Here’s something that would have sounded strange just a couple of years ago: some of the world’s biggest laptop brands are now quietly using Chinese-made memory chips in their machines — not because they wanted to, but because they didn’t have much of a choice. The reason traces back to something happening thousands of miles away from any laptop factory: the AI boom is eating the world’s memory chip supply.
Let’s break down exactly what’s happening, why it’s forcing PC makers into unusual sourcing decisions, and what it means for anyone about to buy a new laptop or phone.
PC Makers Are Quietly Turning to Chinese Chips
According to Nikkei Asia, several major PC makers completed the validation process for chips from China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies, known as CXMT, in mid-2026 and have since started using them in laptops on a small scale. The brands involved aren’t obscure ones, either — HP, Asus, and Acer have begun incorporating small volumes of CXMT’s DRAM chips into select laptop models.
This isn’t a wholesale shift, though — it’s a cautious, limited experiment. The chips are currently only available in models sold outside the US market, and CXMT is prioritizing supply to Chinese customers, particularly Huawei, leaving limited capacity available for international PC makers.
There’s real hesitation behind the caution too. PC makers are being careful here, largely due to potential backlash from their major existing suppliers — Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix — as well as broader geopolitical tensions surrounding Chinese-made components in Western tech products.
Why This Is Happening: The AI Memory Land Grab
To understand why laptop makers are experimenting with an unfamiliar chip supplier, you need to understand just how much memory AI infrastructure is consuming right now. Analysts estimate that AI data centers will consume up to 70% of global high-end memory production capacity in 2026 alone. The industry has taken to calling the current situation “RAMageddon,” reflecting the unprecedented tension between AI infrastructure’s enormous appetite for memory and the industry’s limited ability to keep up.
The scale of the underlying spending explains why relief isn’t coming soon. Big tech companies are on track to spend roughly $650 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026 alone, up about 80% from the previous year’s record. That level of spending keeps memory manufacturers focused on high-margin, AI-related components rather than the consumer-grade memory that goes into everyday laptops and phones.
The math behind the shortage is fairly stark. Global DRAM supply growth in 2026 is projected at just 16% year-on-year, and NAND supply growth around 17% — both notably below the 20% to 30% growth rates the industry has historically relied on to keep pace with demand.
This Isn’t a Repeat of the Pandemic Chip Shortage
It’s worth being clear about what’s actually different this time. Unlike the 2020–2023 global chip shortage, which stemmed primarily from pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, this shortage is driven by the intentional reallocation of manufacturing capacity toward highly profitable AI data center products, creating scarcity specifically for consumer and enterprise-focused chips. In other words, this isn’t a temporary supply-chain hiccup — it’s a deliberate prioritization decision by manufacturers chasing the more lucrative AI market.
How Long Is This Expected to Last?
Unfortunately, this isn’t shaping up to be a short-term problem. Micron’s own CEO, Sanjay Mehrotra, said in June 2026 that he expects the shortage to last through 2027, with supply gradually improving by 2028. Other analysts are even less optimistic — one industry analysis projects the shortage could persist until at least 2030.
Part of the problem is simply how long it takes to build new manufacturing capacity. New fabrication capacity from Micron and SK Hynix isn’t expected to reach full volume production until 2027 at the earliest, creating a prolonged gap between demand and available supply.
What This Means for Your Next Phone or Laptop Purchase
If you’re planning to buy a new device soon, this shortage isn’t just an industry story — it directly affects prices and availability. Memory module costs have been forecast to rise by as much as 50% through parts of 2026, and companies including Britain’s Raspberry Pi and HP have already raised sticker prices to offset surging memory chip costs.
The broader device market is feeling real pressure too. Research firms now expect global smartphone sales to shrink at least 2% in 2026, a sharp reversal from earlier growth forecasts, while other analysts project an even steeper decline of nearly 13% — which would be the sharpest drop on record for the smartphone industry.
Not every brand or price tier is affected equally. Analysts believe the impact will be most pronounced for manufacturers of low- and mid-range devices, since rising memory costs make cheaper devices harder to produce profitably. Budget-focused Chinese smartphone brands are expected to be hit particularly hard, since their business model depends heavily on keeping device costs low.
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China’s Chip Industry Is Growing Fast — But It’s Not Solving the Problem Yet
There’s an interesting twist buried in this story: China’s own memory chip industry is actually booming right now, but it isn’t easing the global shortage the way you might expect. CXMT posted first-quarter 2026 revenue of $7.5 billion, up 719% year-over-year, driven by the same surging AI-related demand affecting the rest of the industry.
Rather than exporting that extra capacity to relieve global shortages, Chinese tech giants are locking it up for themselves. Major Chinese firms including ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent have locked in core memory orders directly from CXMT, with ByteDance signing a five-year supply deal worth more than $7 billion. That’s created what analysts describe as a two-tier market, where core AI components and everyday consumer memory products are increasingly separated, rather than one shortage easing pressure on the other.
CXMT’s rapid rise hasn’t gone unnoticed in Washington either. The Pentagon has designated CXMT, along with rival Chinese memory maker YMTC, as Chinese military companies, adding a geopolitical layer to an already complicated supply situation.
Conclusion
What’s happening with memory chips right now isn’t a temporary blip — it’s a structural shift caused by AI infrastructure absorbing resources that used to flow predictably into everyday consumer electronics. That’s exactly why brands like HP, Asus, and Acer are cautiously testing Chinese-made chips they’d normally avoid, and why your next laptop or phone might cost noticeably more than you’d expect. With most forecasts pointing to this shortage lasting well into 2027 or beyond, and Chinese manufacturers absorbing their own growing capacity rather than exporting it, don’t expect memory prices to meaningfully ease anytime soon.
FAQs
Q1: Why are PC makers like HP and Asus using Chinese memory chips now?
An AI-driven global memory chip shortage has made it harder to source enough DRAM from traditional suppliers like Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix, pushing some PC makers to cautiously test chips from China’s CXMT as an alternative supply source.
Q2: Why is AI causing a memory chip shortage?
AI data centers are consuming up to 70% of global high-end memory production, as manufacturers prioritize high-margin components for AI infrastructure over consumer-grade memory used in phones and laptops.
Q3: How long is the memory chip shortage expected to last?
Estimates vary, but Micron’s CEO has said the shortage could last through 2027, with supply gradually improving by 2028. Some analysts project it could persist even longer, into 2030.
Q4: Will this shortage make phones and laptops more expensive?
Yes. Memory module costs have been forecast to rise significantly through 2026, and several manufacturers have already raised prices, with budget and mid-range devices expected to be hit hardest.
