Canalys Forum APAC 2025: Global DRAM crunch sparks fresh warnings for channel partners

Analysts at the Omdia Canalys Forum in Vietnam cautioned partners about severe DRAM shortages lasting through 2026, urging early inventory planning as hyperscalers dominate supply, PC growth forecasts weaken, and market distortions from stockpiling loom.

A looming global shortage of DRAM took centre stage at the Omdia Canalys Forum APAC in Da Nang this week, where analysts warned partners to prepare for prolonged supply constraints. Despite an overall optimistic market outlook driven by agentic AI, marketplace expansion and evolving security needs across the region, experts stressed that memory shortages could disrupt hardware fulfilment for the next two years.

Steve Brazier, co-founder of Canapii and an Informa Fellow, told delegates that hyperscalers have now overtaken traditional PC and server vendors as the largest buyers of DRAM, effectively absorbing all available supply. He cautioned that “there will be no available memory in the market through 2026,” signalling deep challenges for device makers and channel partners alike.

Impact on PC Market and Channel Operations

According to Brazier, the memory squeeze is already shaping vendor strategies. He expects lower-end PCs to be discontinued, minimum RAM configurations to be reduced, and manufacturers to reserve limited memory for higher-margin products. While some forecasts still predict modest PC growth in 2026, he believes supply limitations—not demand—will push the market into negative territory.

Channel partners holding device-dependent contracts over the next year were urged to “be very careful” and secure inventory early. Brazier warned that the shortage will likely trigger market distortions, with partners placing duplicate orders and stockpiling hardware, complicating efforts to gauge real demand.

He added that during previous supply crises, US partners benefited from preferential allocation while other regions struggled, urging APAC partners to stay closely engaged with vendors to ensure continued supply.

As AI-driven infrastructure spending surges globally, analysts concluded that the industry must brace for a period in which “supply is now the number one issue.”