Steam Machine alternative set to skyrocket as PC 'RAMpocalypse' gets worse

We know it probably feels like this every year, but in 2026, things really are more expensive when it comes to tech. Everything from iPhones to cloud storage is costing more in 2026, and unfortunately, it's not just President Donald Trump's trade tariffs that have done it.

It's not even a case of the RAMpocalypse coming...the RAMpocalypse is here.

As data centers continue to multiply, and an increasing number of tech companies scramble for a decreasing amount of artificial intelligence resources, there's a global shortage of DRAM and NAND flash integrated circuits.

We saw this characterised by Valve's Steam Machine kicking off a new generation of console wars, and apparently, the RAMpocalypse is only going to get worse for Steam Machine's entry-level rivals.

Four Horsemen of the RAMpocalypse

We're not here to dump on the Steam Machine, as even with a $1049 price tag, it's deemed an affordable(ish) option for those who want to dive into PC gaming without spending even more on a souped-up rig.

There's already chatter about Valve's next piece of hardware being even more expensive, but elsewhere, VideoCardz warns that the RAMpocalypse is ramping up. It's not just the high-end market being ravaged, with even entry-level hardware set to go through the roof.

In the aftermath of GPUs with higher VRAM capacity soaring in price, things have trickled down to affect the likes of the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB. Although considered a mid-range graphics card from NVIDIA, the fact that it's now coming in at over $800 at major retailers is a worrying sign.

An August 14 report from PC Partner Group suggests things are going to get worse as "the PC market remains highly challenging" and "entry-level VGA Cards are expected to face even more severe shortages."

We're told to brace for the "substantial increase in VGA Card costs”, and with it coming 'soon', the second half of 2026 will be hit hard by yet more price hikes.

PC Partner’s ZOTAC, Inno3D, and Manli graphics card business has already been hit, with revenue from own-brand graphics cards dipping 9.2% year-over-year (to HK$4.46 billion). Unit sales are said to have fallen by 18.4%, while the average selling price has climbed by 10.7%.

Several aspects are to blame here, with longer lead times for CPUS, system memory, and other key components affecting PC Partner's mini-PC business.

Shortages have reduced production output during the first half of 2026, although the fact that ZOTAC also manufactures server racks for GPUs is something else we need to take into account.

READ MORE: PS6 2027 launch looking more unlikely as new RAMpocalypse update looks grim

No end in sight

It's not just Valve squeezing us for every penny, as there are major fears about what the other gaming giants will do next. September 1 sees Nintendo hit the Switch 2 with a price hike, and in somewhat baffling news, Microsoft recently made the supposedly budget-friendly Xbox Series S more expensive than the PS5 was at launch.

Given that many insiders have pencilled the PlayStation 6 in for a four-figure launch price, $1,000 becoming the new norm for consoles suddenly doesn't seem so laughable.

Across the board, it's becoming more expensive to access gaming at any level. Even though it’s good news that the standard edition of GTA VI didn't come in at $100, that's not much help when the cost of the hardware needed to play it skyrockets.

Just when we thought the console wars had died down, we're being called back to the battlefield for a very different kind of war.