I Love Handhelds, But I'm Worried the RAM Crisis is Going to Kill Them
IGN
β’Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:00:00 +0000
π° What Happened
An IGN writer says they love handheld gaming devices. But they worry that a RAM crisis could kill them. RAM is the memory chips that power electronics. Prices and shortages have been rising. New games need more memory all the time. The writer fears handhelds may become too expensive or hard to build. Higher costs could slow down new handheld releases.
π The Backstory
Handhelds like the Steam Deck and Switch are very popular. They let people play full games anywhere. But these devices need lots of RAM to run modern games. The industry is facing a RAM shortage, in part because AI systems also need huge amounts of memory. That drives up prices. If RAM stays scarce and costly, making handhelds becomes harder. Makers may have to raise prices or cut features. This puts the future of handheld gaming at risk.
π― Why It Matters
Handhelds have changed how people game, so their future matters to millions of players. The RAM crisis shows how a shortage in tech parts can affect everyday gaming.
An IGN writer says they love handheld gaming devices. But they worry that a RAM crisis could kill them. RAM is the memory chips that power electronics. Prices and shortages have been rising. New games need more memory all the time. The writer fears handhelds may become too expensive or hard to build. Higher costs could slow down new handheld releases.
Handhelds like the Steam Deck and Switch are very popular. They let people play full games anywhere. But these devices need lots of RAM to run modern games. The industry is facing a RAM shortage, in part because AI systems also need huge amounts of memory. That drives up prices. If RAM stays scarce and costly, making handhelds becomes harder. Makers may have to raise prices or cut features. This puts the future of handheld gaming at risk.
Handhelds have changed how people game, so their future matters to millions of players. The RAM crisis shows how a shortage in tech parts can affect everyday gaming.