If a new laptop or a RAM upgrade has looked more expensive lately, it isn't a fluke. Memory-chip makers are diverting production toward the high-bandwidth memory that powers AI data centers, and the resulting squeeze on ordinary DDR5 chips has sent prices climbing through 2026.
How bad is the shortage
Analysts at TrendForce projected DRAM prices would rise 50% to 55% quarter-over-quarter in early 2026, an increase one analyst described as "unprecedented," according to CNBC. Micron's business chief said demand has "far outpaced" the industry's ability to supply it. On the consumer side, Tom's Guide reported Samsung had raised prices on some DDR5 modules by as much as 100%, with limited stock available to retailers.
"We have seen a very sharp, significant surge in demand for memory, and it has far outpaced our ability to supply that memory and, in our estimation, the supply capability of the whole memory industry."
Micron business chief, via CNBC
Chipmakers are racing to catch up
SK Hynix said in August it would invest 54 trillion won ($38.1 billion) to build two new memory plants in South Korea, one of the largest single capital commitments in the company's history, as it works to keep pace with demand for AI accelerators from customers like Nvidia. Samsung and Micron have likewise reported soaring profits tied to memory pricing.
For everyday PC buyers, the practical effect is straightforward: memory now makes up a much larger share of a computer's cost than it did a year ago, and major PC makers have already passed some of that increase on through higher retail prices. Analysts don't expect the crunch to ease quickly, since new fabrication capacity announced this year won't come fully online for several years.