Rising memory prices are starting to cause real-world delays, and it’s no longer just smartphone makers and PC builders feeling the impact. The latest fallout has reached the gaming handheld space, with AYN confirming shipment delays for its top-tier Odin 3 Ultra model due to a sharp increase in RAM costs.

AYN said deliveries of the Odin 3 Ultra—configured with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage—have been pushed back to mid-January 2026. The company pointed directly to “skyrocketing” RAM prices and a short-term memory supply crunch as the reason behind the delay.

To ease the situation, AYN is offering affected customers two options. Buyers can either keep their Ultra preorder and wait for the revised shipping timeline, or switch to the slightly toned-down Odin 3 Max, which comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Those choosing the Max will receive a refund for the price difference, as the Max is currently priced at $449, compared to $519 for the Ultra.

Aside from memory and storage, the two models are largely identical. Both are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and feature active cooling, a 6″ 120Hz OLED display, an 8,000mAh battery, expandable storage via microSD, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and external display support. For most users, the downgrade primarily affects multitasking headroom and storage space rather than raw performance.

The situation highlights how broader component pricing trends are beginning to affect even niche hardware categories. If RAM prices remain elevated, companies and consumers may be forced to rethink configurations.

The situation mirrors concerns already brewing in the smartphone market, where rising memory costs could lead to more conservative RAM configurations. This could become an issue for entry-level models running feature-heavy custom UI skins, as well as premium flagships expected to handle increasingly complex AI features on-device. How the industry looks once the dust settles will be worth watching.

Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

The post Skyrocketing RAM price now affecting gaming handhelds appeared first on Gizmochina.