Ram Wars or RAMageddon

Not all wars are fought on the field. In this case, it’s a tech war. The critical components necessary for modern AI development, are causing massive global shortages and rising prices for consumer electronics. How much are we paying for RAM?

RAM prices have recently exploded during the first three months of 2026, with DDR5 memory costs tripling or quadrupling (in many areas of the world) due to an AI-driven supply shortage. Here in the US, 32GBs of DDR5 went for $75-$125 in Jan 2025. That same RAM will now cost you around $325, as manufacturers prioritize high-bandwidth memory for servers over consumer kits, leading to significant price increases. It’s only expected to rise, by the end of the year. Ouch! Glad I upgraded my home PC’s RAM early last year.