--- title: "Boom in AI chips: DDR5 RAM prices have surged 3.5 times in six months" description: "RAM prices have surged 3.5 times in six months! πŸš€ The reason is the boom in AI chips: giants like Samsung and Micron have switched to producing expensive HBM memory, reducing the output of standard DDR4 and DDR5 modules. πŸ’ΈπŸ“‰" date: 2026-06-09T12:51:30.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/boom-in-ai-chips-dd5-ram-prices-have-surged-3-5-times-in-six-months tags: [] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Boom in AI chips: DDR5 RAM prices have surged 3.5 times in six months ![DDR5 RAM module with RGB lighting on dark background β€” symbol of price surge due to AI chip demand](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/09/tseny-na-operativnuyu-pamyat-vzleteli-v-3-5-raza-iz-za-ii/tseny-na-operativnuyu-pamyat-vzleteli-v-3-5-raza-iz-za-ii-1.webp) The computer memory market is experiencing an unprecedented price surge. Buyers of PC components are forced to face a sharp increase in the cost of RAM modules, and this trend has been gaining momentum for several months in a row. The situation is felt most acutely in the segment of the latest DDR5 memory. According to the latest data from China, the wholesale cost of a 16 GB module has reached $35. This is 6% higher than a month ago, making the current period the fourth month of continuous price growth. However, the real shock comes from the comparison with figures from previous periods. Just six months ago, a similar module cost around $10. Thus, over six months, the cost of RAM has increased by 3.5 times. ### Not just DDR5: DDR4 price increases The problem of rising costs is not limited to cutting-edge technologies. Traditional DDR4 memory has also become more expensive. Between April and June, the wholesale price of an 8 GB module increased by approximately two times compared to the peak values of the previous quarter. ### The cause of the crisis: the race for HBM The key factor driving the price increase has been the boom in artificial intelligence technologies. Chip manufacturers faced a choice: produce memory for ordinary computers or specialized chips for neural networks. The profitability of producing HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) β€” memory critical for the operation of powerful AI systems β€” is significantly higher than that of standard DDR5 and DDR4 modules. As a result, three industry giants β€” Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron β€” made a strategic decision to redirect resources. Major DRAM manufacturers are giving unconditional priority to HBM production, reducing capacity for general-purpose memory. It is precisely this redistribution of production capacity that has led to a shortage and a sharp price spike for familiar memory modules in the consumer market.