The rise of AI has led to an unprecedented period for the PC hardware market, with memory and storage prices skyrocketing for manufacturers and consumers alike. AI data centers have effectively absorbed RAM kits, with companies like Micron shifting their attention away from consumers to focus entirely on AI.
However, the tide is slowly but surely starting to turn in consumers' favor, as prices for RAM kits are starting to fall at some retailers in Europe, the United States, and China.
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Now, you might think about investing in RAM kits as soon as possible, since prices are evidently coming down. Unfortunately, it's not exactly the right time to start taking steps to upgrade your PC's memory, and it could be a long time before any of us can do it at affordable prices.
Don't buy RAM yet
Before the memory crisis hit, RAM kit prices were so low and affordable that not many would think twice about the planned upgrade paths. Whether it was 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB, consumers never had to pay rent to purchase them.
Of note, the Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4 32GB RAM kit I bought in late 2024 was £54.99 on Amazon. In today's market, that same kit can be found on Corsair's online store and costs £273.99 / $280.99 / (around AU$405). That's more than quadruple the original price.
To make my point clear: No buy RAM for now as prices are still way above what they should be. If consumers start buying the instant prices begin to slowly drop, it will give retailers the wrong message and ultimately create a new standard for rote pricing in the future.
It will take a bit of time until the market returns to a position of normality, where memory prices for DDR4 kits are not ridiculously high and where DDR5 kits do not require consumers to spend a lot of money on what should be a minor PC hardware upgrade.
If we can hold out longer, while waiting for the AI bubble to gradually burst (which we are already seeing positive signs with OpenAI's Sora shutting down), then it is only a matter of time before reasonable and sensible pricing is restored. Until then, patience is key.
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