The semiconductor industry's worst nightmare has come true: RAM prices are skyrocketing, and GPU costs are finally coming back down to earth. For the past few months, gamers have been able to snag respectable mainstream-to-high-end GPUs at or slightly below their suggested retail prices. However, this boon for graphics card enthusiasts is a cruel joke for PC builders and consumers who need DDR5 RAM.
The culprit behind these price hikes? A shortage of RAM and flash memory chips caused by the AI boom and exacerbated by panic buying from end-users and device manufacturers. As a result, SSD and (especially) memory prices have shot into orbit. The question is, how much longer will this price madness continue?
A recent comparison between August 2025 and November 2025 prices shows that some RAM kits are now over three times as expensive as they were just three months ago. Even the most basic DDR4 RAM kits have seen significant price increases.
For context, consider these examples: a 16GB DDR-6000 RAM kit from Patriot went from $49 to $110 in just a few months, while a 500GB Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 SSD rose from $45 to $69. Team T-Force's 32GB DDR5-6000 RAM kit jumped from $82 to $310, and the price of a 2TB Western Digital WD Black SN7100 SSD increased from $130 to $175.
As memory manufacturers struggle to ramp up production in response to these shortages, it's impossible to predict when prices will stabilize. The situation is particularly concerning because memory chip makers are notoriously slow to adapt to changes in demand.
Meanwhile, PC and phone manufacturers that typically buy components in large quantities ahead of time are taking a hit from the shortage. However, some companies like Lenovo and Apple appear to be better positioned to weather this storm due to their stockpiles and profit margins.
For everyone else, the outlook is grim. It's not just PC builders who will be affected by these price hikes; gamers, content creators, and anyone who needs DDR5 RAM for their projects will also feel the pinch.
As the semiconductor industry continues to grapple with this crisis, one thing is clear: prices won't return to normal anytime soon.
The culprit behind these price hikes? A shortage of RAM and flash memory chips caused by the AI boom and exacerbated by panic buying from end-users and device manufacturers. As a result, SSD and (especially) memory prices have shot into orbit. The question is, how much longer will this price madness continue?
A recent comparison between August 2025 and November 2025 prices shows that some RAM kits are now over three times as expensive as they were just three months ago. Even the most basic DDR4 RAM kits have seen significant price increases.
For context, consider these examples: a 16GB DDR-6000 RAM kit from Patriot went from $49 to $110 in just a few months, while a 500GB Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 SSD rose from $45 to $69. Team T-Force's 32GB DDR5-6000 RAM kit jumped from $82 to $310, and the price of a 2TB Western Digital WD Black SN7100 SSD increased from $130 to $175.
As memory manufacturers struggle to ramp up production in response to these shortages, it's impossible to predict when prices will stabilize. The situation is particularly concerning because memory chip makers are notoriously slow to adapt to changes in demand.
Meanwhile, PC and phone manufacturers that typically buy components in large quantities ahead of time are taking a hit from the shortage. However, some companies like Lenovo and Apple appear to be better positioned to weather this storm due to their stockpiles and profit margins.
For everyone else, the outlook is grim. It's not just PC builders who will be affected by these price hikes; gamers, content creators, and anyone who needs DDR5 RAM for their projects will also feel the pinch.
As the semiconductor industry continues to grapple with this crisis, one thing is clear: prices won't return to normal anytime soon.
I'm literally dying over here!! 
Who needs a new rig when you can just buy a used one and be done with it? 
But seriously, DDR5 RAM is where it's at, and I need it for my gaming and streaming setup ASAP! 
The prices are crazy, though - who knew RAM could cost so much?! 
I'm still using DDR4, and I feel like I've been living in the dark ages... 
Can't wait to upgrade, but I'll be waiting patiently (or not) for those prices to drop 
On top of all this, I'm trying to build my own gaming PC and DDR5 RAM is literally out of control right now! 
$310 for 32GB?! Are you kidding me?! 
ugh 16gb of ram used to be like $30-$40 and now its over $100 i get that everyone wants more ram but $110 for 16gb is just ridiculous 
hope memory manufacturers can produce more stuff ASAP 
it's so unfair for people who need DDR5 RAM right now 
that the AI boom is like, totally causing some major problems in the tech world 
. I mean, I know it's cool and all that, but now DDR5 RAM prices are, like, insane 
. I need some new build for my gaming PC and now it's like, totally out of the question 
. This is like, super bad news for PC builders and content creators, I feel you 
. Hopefully, memory manufacturers can get their act together soon and prices will calm down a bit 
.
I remember when DDR3 was the norm and I could get a 4GB kit for like $20. Now it's like they're pricing out the average person who wants to upgrade their PC or build a gaming rig. And don't even get me started on SSD prices... $45 just three months ago? That's crazy talk! 
. Can you believe that RAM prices are skyrocketing?! Like, what's the deal with that? I need DDR5 RAM for my gaming PC and it's literally breaking the bank 
.
and there's no end in sight. I mean, I get that AI is booming and all, but come on, can't we just have some basic tech without breaking the bank? 
]
Memory chip makers are slow to adapt, so... 
. I know some people are saying it's not fair but come on, GPU prices are low for once and now we're paying an arm and a leg for RAM 
No thank you, I'm good with my old DDR4 
i mean i was thinkin bout gettin a puppy like a golden retriever or somethin but my cat wouldnt let me 
anyway back to this ram thingy yeah its wild how prices can just skyrocket like thats insane dont u think we should just buy ssd drives and forget about ram altogether lol maybe that way we can just keep our gpus and be done with it 