2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out • Hacker News Board

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#201

Post by seba_dos1 » Fri, Aug 07, 2026, 11:45 PM UTC

eek2121 wrote: post #176

1970-01-01 wrote: post #158

Seems like we need a USB equivalent standard to RAM sticks. I have lots and lots of old (1-2GB), intercompatible sticks sitting. Sometimes you just need the space and not the speed.

No, we absolutely do not: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB For starters, The slowest sticks of DDR(x) are often slower than DDR(x-1). The issue is never capacity, but rather, performance. The real nonsense? USB? It's a mess. Pick a USB cable and buy it from ANY retailer, let's make it easier, buy a USB-C cable. What is the data rate (depends on cable quality and length), Does it support power delivery? If so, how ma…

> Pick a USB cable and buy it from ANY retailer, let's make it easier, buy a USB-C cable.

Okay, let's assume it's a USB-C cable and not just something USB-C shaped that pretends to be one.

> Does it support power delivery?

Yes.

> If so, how many watts?

Always at least 60W (3A). Up to 240W if it's e-marked.

> What is the data rate

Depends whether it's a USB 2.0-only cable (480Mbps) or a complete cable (20Gbps). Possibly more in Thunderbolt or USB4 modes - cables that handle those will be marked (both visually and with an e-mark). In any case, pretty easy to check just by plugging things in.

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#202

Post by fn-mote » Fri, Aug 07, 2026, 11:54 PM UTC

vannevar wrote: post #190

freeone3000 wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The alternative is they could charge more. They could. And people would pay it.

The problem isn't the price. No matter how much you pay, you can't take delivery of a chip that doesn't exist. Now, you could raise prices to the point where you destroy demand. But that's a tricky window to maneuver through.

> The problem isn't the price. No matter how much you pay, you can't take delivery of a chip that doesn't exist

I’m confused because this reads like a denial of basic economics. If the price is high enough, the chip will be produced for you.

Do you mean because of the production lead time, higher prices won’t result in increased production? Commodities like corn have been managing this for a long time… what’s special about chips?

What is your actual argument?

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#203

Post by ambicapter » Fri, Aug 07, 2026, 11:55 PM UTC

Aurornis wrote: post #128

pu_pe wrote: post #37

This will have general inflationary consequences for consumer products (phones, consoles, laptops, etc.). On top of current uncertainties regarding oil and fertilizers, I think 2% inflation in the US and Europe would be a very optimistic target.

Yes, but the impact will be small. The average consumer isn't purchasing a lot of products with a lot of RAM every year. Their 8GB of RAM phones will go up in price a little bit, but people aren't buying phones every year or even every other year. So if the price of the 8GB of LPDDR went from $40 to $160 and it's all passed on to the consumer buying a new phone every 4 years, that's an extra $30/year in spending. Mos…

You don't have to directly buy RAM to be affected. It's just like oil or electricity...if RAM was part of the economic process that you participated in, then that price increase will be passed down to you. If every datacenter in the US suddenly had to pay double for electricity, how would that affect every operation that is operating in that datacenter? Ok now it's not electricity, it's the RAM.

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#204

Post by prepend » Fri, Aug 07, 2026, 11:55 PM UTC

lostmsu wrote: post #152

kps wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Browse Google Maps aerial view and look for the backup generators.

Every produce storage facility going to have them, won't it?

No. It’s not economical for produce to have backup generators. Better to just move produce or let it go.

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#205

Post by JoeAltmaier » Fri, Aug 07, 2026, 11:59 PM UTC

fn-mote wrote: post #202

vannevar wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem isn't the price. No matter how much you pay, you can't take delivery of a chip that doesn't exist. Now, you could raise prices to the point where you destroy demand. But that's a tricky window to maneuver through.

> The problem isn't the price. No matter how much you pay, you can't take delivery of a chip that doesn't exist I’m confused because this reads like a denial of basic economics. If the price is high enough, the chip will be produced for you. Do you mean because of the production lead time, higher prices won’t result in increased production? Commodities like corn have been managing this for a long time… what’s special…

It takes a billion dollars and years to produce a new chip fab line. So no, it cannot just be produced for you on a dime.

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#206

Post by emacdona » Sat, Aug 08, 2026, 12:01 AM UTC

smt88 wrote: post #153

Aurornis wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but the impact will be small. The average consumer isn't purchasing a lot of products with a lot of RAM every year. Their 8GB of RAM phones will go up in price a little bit, but people aren't buying phones every year or even every other year. So if the price of the 8GB of LPDDR went from $40 to $160 and it's all passed on to the consumer buying a new phone every 4 years, that's an extra $30/year in spending. Mos…

Almost everything we consume is downstream of RAM pricing. I don’t buy a phone every year, but corporate workforces, streaming servers, cars, factories, etc. will all cost more next year.

Oh, I hope you are right about cars. If one of the outcomes of the memory crunch is that manufacturers start making “dumb cars” again, it would almost make it all worthwhile.

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#207

Post by HWR_14 » Sat, Aug 08, 2026, 12:03 AM UTC

NewsaHackO wrote: post #193

HWR_14 wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the US, selling at the (new higher) market price during a declared state-of-emergency is illegal in most states and territories.

Are talking about selling marked up water during a state of emergency? Don’t think that would apply here.

Water is one example, but it usually goes beyond that. I'm not sure if RAM is ever covered by those laws, but I'm also not willing to look through every state's laws and check.

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#208

Post by lowbloodsugar » Sat, Aug 08, 2026, 12:07 AM UTC

Aurornis wrote: post #128

pu_pe wrote: post #37

This will have general inflationary consequences for consumer products (phones, consoles, laptops, etc.). On top of current uncertainties regarding oil and fertilizers, I think 2% inflation in the US and Europe would be a very optimistic target.

Yes, but the impact will be small. The average consumer isn't purchasing a lot of products with a lot of RAM every year. Their 8GB of RAM phones will go up in price a little bit, but people aren't buying phones every year or even every other year. So if the price of the 8GB of LPDDR went from $40 to $160 and it's all passed on to the consumer buying a new phone every 4 years, that's an extra $30/year in spending. Mos…

Remember when car companies couldn’t get the chips they needed to make cars? And so now there’s not enough used cars. And so car companies charge way more the new ones and just stopped making cheap cars altogether?

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#209

Post by HWR_14 » Sat, Aug 08, 2026, 12:09 AM UTC

vannevar wrote: post #190

freeone3000 wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The alternative is they could charge more. They could. And people would pay it.

The problem isn't the price. No matter how much you pay, you can't take delivery of a chip that doesn't exist. Now, you could raise prices to the point where you destroy demand. But that's a tricky window to maneuver through.

It could be tricky. Or, since supply (in the short term) is pretty well established, they could just auction off chips.

Re: 2027 memory capacity is reportedly sold out

#210

Post by juiceland » Sat, Aug 08, 2026, 12:11 AM UTC

fn-mote wrote: post #202

vannevar wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem isn't the price. No matter how much you pay, you can't take delivery of a chip that doesn't exist. Now, you could raise prices to the point where you destroy demand. But that's a tricky window to maneuver through.

> The problem isn't the price. No matter how much you pay, you can't take delivery of a chip that doesn't exist I’m confused because this reads like a denial of basic economics. If the price is high enough, the chip will be produced for you. Do you mean because of the production lead time, higher prices won’t result in increased production? Commodities like corn have been managing this for a long time… what’s special…

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