AI demand is jacking up prices for iPads, Nintendo Switches and other gadgets. What experts say you should do | CNN Business

Thinking about buying a new laptop or game console anytime soon? Be prepared to pay up. Point the finger at the AI boom. Data centers have led to a surge in demand for memory, a critical piece of computer hardware that’s needed to quickly process information. While that’s good news for memory makers like Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix, it’s bad news for consumers. Chipmakers can’t produce enough memory for both data centers and consumer devices, leading to a shortage that’s driven up prices for products from Apple, Microsoft and Nintendo, among others. And experts say there’s no near-term fix in sight. The shortage is expected to persist until at least 2028 as memory giants work to build new plants. Even then, some analysts don’t expect prices to return to pre-shortage levels. Asha Sharma, CEO of Microsoft’s Xbox division, recently called the memory shortage “the most severe hardware crisis in history” in an email to employees announcing layoffs and structural changes. The price hikes appear to be hitting game consoles, tablets and laptops the hardest. The PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Valve Steam Deck and a slew of Apple products — including iPad and MacBoo