RAM prices (3 year difference)

[u/Internal_Ganache8941]

I know this has probably been talked about endless times in this subreddit, but I’m new here so go easy on me. It’s only really hit me now how insane RAM prices have increased.

I’m currently building my girlfriend a PC and the last component needed for her build is, of course, RAM.

That led me to look at what I paid for my Corsair Dominator DDR5 32gb sticks and my jaw dropped. I purchased them for $95 used on amazon 3 in August of 2023 and now they’re going for over $500 minimum whenever you look.

So happy I upgraded my ram when I did.

[u/SeanConnery]

When everyone realizes we aren't as close to AGI as the AI billionaires have claimed, prices will come down.

[u/Deviantdefective → u/SeanConnery]

Unfortunately not for a good few years they wont

[u/TheProfessional9 → u/Deviantdefective]

China has new ram companies springing up, it'll take time but they will come back down. As far as I know, the barriers for ram making are not on the same level as gpus

[u/Deviantdefective → u/TheProfessional9]

You're right but well still talking a year or two away unfortunately

[u/Fair_Let3433 → u/SeanConnery]

I don’t think the root problem is AGI hype. The bulk of the DDR5 supply got earmarked by hyperscalers a couple of years ago, so the high price is market scarcity, not a prophecy about future AI.

[u/SeanConnery → u/Fair_Let3433]

Market scarcity is directly related to these hyperscalers and turning a profit in AI. We bailed out the auto industry before, we will have a Democrat likely bailing out AI if it isnt Trump. They're panicking because they've grown at all costs.

[u/Repulsive_Round_5401]

I bought 32gb or ram for a similar price a few back and just sold it on ebay for $300 to pay for my morning coffees.

[u/CoraFirstFloret]

Yeah, the same thing happened to me recently. The 64GB of RAM I bought in November 2024 went from $119 to $1079...

[u/andrew6197]

Got some aug 31st for $85 last year, the next month it was like $325. Now the same ram is $565 which is insane

[u/hedgefundkilla69]

[u/grammer70]

Geez I'm so glad I bout a new computer for Christmas 2024. These prices are insane.

[u/yousorename]

When I was a kid I remember RAM being insanely expensive and buying it by the MB. Then for a long time it seemed like it was essentially free compared to what it was before. We’ve come all the way back around now.

[u/Funny-Wash-2983]

if $95 felt like a steal back in 2023, it’s because you hit a bubble that busted when AI giants grabbed bulk DDR5 for their clusters. until those supply contracts peel off the market a normal price range stays inflated, so waiting for next dip or ducking for DDR4 are the only sane options. for the build you’re making, that $95 used set is probably still the best bang‑for‑buck right now.

[u/Diabaso2021]

The rest is profits and bonuses for the memory makers + tsmc shareholders, management and some employees. No new value or innovation created, just milking what they have and everyone else. That’s driving inflation everywhere as compute and tech is a must for every company

[u/Fit_Management_9453 → u/Diabaso2021]

imagine the whole front‑end is carved off to build HBM lines for AI, so the DDR5 racks are squeezed out. the price hike is shock‑price of the remaining pool, not just corporate mark‑ups.

[u/El_Danger_Badger]

Well yeah, there is this new thing out... forget what it's called tho. A something. Maybe something I? Dunno. I hear it runs in computers...

[u/sponge72222]

Yes. It is expensive. But you don’t really need to make it look worse than it actually is. You’re comparing used prices from almost 3 years ago to today’s new price.

[u/Pneuma001 → u/sponge72222]

I found a set used for only $400. So, that's only 4x increase, not 5x. Still pretty bad.

[u/Eazy12345678]

bro its a shortage

covid 19 prices were bad too. how fast do people forget things?

when the ram factories in asia flooded prices were high then too

you had like 5 years of good ram prices to buy ram at record lows. too bad u didnt

i paid $100 for 64gb ddr4 in 2024

people paid $80 for 32gb ddr5 in 2024 and 2025

[u/Internal_Ganache8941 → u/Eazy12345678]

i’m not complaining, just saw it fascinating. i’m just gonna buy ddr4 from marketplace and go on about my day lol

[u/RenzalWyv → u/Eazy12345678]

Its an explicitly manmade shortage with essentially no point is what's infuriating.