real-world outcomes for our customers. Right now, global changes in memory manufacturing are creating significant challenges across the IT landscape. As production shifts toward AI-driven, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), the availability of traditional DRAM used in laptops, desktops, servers, and infrastructure is tightening fast.
The result? Extended lead times, price volatility, and continued uncertainty well into 2026.
Below, we break down what’s happening, what it means for your hardware plans, and how Storm helps keep your projects on track.
What’s Happening in Memory Right Now
AI Demand Is Redefining Manufacturing Priorities
Memory manufacturers are diverting capacity away from commodity DRAM (used in mainstream PCs and servers) and into high-bandwidth memory for AI accelerators.
This shift is reducing output of standard DRAM across the industry.
Prices Are Spiking; With No Quick Relief Ahead
Recent market data shows dramatic increases:
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- DDR4: Up 38–43% quarter-on-quarter.
- DDR5: Up 20–30% in the same period.
- Some categories have even seen 80–100% month-on-month volatility.
Analysts expect pricing normalisation no earlier than 2027–2028.
Lead Times and Allocation Are Tightening
In addition to rising prices, lead times are lengthening dramatically. Suppliers report that much of their capacity is already committed well into 2026, making allocation increasingly difficult regardless of budget. Configurable‑to‑order systems, in particular, are facing substantial delays, with many builds now experiencing lead times stretching to 24–39 weeks.
What this means for 2026 hardware plans
For EUC devices such as laptops and desktops, organisations should anticipate longer lead times, limited availability of certain memory configurations, and broad pricing pressure across product portfolios as vendors adjust to rising DRAM costs. Servers and infrastructure equipment are similarly affected, with increased data‑centre demand placing further strain on DRAM and storage component availability. As a result, some builds may require flexibility in specification or may need to be delivered in phases.
Configure‑to‑order (CTO) builds will be particularly impacted by these constraints. Lead times for many CTO devices are already extending beyond six months, making early planning and allocation securing essential for avoiding project delays.
How Storm mitigates risk (our approach)
At Storm, we take a proactive and strategic approach to mitigating these challenges. We work closely with customers to forecast demand early, mapping upcoming refresh cycles, rollouts, and project timelines so that capacity can be secured before stock windows close. Where performance requirements allow, we offer flexible configuration options to improve availability without compromising user experience.
We also prioritise recommending in‑stock models to reduce lead‑time risk, ensuring that deployments can proceed without unnecessary delays. Our value‑add services; including pre‑delivery configuration and imaging, hardware testing, asset labelling, and serial capture, streamline deployment workflows so that the moment stock arrives, devices are ready to ship.
To protect budgets, we pursue order locking and price protection mechanisms wherever possible. If market conditions change, we communicate clearly and promptly so that our customers can make informed decisions with confidence.
What you should do next
To stay ahead of these supply challenges, we recommend reviewing Q1–Q2 hardware plans with your Storm account team as soon as possible. Early orders for memory‑heavy or business‑critical builds can help secure allocation before further constraints emerge. Where appropriate, consider aligning specifications with available configurations to reduce delays.
Finally, prepare for the possibility of staged fulfilment to keep programmes progressing even in a constrained market.
