Vergecast RAM vacation is amazing

Happy holidays! like We like to do that the faircast, We take this time of year to see our families, relax, recharge our batteries, and delve very deeply into a particular technology that matters to us right now. This year, we’re picking up on the little chip in all your devices that’s suddenly become a precious and expensive commodity: random access memory (RAM).

In this episode, Join David and Nilay Edge‘s Sean Hollister For a primer on all things RAM related. The hosts talk through the history of technology, what Random Access Memory (RAM) made possible in our computers, how it became so ubiquitous in almost every electronic device we own, and why it’s so hard to come by now. (Here’s a spoiler alert for 2025: It’s about artificial intelligence.) Then, with the help of producer Travis Larchuk, we play some RAM-related games, which go… well, they go.

After that, Sean and David talked to Dylan Patel from Half the analysiswhich explains why the overall chip market is so stressed right now — and why, even in boom times, some companies may be reluctant to invest heavily in expansion. He also explains how AI companies have cornered the RAM market, whether the data center boom will end anytime soon, and what it all means for the prices of our devices.

Thank you so much to everyone who listened, watched and spoke with us vertcast this year. I wish you a happy, relaxing and memorable holiday, and we will see you in 2026! Maybe even in Our live demo of CES in Las Vegas!

In the meantime, if you want to learn more about everything we discuss in this episode, here are some links to get you started: