RAM Prices Surge, Erasing Two Decades of Cost Reduction
Global memory shortages, fueled by AI demand, have driven RAM prices to levels not seen in 20 years. Consumers face significantly higher costs for essential PC memory components. The situation shows no immediate signs of improvement, with prices expected to continue rising.
- Entities
- RAM Prices
- PC
- RAM
- Daniel Lemire
Coverage across 3 outlets
Why are RAM prices so high right now?
This article discusses the current high prices of RAM and explores when consumers can expect them to decrease. The focus is on the market dynamics affecting RAM costs.
A researcher says 'we just undid about 20 years of progress' when it comes to memory prices, so I broke out my calculator and compared actual RAM kits from 2007 to 2026
A researcher notes that current RAM prices have reversed approximately 20 years of progress, making memory as expensive per unit as it was in 2007. While the price per gigabyte is technically lower today, the cost to acquire a 'good' amount of RAM for a gaming PC has significantly increased compared to previous years, largely due to a global memory shortage.
Sunday Tech Bits
Valve acknowledges that the ongoing memory crisis shows no signs of abating, with RAM prices expected to continue their upward trend. The company notes that the situation is 'still getting worse,' impacting the cost of PC components.
'Thank you again rural Walmart': Redditor picks up 32 GB of memory for $50, twice
A Redditor found a significant deal on 32 GB of DDR4 RAM for $50 at a rural Walmart, highlighting current high prices driven by the AI industry. This find of 64 GB for $100 total, originally priced at $319 per kit, serves as a reminder to check local retailers for potential hardware bargains amidst a widespread memory supply crisis.
