In 2015, memory was 39% of a server's bill of materials. In 2026, it's 59% and climbing.

The server you thought you were buying isn't the same server you're buying today.

For years, infrastructure teams sized servers around the processor. That model no longer matches economics. With memory now the largest BOM line and the main performance bottleneck, sizing, refresh, and architecture decisions are critical.

From our perspective, after reading this Gartner® research, you’ll be able to:

  • Rethink your server planning model, balancing CPU architecture, memory capacity, and workload density to improve performance and economics.
  • Compare on-prem and cloud options differently using price-per-GB of memory rather than price-per-core.
  • Evaluate memory upgrades as a strategic alternative to full server replacement, extending the value of existing hardware.
  • Assess emerging technologies, including CXL, composable memory, HBM, and memory tiering are reshaping the cost-performance equation.

As memory reshapes both cost and performance, organizations that continue planning around processors risk overspending on the wrong components, deferring the wrong upgrades, and missing opportunities to extend the value of their hardware.

Get the Gartner® Research

Memory shortages are reshaping server economics. Get Gartner® guidance to plan smarter.

​

Gartner, Forget the Server, It’s All About Memory Now, Daniel Bowers, 4 May 2026

GARTNER is a trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.