If you happen to’re interested by shopping for a brand new laptop computer or desktop, a GPU, a cellphone, or constructing a PC, I like to recommend doing it sooner moderately than later. Due to AI, the worth of reminiscence has spiked, and it is solely a matter of time earlier than each machine that packs a variety of reminiscence (or storage) is affected.
The RAM-pocalypse is upon us
Each AI firm, from OpenAI to Google, Amazon, and Meta, is racing to construct as many AI information facilities as potential. These information facilities are packing tons of GPUs, however in addition they want mountains of reminiscence and storage. This has skyrocketed world demand for reminiscence (RAM) and storage (largely SSDs), sending RAM prices into the stratosphere and triggering a world reminiscence scarcity.
If OpenAI alone may quickly devour up to 40% of global DRAM output, issues get a lot worse whenever you issue different AI firms into the equation.
Sadly, there are solely a handful of firms—Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron—that manufacture chips utilized in RAM sticks and SSDs, they usually cannot shell out sufficient chips to fulfill demand. The catch is that they don’t plan to ramp up RAM nor storage manufacturing anytime quickly, and even after they do, we should not anticipate a large provide enhance. This paints a reasonably bleak image for the following yr. If the demand would not deflate quickly, RAM costs will stay astronomical, and will even get larger.
SSDs are largely positive, for now, however the RAM-pocalypse is slowly spilling over to storage. As DRAM chips usher in additional cash, producers are shifting their manufacturing traces towards elevated memory-chip output whereas winding down the manufacture of NAND chips utilized in SSDs.
Whereas it is now too late to purchase RAM at something resembling a traditional worth, you should buy an SSD as soon as possible if you happen to want extra storage.
Each machine that packs reminiscence and storage will seemingly be affected
Now, the issue is {that a} ton of digital gadgets pack a variety of reminiscence and storage. From laptop computer and desktop PCs, to GPUs, to gaming consoles, to handheld PCs, to telephones and tablets.
Since costs are rising throughout the board, the common client available in the market for RAM or storage is not the one one affected. Resulting from being outbid by AI behemoths, main laptop computer and prebuilt PC distributors are planning to lift costs quickly. Dell has already announced that it’ll enhance the costs for enterprise clients by as much as 30%, and Lenovo is prone to comply with in early 2026.
HP will both adjust prices or reduce the amount of memory in its laptops, or each. ASUS and Acer each plan to pass the burden to consumers, and a number of system integrators, together with MAINGEAR and CyberPowerPC, have already hiked costs of their prebuilt desktop PCs.
Graphics card costs had finally reached normal levels, however then AMD raised prices of its GPUs, and now there are rumors that NVIDIA will reduce the production of its RTX 5000 GPUs in 2026 by as much as 40% resulting from reminiscence shortages. It seems to be just like the GPU market’s waters are churning once more; we are able to anticipate additional worth hikes stemming from reminiscence shortages and a lowered provide of client GPUs to hit someday in 2026.
Telephones and tablets will not be spared both. Not solely will 2026 cellphone fashions (in addition to laptops) come with less memory, particularly finances fashions, however they may even be as much as 10% costlier to provide. As at all times, the common individuals will seemingly be those to foot the invoice.
Oh, I nearly forgot about gaming consoles. The Nintendo Swap 2 RAM costs have risen by greater than 40%, whereas the console’s storage has elevated by 8%, main to an enormous drop in Nintendo shares. In the intervening time, Nintendo would not plan to extend costs, but when this pattern continues, the Swap 2 would possibly get costlier in 2026.
Sony and Microsoft anticipate reminiscence alone to account for more than 35% of the invoice of supplies for his or her consoles, which may result in worth will increase for the PS5, PS5 Professional, and Xbox Sequence X and S. This does not bode effectively for Microsoft, for the reason that firm has increased the worth of the Xbox Sequence consoles multiple times throughout 2025.
Skyrocketing RAM prices were just the beginning—these 3 PC components are next
Is now the final likelihood to improve your PC?
The costs will not stabilize anytime quickly
The worst a part of the RAM-pocalypse is that it seemingly is not going to finish anytime quickly. SK Hynix, one of many three main reminiscence and storage chip producers, forecasts that RAM shortages is not going to ease up till 2028.
Micron shuttering its client reminiscence and storage model, Essential, so the corporate can totally concentrate on enterprise clients, is one other bleak signal. It exhibits that we, the common customers, aren’t the first—and even secondary—marketplace for storage and reminiscence producers. AI firms come first, massive companies are served second, whereas the patron market has to accept the leftovers.
Even when reminiscence and storage manufacturing lastly ramps up, AI companies and different enterprise shoppers will proceed having priority over the patron market. In different phrases, even after the worldwide reminiscence and storage provide stabilizes, every time which may be, there is a good likelihood that costs will not ever return to pre-RAM-pocalypse ranges.
Purchase that machine or element as quickly as potential
What I am making an attempt to say is that you should purchase the machine you are eyeing sooner moderately than later. Whether or not it’s a laptop computer, a prebuilt desktop, a GPU, a pill, or a cellphone, it’s best to snag it as quickly as potential, as a result of subsequent yr you won’t solely pay extra for it, but additionally find yourself with much less RAM or storage, or each.
Relating to PC constructing, the present state of affairs is very ironic. Whereas now’s the very best time to buy most PC elements, RAM is so darn costly that it may possibly devour all of the financial savings you would possibly rating on different elements—after which some—and GPU costs may quickly soar for the nth time since 2017, this time resulting from reminiscence crunch and lowered manufacturing.
If you actually need a brand new desktop PC, build it as soon as possible. The RAM-pocalypse will not finish anytime quickly, and reminiscence costs will seemingly proceed the upward pattern effectively into 2026. Whereas now could be a reasonably unhealthy time to construct a PC, tomorrow shall be worse.
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