ASUS Is Rumored To Enter The DRAM Market In 2026 To De Risk Memory Supply For Its PC Lineups
A new industry rumor suggests ASUS is evaluating a major vertical integration move that could reshape how it secures memory for future ASUS, ROG, and TUF systems. According to a report circulated by the Persian tech outlet Sakhtafzarmag, ASUS may enter the DRAM manufacturing segment as early as 2026, positioning the move as a strategic response to prolonged memory shortages and elevated procurement costs.
The rumor claims ASUS could aim to establish dedicated DRAM production lines by the end of the second quarter of 2026 if pricing and supply conditions do not normalize. The same report also frames the broader shortage as potentially extending through 2027 and into 2028, creating a scenario where PC makers face ongoing bill of materials pressure, product delays, and reduced flexibility on configurations across laptops and desktops.
From a business execution perspective, the logic is straightforward: if memory allocation remains tight, securing stable supply becomes a competitive weapon, especially for high volume OEM product stacks. ASUS ships an enormous range of consumer and gaming systems, and the ROG and TUF ecosystems live and die by predictable platform availability. In a constrained market, every forced component swap, delayed build, or last minute supplier change can ripple into launch schedules, channel commitments, and customer sentiment. For gamers, that ultimately shows up as fewer configurations in stock, slower refresh cadence, and less aggressive pricing on performance tiers.
That said, the claim deserves disciplined skepticism. True DRAM manufacturing is one of the most capital intensive and technically demanding segments in semiconductors, with long lead times, deep process know how, and supply chains that are optimized around scale. Even if ASUS has the operational muscle to execute complex manufacturing programs, building a real DRAM production footprint is not the same as launching a memory module brand or expanding assembly and test capacity. If this rumor has legs, the most realistic pathways would likely involve partnerships, joint ventures, or some form of contracted manufacturing strategy rather than a clean slate DRAM buildout.
The report also draws a contrast with Crucial, referencing that Crucial historically functioned as a module facing brand closely tied to Micron rather than being the upstream DRAM manufacturer itself. The takeaway here is that ASUS would not be pursuing a margin expansion story first. It would be pursuing supply assurance and platform continuity, essentially trading capital and complexity for control during a cycle where AI infrastructure demand is absorbing a larger share of advanced memory output.
If ASUS does move forward, the first priority would almost certainly be internal consumption, locking supply for its own laptops, desktops, and gaming systems. Only after stabilizing internal demand would any excess capacity potentially become available for broader market sales, assuming ASUS can scale production reliably and competitively. For the wider PC industry, that introduces an interesting possibility: a major OEM could become a partial buffer against allocation shocks, but only if execution is fast enough to matter before the cycle normalizes.
For now, this remains a rumor and should be treated as such. Still, it signals where the PC market mindset is heading: in a world where memory is a bottleneck, supply chain strategy becomes product strategy.
If ASUS really moves into DRAM, do you see it as a smart long term supply chain play, or an overreach that distracts from what ASUS already does best in gaming and PC hardware?
