PC builders heading into the holiday season are finding that the cost of even the most basic components is noticeably higher than it was just a short while ago. Prices for Random Access Memory and Solid State Drives have climbed sharply through late 2024 and have stayed elevated well into November 2025. It feels like a complete reversal from the unusually low prices many shoppers enjoyed only two years back. Market analysts say this isn’t just a brief market hiccup. It appears to be part of a deeper shift in how major manufacturers are choosing to allocate their production resources.
Key Takeaways
- Retail prices for popular DDR4 and DDR5 memory kits have nearly doubled in some cases compared to early 2024.
- The rise in cost is largely due to the “Big Three” manufacturers shifting focus to High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for artificial intelligence.
- Market intelligence firm TrendForce predicts that high prices will persist through the first half of 2026.
- Legacy DDR4 memory is seeing specific shortages as factories wind down older production lines.
- SSD prices are also climbing as NAND flash memory costs increase by double digits.
The Shift Toward AI Hardware
A major factor behind these rising component prices is the accelerating demand for artificial intelligence hardware. AI servers rely heavily on High Bandwidth Memory, a type of component that happens to be far more profitable for manufacturers than the standard DDR4 or DDR5 modules used in everyday computers. Because of that, Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have been redirecting more of their manufacturing capacity toward HBM. I think this makes sense from their perspective, although it leaves regular PC builders in a tougher spot.
Producing HBM is not simple. It requires around three times the wafer capacity of standard memory, which means every time a factory commits to building AI-grade memory, it loses the opportunity to produce a much larger quantity of traditional PC memory. This imbalance has squeezed the supply of consumer RAM and, almost inevitably, pushed prices higher.
Rising Costs for Consumers
Retail data makes the situation feel even more concrete for the typical buyer. Memory kits that once hovered around 90 to 100 dollars in early 2024 are now commonly listed at 160 dollars or more. In some extreme cases, certain high-performance DDR5 kits have seen their prices jump by more than 90 percent in just a year.
What’s surprising to some shoppers, perhaps, is that older standards are getting expensive too. DDR4, long viewed as a budget-friendly option, is becoming harder to find as manufacturers gradually wind down production. Its shrinking availability, combined with already tight supply conditions, is turning what used to be an inexpensive upgrade into a more costly one.
Outlook for 2026
Industry analysts do not see a quick turnaround ahead. TrendForce expects the supply imbalance to persist into 2026. Manufacturers are being cautious about expanding production because they remember how the oversupply problems of 2023 cut deeply into their profits. Until new facilities begin operating or AI-related demand eases a bit, the higher prices we’re seeing now might simply remain part of the landscape. For PC enthusiasts and builders, this may mean adjusting expectations and, in some cases, delaying planned upgrades until the market settles again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why is computer RAM so expensive right now?
A. Manufacturers are prioritizing high-end memory for AI servers over standard consumer memory. This has created a shortage of chips for home computers, driving up retail prices.
Q. When will RAM and SSD prices go down?
A. Current forecasts suggest prices will remain high through 2026. Analysts believe it will take time for production capacity to catch up with the demand from both the AI sector and the consumer market.
Q. Is DDR4 memory still a good budget option?
A. DDR4 is generally cheaper than the newer DDR5, but its price is also rising. Since manufacturers are making less of it, supply is tightening, which narrows the price gap between the old and new standards.
Q. Should I buy PC parts now or wait?
A. If you need a computer immediately, buying now is likely the safer choice. Waiting might not result in lower prices soon, as trends indicate costs could stabilize at these high levels or creep higher in the coming months.
