In just a few short weeks, RAM prices have skyrocketed with no end in sight. The surge has been so sudden that it’s disrupting the entire IT supply chain. AI, that insatiable digital behemoth, is gobbling up every available chip… and the worst part is that this storm could last until 2027. Were you planning to build a new PC this winter? Better stock up on tissues.

The end of the "I'll just add 16 GB for a bargain" era

The days when you could find DDR5 kits at a reasonable price seem to be over. The market has taken a hit: in just a few days, the labels turned into mini shockwaves.
This isn't the usual mild variation we see every year, but a price shock that is driving up the cost of a PC, whether it's a new machine or just an upgrade.

RAM is becoming a premium product

This unassuming, almost ordinary component is in the process of becoming a tiny, overpriced gem.
Were you planning to boost your memory this winter? Bad news: your budget just went through the roof.
Between mid-September and mid-October, The price of DDR5 has simply doubled. Sur douze mois, la DRAM affiche +91%.
In comparison, the price increases for SSDs seem almost like a walk in the park.
Major manufacturers like ASUS, MSI, and others are being forced to rethink their strategy. Typically, they secure their RAM supply through long-term contracts with the industry’s three giants (Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron). But that system has fallen apart. It’s impossible to plan ahead.

As a result, they rush to the spot market, where prices fluctuate constantly depending on supply and demand. A battle of nerves—and, above all, money, to keep inventory to a minimum.
ASUS reportedly has only two months' worth of RAM. A dangerously low level that makes it difficult to launch new products.
Some rumors even suggest that the NVIDIA RTX 50 SUPER series could be delayed or even canceled due to a shortage of available RAM.

AI, responsible for the carnage

Unsurprisingly, the main culprit is the surge in AI-dedicated servers.
They don't use exactly the same memory as our PCs; they run on LPDDR5X.
Problem: This memory and standard DDR5 are manufactured in the same factories.

Manufacturers, attracted by the outrageous margins of the AI market, have shifted entire product lines to LPDDR5X. Immediate consequence: DDR4 and DDR5 production drops sharply.
Imagine if all the juice factories suddenly started producing a super-premium nectar for a wealthy clientele. The result: the shelves of “regular” juices would be completely empty.
Demand for PC remains stable… but the supply is drying up.

A long… very long tunnel

The darkest part of the story? The projections.
Analysts do not see no improvement before 2027. Not 2025. Not 2026. Nothing.
Some manufacturers have even decided to delay the release of new memory kits, fearing they might flood a market that is already under pressure. Which, of course, further exacerbates the shortage.

Vicious cycle:
Anticipation of high prices → delayed production → even higher prices → and so on…
Côté client final, l’impact se ressent déjà : un kit DDR5 32 Go vendu 120 € il y a quelques mois flirte désormais avec les 250 € à 300 €, quand il est encore en stock.

Si tu dois acheter de la RAM, c’est maintenant

Si tu as besoin d’un upgrade rapide, mieux vaut agir tout de suite. Tous les indicateurs virent au rouge, et personne ne semble prêt à ralentir la production dédiée à l’IA, tellement plus lucrative.
Si ton PC rame encore avec 8 ou 16 Go, n’attends surtout pas 2026. L’addition pourrait devenir franchement indécente.
On l’a déjà vu avec les pénuries de GPU, de processeurs ou même de cartes mères : ces crises durent des années.
La RAM, malheureusement, ne fera pas exception.