Overview
- Consumer DDR5 has jumped sharply since late summer, with 16 GB sticks roughly doubling since October and 64 GB kits sometimes costing more than a PS5 Pro, according to t3n and price portals.
- Idealo reports average RAM prices up 51% year over year, while Guenstiger.de cites DDR5 rising from €183 in August to €331 in November, an 81% increase.
- Manufacturers are redirecting capacity to more profitable HBM for AI data centers, tightening DDR5 supply alongside the DDR4 phaseout and an upgrade cycle tied to Windows 10 support ending.
- Micron says it will wind down consumer DRAM under Crucial with shipments only through about February 2026, and Samsung has raised memory pricing by up to 60% versus September, Reuters reports.
- Counterpoint forecasts another roughly 50% price rise by Q2 2026, with downstream effects already visible as ComputerBase lifts recommended gaming PC budgets and researchers warn PCs and some smartphones could get notably pricier.