AI is driving a global RAM shortage — and your next PC will pay the price 💻

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Memory is quickly becoming the new oil of the tech industry — and artificial intelligence is the refinery draining every drop. With hyperscale data centers devouring chips by the pallet and consumer hardware left fighting for scraps, a genuine “RAM crisis” is taking shape, setting the tone for what could be a very expensive 2026.

The numbers are rough: in 2025 alone, prices for certain DRAM modules have surged by more than 170%, with many mainstream kits climbing 30 to 50% — sometimes more. And this may only be the beginning. Industry analysts are already warning of a multi-year price upswing.

AI is eating all the memory 🧠

Training and powering today’s massive AI models requires an amount of memory that makes consumer needs look microscopic. Cloud giants aren’t buying a few sticks of RAM — they’re consuming entire pallets of server-grade DRAM and, especially, ultra-fast HBM for AI accelerators.

The result: manufacturers are reallocating production lines to satisfy these premium clients first, because AI-oriented memory is far more profitable than the DDR4 and DDR5 kits sold to everyday PC buyers. From a business perspective, the choice is obvious: chase the margins and let the consumer market breathe through a straw.

The memory “cartel”: when supply stops keeping up 🧱

In theory, the solution would be simple — produce more RAM. But that’s not how this industry works. Building new DRAM fabs takes billions and years of planning. So giants like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron prefer to optimize existing production rather than open the floodgates.

Worse still, several market analyses describe a de facto memory cartel, with manufacturers deliberately limiting output to keep prices high. Micron, for example, has started stepping away from the consumer RAM market altogether, reducing competition on the kits found in home PCs.

Prices are already climbing everywhere 💸

This isn’t just theory — it’s already at checkout. A basic 32GB DDR5 kit that sold for around €80 a few months ago now costs more than €120, and faster modules have jumped by 60% or more in the same window. Some DDR4 and DDR5 references have seen increases of 150 to 170% since the start of the year.

That pressure is spreading to complete devices as well: mini PCs, laptops, consoles — even smartphones. Some mini-PC makers have already announced price hikes tied specifically to RAM costs. Brands like ASUS and MSI are bulk-stocking memory now, trying to brace for a rough 2026.

Gamers, creators, businesses: who gets hit hardest? 🎮

Hardware enthusiasts and PC gamers are right in the blast zone since they often buy RAM separately from prebuilt systems. Building a new rig or upgrading an existing one is about to cost noticeably more, especially if you’re aiming for high-speed DDR5 or larger-capacity kits.

Creators and professionals will feel it, too — especially those who rely on beefy local machines for video editing, 3D work, or development. And on the enterprise side, analysts say sustained RAM inflation could slow hardware refresh cycles and delay internal projects that depend on high-spec workstations.

Why this crisis could last until 2028 ⏳

Market observers increasingly believe this isn’t a temporary blip but the start of a full-blown cycle fueled by AI and the global move to DDR5. Supply contracts with major AI players stretch over multiple years, locking in volume — and locking out everyone else.

Some projections even warn of a global memory shortage lasting into 2027 or 2028 if AI demand keeps climbing at its current pace. As long as cloud providers and AI-driven companies are absorbing most of the production, everyday consumers stay stuck at the back of the line.

Planning a PC upgrade soon? Here’s what to do 🧩

If you’re thinking about building a new PC or adding more RAM, timing is everything. Many experts recommend not waiting too long if you see a good deal, especially on DDR5, since forecasts for early 2026 show no signs of a price drop.

A few practical tips:

• Watch for flash deals. Hoping for prices to return to last year’s levels is unrealistic.
• Upgrade reasonably. Going from 16GB to 32GB makes sense for many users; jumping to 96GB or 128GB “just in case” doesn’t — not right now.
• Consider the full system. In some cases, a discounted laptop or mini-PC with solid specs can cost less than upgrading piece by piece.

Could AI eventually make hardware cheaper? 🤖

Here’s the irony: the same AI wave driving memory costs through the roof today could eventually push the industry toward more efficient architectures, smarter compression techniques, and new memory technologies — all of which might reduce pressure on traditional DRAM.

But in the short and mid-term, the trend is clear: giant AI models are consuming the vast majority of available resources, and consumers are paying part of the bill through pricier PCs, consoles, and smartphones. The real question is whether the tech ecosystem can find a balance where innovation and accessibility can coexist — without turning every PC upgrade into a luxury purchase.

This RAM crunch is the kind of issue where the decisions of a handful of companies ripple directly into the budgets of almost everyone. So what do you think: is prioritizing AI a necessary pain to push tech forward, or a runaway strategy that sacrifices consumer needs on the altar of profit? Drop your thoughts in the comments.