The RAM crisis is reshaping who gets to build PCs

Here is a 176-word summary of the key points from the article: The ongoing RAM shortage is having significant impacts on the PC industry. Prices for RAM have skyrocketed due to increasing data center demand, with no end in sight. This is leading to unexpected developments, like Micron discontinuing its Crucial consumer brand. One potential solution being explored is "Z-Angle" memory from SoftBank's Saimemory, which would stack DRAM layers on top of CPUs. This could boost capacity, bandwidth and efficiency for data centers and even consumer devices like smartphones. However, the RAM shortage also threatens smaller memory module makers, who may be forced out of business. More broadly, the memory crisis is putting pressure on both memory production and software optimization to use memory more efficiently. This is benefitting larger players, while consumers are missing out on cutting-edge tech. The PC building "winter" could last until late 2028 as new memory technologies take years to develop and deploy. Overall, the RAM shortage is reshaping the PC ecosystem in complex ways, with both opportunities and risks for different players.