Acer CEO predicts memory shortage will ease by mid-2027, contradicting longer forecasts

Acer CEO Jason Chen has pushed back against predictions that the memory shortage will persist until 2030, saying the crisis cannot last that long. In comments reported by Economic Daily, Chen stated that DDR4 and most DDR5 chips are not actually in short supply, nor are CPUs.

According to DigiTimes and Tom's Hardware, Chen identified high-speed DDR5 memory as the genuine bottleneck. This type of memory is typically paired with chips like Intel's Panther Lake processors rather than standard desktop PCs. Chen also criticized memory manufacturers for messaging that implies price relief is years away, suggesting their margins and share prices are driving the narrative.

Chen's timeline differs sharply from industry consensus. He expects PC prices to continue climbing through late 2026, with average increases between 5 and 20 percent on top of already substantial hikes from earlier in the year. A price drop should begin around mid-2027, with more significant relief by the end of that year.

However, his outlook faces skepticism from multiple forecasters. DRAM demand is expected to exceed supply by double-digit exabytes in 2030. SK hynix's CEO has predicted shortages may extend beyond 2030, while Micron has suggested demand will outstrip its own supply for the foreseeable future. Building new fabrication capacity takes considerable time.

Chen pointed to Chinese DRAM manufacturers as a potential catalyst for faster relief. CXMT has reportedly captured 7 percent of the market, according to Counterpoint Research, putting pressure on Korean and American competitors to expand production beyond their standard plans. New capacity additions in China could accelerate shortage resolution, Chen suggested.