3 Minutes
A sudden, sharp spike in DDR5 memory prices has turned buying PC RAM into a tough choice for many — and the culprit isn’t miners or gamers this time. Artificial intelligence firms, racing to train large models, are gobbling up vast amounts of memory and storage, pushing retail prices to unexpected highs.
Why RAM costs are exploding — and fast
According to reporting from Tom’s Hardware, DDR5 prices have climbed more than 190% over the past two months. AI companies buying memory for model training and large-scale inference are competing with traditional PC and console markets, creating a supply squeeze that manufacturers and retailers are struggling to smooth out.
Real-world price examples that drive the point home
- Crucial 64GB DDR5-5600 module: roughly $500 today.
- G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo 2×32GB DDR5-6000 kit: about $599 — $150 more than a standard PlayStation 5 and only $50 cheaper than the rumored PS5 Pro.
Those figures make the situation stark: consumers face trade-offs that would have been unthinkable a year ago — spend hundreds on high-capacity RAM or buy a second console.
Gamers, PC builders and console makers: who feels the squeeze?
This is not just a PC problem. Consoles rely on the same memory and storage supply chains, so price shocks can ripple across the whole hardware market. Microsoft already raised the Xbox Series X price from $499 to $649 in a recent cycle; another spike in component costs could force more hikes or slimmer margins across the board.
What AI firms need RAM for
Training large language models and other generative AI systems requires massive memory pools and fast storage to hold datasets and intermediate computations. Unlike a typical consumer who buys one or two DIMMs, data centers and AI labs order large volumes of high-density modules — and that concentrated demand is what’s accelerating prices.
What consumers can do right now
- Delay non-essential upgrades until pricing stabilizes, if possible.
- Consider alternatives: buy used or certified-refurbished modules, or choose slightly lower-speed DDR5 kits that still meet your needs.
- Watch for bundle deals and notices from manufacturers — stock and retail strategies are changing quickly.
Imagine choosing between equipping a high-end workstation with 128GB of DDR5 or buying two PS5 Pro consoles — that’s the kind of stark comparison buyers are facing today. As AI demand continues to grow, the hardware market may stay volatile. For gamers and PC enthusiasts the key will be patience, flexibility, and keeping an eye on prices as supply catches up.
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