It’s a bad time to want a new computer

2026-06-25 · Source: The Verge · Field: Technology & Digital — Gaming & Interactive Media, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Novice, extended

Summary

Valve's new Steam Machine, a console-like PC, launched at a starting price of \$1,049 for the 512GB model without a controller, nearly double the PS5's cost. A bundled controller adds \$79, and a 2TB model costs an extra \$300, bringing a high-end configuration to \$1,428. This pricing reflects a global memory shortage, dubbed "RAMaggeddon," which has also led to price increases across other tech products from companies like Microsoft (Surface devices), Xbox, Apple, and Samsung. Valve engineers confirmed that component scarcity forced them to revise initial pricing plans, which were approximately \$250-\$300 lower. They detailed challenges in sourcing memory and storage, impacting launch quantities, and discussed design trade-offs, such as the difficulty of making RAM more accessible due to thermal and signal integrity constraints.

Key takeaway

For product managers and hardware developers navigating current market conditions, anticipate continued elevated costs and sourcing challenges for memory and storage components. The "RAMaggeddon" is not a short-term issue, requiring proactive strategies like multi-sourcing and flexible design to mitigate supply chain risks. If you are a consumer planning a new PC or tablet purchase, be prepared for higher prices and potentially limited availability, as major manufacturers are adjusting pricing across their product lines.

Key insights

Global memory and storage shortages are significantly increasing hardware costs and complicating product development and sourcing.

Principles

• Component scarcity forces design compromises and multi-vendor qualification.
• Market conditions for memory and storage can shift rapidly, impacting product pricing.
• Post-launch community feedback is crucial for ongoing product refinement and compatibility.

Method

To mitigate supply chain risks, qualify multiple vendors for critical components and design for accommodation of various part sizes (e.g., multiple SSD sizes).

In practice

• Design products with flexibility for component sourcing to adapt to market volatility.
• Prioritize robust thermal management early in hardware design, as it can unexpectedly influence other features like customizability.

Topics

• Global Memory Shortage
• PC Hardware Pricing
• Supply Chain Resilience
• Valve Steam Machine
• Consumer Electronics
• Product Development

Best for: CTO, VP of Engineering/Data, Director of AI/ML, General Interest, Tech Journalist, Product Manager

Related on AIssential

• Samsung says the RAM shortage could get even worse next year — AI data center demand is intensifying a global RAM shortage, driving up prices and extending supply shortfalls.
• Why Apple’s War Chest Can’t Win the Memory War — AI demand is reshaping tech supply chains, diminishing even major buyers' clout and forcing price increases.
• SHI International: Assessing AI's Impact on RAM Prices — AI's surging demand for HBM is causing a critical global RAM shortage, impacting IT supply chains and pricing.
• Why the Memory Crunch Is Almost Impossible to Solve — The global memory-chip shortage is intractable due to concentrated production, long factory lead times, and surging AI demand, compounded by geopolitical constraints.
• The Steam Machine is the start of an even more expensive future for game consoles — Rising component costs, particularly RAM, are fundamentally reshaping traditional console pricing and market viability.
• The Memory Wall Is Real, Here Is the Door — Persistent DRAM shortages and rising costs necessitate hardware memory compression for AI product roadmaps.

Open in AIssential →

Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by The Verge.