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| Laptops are expected to cost significantly more next year |
If you've been shopping for a new laptop or considering a RAM upgrade for your desktop recently, you've likely experienced a nasty case of sticker shock. The cost of memory, a fundamental component of every computer, has surged at a pace that’s leaving both consumers and manufacturers reeling. What was once a budget-friendly upgrade has transformed into a major purchase, signaling a prolonged period of high prices that could reshape the tech landscape for years.
From Affordable to Astronomical: The Stunning Rise of RAM Costs
The numbers are stark. A basic 32 GB kit of DDR5 RAM, which could be had for well under $100 just a few months ago, now routinely costs over $220—a tripling in price that has caught the market off guard. This isn't a temporary blip or a short-term shortage. According to memory industry leader TeamGroup, this is the new normal for the foreseeable future. The company projects that DRAM prices will continue their relentless climb throughout 2026, with no meaningful relief expected until at least 2027.
The root cause? An unprecedented demand surge from artificial intelligence. Leading AI companies like OpenAI are consuming vast quantities of high-performance memory to train and run their increasingly complex models. This has created a seismic shift in the priorities of memory manufacturers.
The AI Effect: How HBM is Starving the Consumer Market
To understand the crisis, you need to follow the money. Memory makers are finite, and their production capacity is a precious resource. Facing insatiable demand from the server and AI sector, these companies are rationally pivoting to where profits are highest: High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM).
HBM is a specialized, ultra-fast type of memory stacked directly onto processors like GPUs and AI accelerators. It's essential for the massive data throughput required by AI workloads. As factories re-tool lines to produce more HBM for clients like OpenAI, production of conventional DDR5 RAM for PCs and laptops has taken a significant hit. The result is a severe shortage in the consumer market, directly fueling the price explosion.
This supply chain squeeze is creating a domino effect across the entire PC industry. A recent in-depth report from ZDNet Korea details the severe pressure on laptop makers. According to their sources, PC manufacturers are being forced to plan for price increases of at least 20% on next year's models compared to current ones.
Beyond RAM: A Perfect Storm for PC Prices
While DRAM is the headline offender, it's not the only component pushing costs higher. The same report highlights that prices for SSDs, processors, and batteries—the core trifecta of any laptop—are also on the rise. This creates a perfect storm for OEMs, who are getting pinched from every angle.
A source within the supply chain of a major PC maker laid out the bleak calculus to ZDNet: "The only solution is to ramp up production volumes to meet rising demand. However, it takes time to establish new factories and production lines." That time lag, measured in years, is why experts don't see a quick fix.
The SSD market is mirroring the RAM dilemma. With memory manufacturers allocating resources to premium, high-margin products, the production of NAND flash for consumer SSDs is also constrained. Laptop makers reportedly find themselves only able to secure limited SSD quantities—volumes that are insufficient to meet the projected demand for new laptops in the coming year.
What This Means for You
For the average consumer and business, the implications are clear:
- Higher Upgrade Costs: Upgrading your current PC's memory or storage will be significantly more expensive for the next 2-3 years.
- More Expensive New Devices: The era of constant performance gains at stable or lower prices is on pause. Be prepared to pay a premium for new laptops and desktops starting in 2025.
- Longer Device Lifecycles: With upgrade paths becoming costly, extending the useful life of your current computer through careful maintenance may become the most economical strategy.
The memory market's pivot to serve the AI boom has fundamentally altered the economics of personal computing. As the industry scrambles to build new factories and rebalance supply, consumers are left navigating a transformed and more expensive landscape—one that won't revert to the old norms anytime soon.
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| From €83 to €243 in three months – this standard 32 GB DDR5-6,000 kit illustrates how drastic RAM prices have surged. |