TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Leading PC makers including Acer and Asus are exploring the use of Chinese memory chips for the first time amid a global shortage, Nikkei Asia reported Thursday.
HP has begun qualifying products from Chinese memory chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) to secure alternative supplies. The company plans to monitor the situation until mid-2026 and may start sourcing CXMT chips for non-US markets if DRAM supplies remain tight.
Dell is also testing CXMT’s DRAM products as a precaution against continued price surges. Sources said the process does not guarantee immediate purchases, but the company sees CXMT as a potential “lifesaver” for the consumer electronics market.
Global DRAM suppliers such as Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix are prioritizing AI giants like Nvidia, Google and Amazon. This has left lower-margin PC markets struggling to secure memory components.
The memory crunch has created opportunities for Chinese contract manufacturers. Multiple industry executives said PC makers are now relying on these partners to help expand memory sourcing and fill supply gaps.
Acer has leaned heavily on Chinese manufacturers for design and production to cut costs. The company is open to Chinese memory chips if its suppliers can secure them, sources told Nikkei Asia.
Acer Chair Jason Chen (陳俊聖) said new capacity from Chinese suppliers could improve the global memory shortage. The company views the development as a way to stabilize supply and control costs amid rising prices.
Asus has asked Chinese contract manufacturers to source memory chips for some notebook projects. The goal is to ensure continuity of production if global DRAM supplies remain tight.
Traditionally, PC makers managed key components such as processors, memory, and displays, while contract manufacturers handled minor parts and assembly. Supply chain executives said the memory crunch is reshaping this dynamic, with manufacturers now expected to leverage their networks to secure critical components.
A gaming PC executive cautioned that Chinese memory may not fully resolve the shortage. Qualification takes two quarters, and most new capacity is likely to go to domestic firms like Huawei and Lenovo, leaving limited supply for other brands.
Chinese memory chipmakers are already affecting the global market. CXMT serves domestic smartphone makers including Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo, as well as cloud providers like ByteDance and Alibaba Cloud.
Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) has grown into a leading NAND supplier despite US trade restrictions. The company is expanding overseas, offering SSDs in Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand.
DRAM and NAND are essential for almost all electronics. DRAM supports fast data access and system performance, while NAND serves as primary storage in laptops and desktops.
Counterpoint Research data showed that CXMT holds about 5% of the global DRAM market, while YMTC has roughly 10% of NAND. Both are expanding production and have surpassed 10% of wafer output globally, according to Yole Group.
Counterpoint research director MS Hwang said China’s memory industry has reached economies of scale in NAND, enabling reinvestment, with DRAM expected to follow. Hwang warned that China’s presence could have an outsized impact in a future market downturn, while competition will hinge on both AI-driven innovation and cost efficiency.
Acer declined to disclose suppliers but confirmed it monitors multiple manufacturers to adjust operations and manage component costs. HP did not respond, while Dell and Asus declined to comment.
