(Image credit: Komodo Station) (Image credit: Valve) (Image credit: Valve) RAM modules and SSDs were among the first components hit by the shortage, with prices increasing by 2X to 5X from last year. This means you’ll be in a world of pain if you need a new RAM kit or storage drive today — if that’s the case, then you should consult our RAM price tracker and SSD price tracker to get the best deals available at the moment.
Laptop manufacturers were the next to go, with mainstream companies like Dell and Lenovo and niche firms like Framework announcing back-to-back price hikes. Even Apple, with its famously deep pockets, admitted that the memory situation will have a greater impact on its Q2 earnings and that the company is already chasing memory supply .
It seems the ripples of the chip shortage are now spreading to gaming systems, with the Steam Deck the first to be hit hard. Thankfully, the other devices on our best handheld gaming PCs list are still available at the moment, though they tend to be more expensive than the Valve handheld. So, if you’re in the market for a handheld console, you'd better get one right now while stocks are available.
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Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/premium
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/handheld-gaming/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/handheld-gaming/steam-deck-shortage-goes-global-valves-handheld-console-now-out-of-stock-in-europe-canada-the-us-and-japan#main
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Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.