DRAM shortages and what it really means
for Australian businesses buying business devices
An Auscomp Perspective
Why DRAM is back in the conversation
Global technology manufacturing is under renewed pressure as demand for AI infrastructure continues to grow and manufacturers prioritise higher-margin, advanced products.
This shift is placing pressure on a range of core components used across everyday business technology, including:
- dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)
- solid-state storage components
- networking and connectivity silicon
These constraints are industry-wide and are not isolated to a single vendor or product line.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve had a noticeable increase in questions from customers about component shortages, particularly around memory (DRAM), and whether this is likely to affect upcoming device purchases.
There is a lot of noise in the market right now. At Auscomp, our role is to help customers understand what is actually changing, and what is not.
Here’s our current, on-the-ground view.
What Auscomp is seeing locally
From an Australian buyer’s perspective, most organisations can still procure business devices without major disruption.
However, we are seeing more variability than in recent years, particularly around:
- confirmation of specific configurations
- delivery timeframes on certain models
- how long pricing and quotes remain valid
In practical terms, this means availability can change faster than customers are used to.
It doesn’t mean that devices can’t be purchased, but it does mean the process may require more checking and flexibility.
The biggest risk right now is late planning
In our experience, the main risk for organisations is not the shortage itself, it’s timing.
Projects that rely on devices arriving to a fixed schedule (new starters, office moves, refresh programs or project deployments) are more exposed if procurement only starts at the last minute.
Auscomp’s advice is simple: Start the conversation earlier than you normally would.
Early engagement allows us to:
- validate realistic delivery expectations
- check multiple suitable options rather than a single model
- reduce the chance of last-minute changes
This does not require customers to commit early. It simply gives you more control.
Flexibility now matters more than perfect specifications
One of the most effective ways organisations can reduce supply risk right now is to remain flexible on specifications.
In many cases, small changes, such as memory size, storage capacity or processor variants, can significantly improve availability without impacting the user experience in any meaningful way.
Rather than starting with a fixed part number, Auscomp recommends starting with:
- the role the device supports
- the performance level the user actually needs
- security and management requirements
- expected device lifecycle
From there, we can identify configurations that meet those needs while improving supply resilience.
This approach has proven far more effective than locking into a single model and waiting for it to become available.
What this means for device purchasing in the short term
While component availability remains under pressure globally, organisations should expect:
- more frequent changes to delivery estimates
- shorter pricing and quote validity windows
- occasional changes to recommended configurations
This is not unusual in a constrained supply environment but it does require a slightly different purchasing mindset than many organisations have been used to over the past couple of years.
A realistic outlook
It’s important to be open about this: this is an evolving situation.
Availability, pricing and lead times can change quickly as global manufacturing priorities continue to shift, particularly while AI-driven infrastructure demand remains high.
The positive news is that most Australian organisations can still successfully procure the devices they need, provided planning and flexibility are built into the process.
How Auscomp can help right now
If your organisation has upcoming device purchases planned, Auscomp can help you:
- review your requirements early
- sense-check likely availability
- identify lower-risk alternatives where appropriate
Our role is not to create urgency. It’s to help you make practical, low-risk decisions in a market that is changing.
If you’d like an informal conversation about what we are currently seeing for business device availability, the Auscomp team is happy to share our latest local perspective.
