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A quick update on topics that may affect your business — a planned change to Outlook, and a heads-up on the global memory shortage affecting hardware pricing and availability.
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Farewell to Tony Blampey
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We'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the retirement of Tony Blampey, the founder who built ABit Systems into the company it is today. Tony's dedication, vision, and hard work have shaped everything we do, and his contribution to both our team and our clients leaves a lasting legacy.
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From all of us at ABit Systems, we thank Tony for building something truly special and wish him and the Blampey family all the very best in this next chapter.
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Transitioning to the New Outlook
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We'll be rolling out the new Outlook as the default mail client when setting up new users or addressing email issues. Microsoft has confirmed end-of-life for classic Outlook in 2029, and the new version has matured significantly — the majority of early compatibility concerns have been addressed.
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For most users the transition will be seamless, with a cleaner interface and improved integration with Microsoft 365 services.
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Compatibility issues? If the new Outlook doesn't work well with your workflows or specific add-ins, we'll migrate those users back to classic Outlook.
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Global Memory Shortage — What It Means for You
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The global memory market is under significant strain. AI infrastructure and data centre expansion are absorbing DRAM and NAND supply faster than manufacturers can redirect production — and the downstream effect is hitting enterprise hardware availability and pricing.
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+172%
DRAM prices year-on-year, driven by AI demand
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15–20%
Projected system price increases from major OEMs in 2026
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Months–Years
Estimated duration of supply constraints per vendors at CES
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Memory suppliers are prioritising server DDR5 and HBM for AI workloads, leaving fewer units for standard enterprise and PC configurations. High-capacity servers and professional workstations are the most affected.
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What this means practically:
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●Higher system costs, particularly for RAM-heavy configurations such as servers and workstations
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●Longer delivery windows for specific capacities and speeds (64–128GB RDIMMs, DDR5-5600/6400)
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●Reduced configuration options as suppliers constrain lower-priority SKUs
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Recommended steps — we can help with all of these:
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Pull forward planned hardware refreshes and new purchases to lock in current availability and pricing before further increases take hold. |
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Right-size memory specifications where possible — validate actual RAM headroom and consider balanced upgrades (CPU, GPU, SSD) to meet performance targets cost-effectively. |
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Evaluate procurement strategies: multi-quarter commitments, leasing arrangements, blanket POs, or buffer stock for business-critical hardware. |
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Plan for alternate configurations — approved alternate RAM speeds or densities — to reduce risk if preferred parts face allocation constraints. |
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If you have hardware refreshes or new projects planned in the next 6–12 months, now is a good time to start that conversation with us.
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Questions? Reply to this email and we'll call you back.
We appreciate your ongoing partnership.
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ABit Systems
www.abitsystems.com.au
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