RAM Prices Surge Over 170% Year-Over-Year as AI Boom Drives Global Memory Shortage

PC builders and gamers are facing a severe crisis as RAM prices have skyrocketed by over 170% year-over-year, with some popular memory kits more than doubling in price since mid-2025. The unprecedented surge has become so volatile that some retailers have stopped displaying fixed prices altogether, instead offering market pricing at checkout.

According to industry reports, DRAM contract prices increased by 171.8% year-over-year as of Q3 2025, outpacing even the rate of gold price increases during the same period. The shortage has affected both DDR4 and DDR5 memory across consumer, enterprise, and server markets, with no signs of relief expected until at least mid-2026.

Why RAM Prices Are Skyrocketing

The primary driver behind the catastrophic shortage is a massive deal between OpenAI, Samsung, and SK Hynix, where OpenAI has reportedly reserved 40% of the global RAM stock for their Stargate data center project. This unprecedented agreement has effectively removed nearly half of the world's memory production from the consumer market, creating an artificial scarcity that has sent prices into the stratosphere.

The Stargate project, OpenAI's ambitious AI infrastructure initiative, requires enormous quantities of high-bandwidth memory to power its next-generation AI models and training facilities. By securing such a substantial portion of global production capacity, OpenAI has fundamentally reshaped the memory market, leaving PC builders, gamers, and other consumers competing for the remaining 60% of supply.

Beyond OpenAI's massive reservation, other tech giants including Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and NVIDIA are also consuming large quantities of memory for their own AI infrastructure projects. These companies are building enormous AI training facilities and data centers that require specialized high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for their servers and AI GPUs, further straining the already limited supply.

Memory manufacturers have responded by prioritizing production of highly profitable HBM and server-grade modules over standard consumer DDR4 and DDR5 RAM. This strategic shift means that factories are deliberately allocating more wafer capacity to enterprise customers, directly reducing the supply available for consumer PCs. Standard DRAM production is now in direct competition with HBM and server-grade production, which offers manufacturers significantly higher profit margins.

Major manufacturers like Samsung and SK Hynix are reportedly operating at capacity but can only fulfill approximately 70% of current orders. SK Hynix reported its highest-ever quarterly revenue in Q3 2025, crediting the full-scale rise in prices of DRAM and NAND. Samsung's operating profit margin on standard DRAM jumped to around 40% in Q3 2025, reflecting the massive profitability of the current market conditions.

Additional factors compounding the shortage include the industry-wide transition from DDR4 to DDR5, which has stretched production capacity thin as manufacturers scale up DDR5 production while winding down DDR4. Supply chain disruptions, export controls, and wafer fabrication capacity limitations have also contributed to the crisis.

The Price Impact on Consumers

The price increases have been dramatic and swift. A 32GB DDR5-6000 kit that sold for under $95 in mid-2025 jumped to approximately $184 by October—a 94% increase in just a few months. Similarly, DDR4-3600 kits more than doubled from around $70 to $161 during the same period. Some high-end kits have seen even more extreme increases, with certain models jumping from $88 to $288, representing a 227% increase.

European markets have experienced similar pain, with prices rising 60% or more. One user reported purchasing a 64GB Kingston Fury 6000 DDR5 CL30 kit for under 200 euros in April 2025, only to see the same kit reach 320 euros by November. High-end DDR5 kits with tight timings have been particularly affected, with some models seeing increases exceeding 100% in just two months.

The severity of the shortage has led to unprecedented retail responses. Photos from California retailer Central Computers show signs posted in front of RAM displays stating that due to global chip shortages causing daily price fluctuations, they can't display fixed prices on certain products at this time. Similar reports have emerged from MicroCenter and Best Buy locations, with some 32GB DDR5 kits selling for over $400 and 64GB kits exceeding $900.

Industry analysts warn that the situation is likely to worsen before it improves. ADATA chairman Chen Libai reportedly stated that Q4 2025 marks the start of a major DRAM bull market, with 2026 likely to see severe shortages. TrendForce data shows DRAM chip prices jumped 7.1% in early November 2025 alone, with no indication of stabilization.

Adding to consumer woes, reports suggest SSD prices are following a similar trajectory, with NAND flash shortages expected to drive significant price increases in 2026 as manufacturers reallocate production capacity to meet AI infrastructure demands.

For PC builders and upgraders, the advice from industry experts is sobering: if you need RAM now, buy it before prices climb further. Those who can wait should temper expectations, as prices are unlikely to return to early-2025 levels anytime soon. With OpenAI's Stargate project locking down 40% of global supply and AI demand showing no signs of slowing down through 2026, the consumer memory market faces an extended period of scarcity and inflated prices.