GPU prices are finally reaching a more reasonable level after years of being sky-high, but the cost of RAM has skyrocketed to unprecedented heights. The shortage of RAM and flash memory chips is the primary cause of this surge in prices.
A comparison between the same components three months ago and the current prices reveals dramatic increases. For example, a 16GB kit of DDR5 RAM from Micron was priced at $82 just three months ago but has now jumped to $310. Similarly, a Western Digital SSD with 2TB of storage went from $115 to $154 in that same period.
While GPU prices have been unaffordable for many gamers and content creators, the situation is quite different when it comes to RAM. This shortage is having a significant impact on PC builders, who will now face even higher costs for essential components.
The reasons behind this shortage are complex, but the ongoing AI boom has played a major role in driving up demand for memory chips. Manufacturers need time to ramp up production and increase capacity before they can meet current high levels of demand. This means that prices may continue to rise until the supply chain can be restored to its normal state.
The effects on PC builders are already being felt, with many companies struggling to keep their inventory of components in stock. This is particularly true for smaller businesses like Framework, which has had to stop selling standalone RAM kits due to price increases from suppliers and the efforts of scalpers trying to capitalize on the shortages.
On the other hand, larger companies such as Lenovo and Apple seem well-positioned to ride out this shortage with healthy profit margins that will allow them to absorb the increased costs without passing them on to customers. However, even these companies are not immune to the effects of the shortage, and they may eventually have to raise their prices to reflect the current market conditions.
The situation highlights the challenges of predicting when shortages-fueled price hikes might end. With demand for AI-driven applications expected to continue growing in the coming years, it's possible that we will see a sustained period of high RAM prices before production capacity can be increased to meet normal levels.
A comparison between the same components three months ago and the current prices reveals dramatic increases. For example, a 16GB kit of DDR5 RAM from Micron was priced at $82 just three months ago but has now jumped to $310. Similarly, a Western Digital SSD with 2TB of storage went from $115 to $154 in that same period.
While GPU prices have been unaffordable for many gamers and content creators, the situation is quite different when it comes to RAM. This shortage is having a significant impact on PC builders, who will now face even higher costs for essential components.
The reasons behind this shortage are complex, but the ongoing AI boom has played a major role in driving up demand for memory chips. Manufacturers need time to ramp up production and increase capacity before they can meet current high levels of demand. This means that prices may continue to rise until the supply chain can be restored to its normal state.
The effects on PC builders are already being felt, with many companies struggling to keep their inventory of components in stock. This is particularly true for smaller businesses like Framework, which has had to stop selling standalone RAM kits due to price increases from suppliers and the efforts of scalpers trying to capitalize on the shortages.
On the other hand, larger companies such as Lenovo and Apple seem well-positioned to ride out this shortage with healthy profit margins that will allow them to absorb the increased costs without passing them on to customers. However, even these companies are not immune to the effects of the shortage, and they may eventually have to raise their prices to reflect the current market conditions.
The situation highlights the challenges of predicting when shortages-fueled price hikes might end. With demand for AI-driven applications expected to continue growing in the coming years, it's possible that we will see a sustained period of high RAM prices before production capacity can be increased to meet normal levels.
I'm so done with these crazy tech prices lol! Like, I get it, AI boom and all that but 310 bucks for 16GB RAM is just outta control 
. And it's not like GPU prices have been super reasonable recently either... It's always something, right? 
PC builders are gonna have a field day trying to keep up with these costs though... I feel bad for them. Guess they'll just have to hold their breath and hope production ramps up soon 
.
. it's like they're selling us out, right? i know gpu prices are still kinda high, but at least there's some relief in sight... or so we think 
. PC builders are really gonna feel the pinch with these shortages, and smaller companies are getting smashed by scalpers trying to make a quick buck 
?
but nope, memory chips are the new hot potato and we're all stuck paying an arm and a leg for 16gb of DDR5 
I mean, think about it - 16GB of DDR5 RAM used to cost like $82 three months ago, but now it's over $310! That's a massive increase of almost 380% 
On the other hand, big players like Lenovo and Apple are doing alright because they have healthy profit margins to absorb these increased costs. But eventually, they might raise prices too - it's hard to predict when shortages will end 
anyway, it's not all bad news for gamers... i guess their gpu prices are finally becoming more reasonable 
but let's be real, the real victims here are pc builders trying to stay within budget. they're basically forced to swallow the price hike and hope no one notices 
that's like, a whole nother story 
it's insane how much it's skyrocketed in just 3 months 
. I'm a bit worried about Framework tho 
they're struggling to keep their inventory in stock and they had to stop selling standalone RAM kits 
. Hope they can get back on track soon 
. I'm not sure how Lenovo and Apple can 'absorb' the increased costs without passing them on to customers... maybe we'll see a price hike from those guys soon too? 
still can't believe the shortage of these chips is having such a big impact on pc builders 
. Can you believe how the prices have skyrocketed? Like, what even is going on?! First GPUs are through the roof and now RAM is like 4x more expensive than it was just a few months ago? It's so unfair to PC builders and content creators who already struggle to make ends meet. And don't even get me started on the smaller businesses that are getting squeezed out of existence because of this shortage 
and I'm still waiting for someone to come up with a solution that doesn't involve throwing money at the problem 
i mean what's up with this ram shortage? it's like everyone needs more memory chips for their ai projects or something and manufacturers are just getting slammed with orders 
. it's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out in the long run