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Memory and SSD prices surge globally due to AI demand
Global memory and SSD prices are experiencing unprecedented surges, driven primarily by the massive expansion of AI data centers. The demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and DRAM to support AI infrastructure has diverted production capacity away from consumer markets, leading to significant price hikes for PC components.
In the United States, some DDR5 memory kits have seen prices increase up to 10 times their historical lows. For example, a 128GB DDR5-6400 kit has reached approximately $3,399. Similar trends are observed in Europe, where average prices rose by 345% compared to September 2025. This shortage is also impacting older DDR4 models, which have seen price increases of over 150%.
Industry experts warn that the supply crunch may persist for years. Major manufacturers have reportedly already sold out their production capacity for 2027. SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung has identified 2027 as a particularly difficult year for the supply environment, while ADATA Chairman Simon Chen suggested the DRAM crisis could last up to a decade. To secure supply, companies like NVIDIA are reportedly pursuing long-term agreements with manufacturers such as SK hynix and Micron.
Entities
DRAM · Edgewater Research · Micron · Nvidia · SK Hynix · SSD
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Major manufacturers have reportedly already sold out their DRAM and HBM production capacity for 2027. slo-tech.com · news.mynavi.jp
- [DISPUTED] Average memory prices in Europe rose by 345% compared to September 2025. news.mynavi.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] NVIDIA may have secured multi-year agreements with SK hynix and Micron for HBM and DRAM memory. tocka.com.mk
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Hyperscalers including Alibaba, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta invested a total of $137 billion in the first quarter of 2026. techtarget.itmedia.co.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] PC memory prices have risen to unprecedented levels due to rapid AI data center expansion. news.mynavi.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A 128GB DDR5-6400 kit has reached approximately $3,399, nearly 10 times its previous lowest price. news.mynavi.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The DRAM crisis could potentially last for up to 10 years. news.mynavi.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The year 2027 is predicted to be the most difficult year for the memory supply environment in industry history. news.mynavi.jp