hardware AM market analysis — 2026-08-11

Hardware coverage this session centres on the systems underpinning data centre buildout rather than processors in isolation. AWS and Cisco both frame data centres as dependent on coordinated computing, storage, networking, power and cooling, which widens the set of components relevant to AI infrastructure spending beyond chips alone.

The clearer signal is supply-side strain. A Wikipedia overview of the 2025-present global memory shortage describes pressure across DRAM and NAND markets, and Tom’s Hardware, citing an Omdia report, links component shortages and price rises to a recent decline in US PC shipments, with Spiceworks describing a similar squeeze on hardware costs. That points to memory scarcity feeding through to consumer and enterprise hardware pricing alike, not just server procurement.

Custom silicon and networking suppliers appear less exposed to that particular squeeze. Coverage of Broadcom describes its role supplying custom silicon and networking hardware to cloud companies building AI infrastructure, a demand line that sits apart from the broader PC component crunch. The pack does not quantify either trend precisely, so the read-through stays cautious: memory constraints are a headwind for volume hardware, while infrastructure-linked suppliers look comparatively insulated for now.