DRAM prices have exploded over the past year, rising an incredible 171% compared to 2024. That's more than double the price increase of gold, which "only" went up 88% in the same period. The main reason? A global rush for AI computing hardware that's causing memory shortages everywhere. According to CTEE, DRAM contract prices as of Q3 2025 are up 171.8% year-over-year, making memory one of the fastest-growing tech commodities in the world. Gold, often seen as the safest investment, climbed from $1,246 to $2,350 per ounce, but even that can't match what's happening in the semiconductor world. In short, RAM has been a better investment than gold this year.
While this price surge has already hit manufacturers, the full effect hasn't yet shown up in retail memory kits. Tom's Hardware reports that it could take several months before consumers feel the full impact, but prices for DDR5 and LPDDR5X modules could easily double by mid-2026. Anyone planning to build or upgrade a PC might want to buy memory now before the next wave of price hikes hits.
While this price surge has already hit manufacturers, the full effect hasn't yet shown up in retail memory kits. Tom's Hardware reports that it could take several months before consumers feel the full impact, but prices for DDR5 and LPDDR5X modules could easily double by mid-2026. Anyone planning to build or upgrade a PC might want to buy memory now before the next wave of price hikes hits.
ADATA chairman Chen Libai described Q4 2025 as the official start of the "DRAM bull market." He explained that while AI servers and data centers are driving most of the demand for high-end RDIMM and HBM chips, memory makers are focusing their production on those more profitable products. That leaves far fewer resources for consumer-grade DDR5, creating a ripple effect that will squeeze the PC market in 2026.
It's not just DRAM facing trouble. NAND flash memory, used in SSDs, is also seeing price increases. PHISON's CEO Jiancheng Pan went as far as predicting that the NAND shortage could last up to a decade if capacity doesn't expand quickly enough. With AI giants like NVIDIA and Google pouring billions into new data centers, the global supply chain for memory chips is stretched thin.
While this price surge has already hit manufacturers, the full effect hasn't yet shown up in retail memory kits. Tom's Hardware reports that it could take several months before consumers feel the full impact, but prices for DDR5 and LPDDR5X modules could easily double by mid-2026. Anyone planning to build or upgrade a PC might want to buy memory now before the next wave of price hikes hits.
While this price surge has already hit manufacturers, the full effect hasn't yet shown up in retail memory kits. Tom's Hardware reports that it could take several months before consumers feel the full impact, but prices for DDR5 and LPDDR5X modules could easily double by mid-2026. Anyone planning to build or upgrade a PC might want to buy memory now before the next wave of price hikes hits.
ADATA chairman Chen Libai described Q4 2025 as the official start of the "DRAM bull market." He explained that while AI servers and data centers are driving most of the demand for high-end RDIMM and HBM chips, memory makers are focusing their production on those more profitable products. That leaves far fewer resources for consumer-grade DDR5, creating a ripple effect that will squeeze the PC market in 2026.
It's not just DRAM facing trouble. NAND flash memory, used in SSDs, is also seeing price increases. PHISON's CEO Jiancheng Pan went as far as predicting that the NAND shortage could last up to a decade if capacity doesn't expand quickly enough. With AI giants like NVIDIA and Google pouring billions into new data centers, the global supply chain for memory chips is stretched thin.