It’s no longer shocking to see high prices for PC memory. DDR5 RAM has been too expensive for most people for months, and now that supplies of DDR5 are limited, older DDR4 RAM – which has become more popular as a result – is also getting significantly more expensive.
Both solid-state drives and traditional hard drives are now experiencing supply problems and increasing prices, just like many other tech components.
The current problems with memory and storage aren’t the same. Memory issues stem from a shortage of DRAM chips, while storage shortages are due to a lack of NAND chips. These chips are essential for everything from everyday devices to the powerful hardware driving the growth of artificial intelligence.
The current shortages of DRAM and NAND memory are mainly caused by AI companies purchasing large amounts of supply, often years before it’s even manufactured. They’re doing this to build the powerful, specialized supercomputers needed for today’s data centers.
A new report indicates that AI datacenters are expected to use around 70% of all the most advanced DRAM memory chips by 2026. This high demand caused memory prices to jump about 50% in late 2025, and experts at TrendForce predict they will increase another 70% in 2026.
If you haven’t purchased DDR5 RAM yet, it’s likely to remain expensive, making it a tough buy for many. Because RAM costs are already pushing up the prices of laptops and other computers, experts forecast a very unstable year for PC sales, potentially with a decrease of as much as 9%.
Buy a new SSD now, or wait who knows how long for prices to come down
Many PC fans regret not buying DDR5 RAM earlier, before prices went up. Now that SSD prices are also starting to climb, it’s a good idea to upgrade your storage while you still can, before it becomes too expensive.
Right now, large, fast SSDs are simply too expensive for a lot of people.
Recent research from Tom’s Hardware revealed that 8TB NVMe SSDs are now as expensive, or even more expensive, than the same amount of gold. If current price increases continue, 4TB drives are predicted to reach the same price point soon, and experts anticipate prices will keep rising.
Micron has stopped selling storage under the Crucial brand, which is a significant change for the industry. This is likely because companies can earn more profit by focusing on selling storage solutions to businesses developing artificial intelligence technologies.
The frustrating thing is, we have no idea when these hardware shortages will finally be over, or how they’ll resolve themselves. It could be caused by a downturn in the AI market, or perhaps manufacturers will be able to increase production of components like NAND and DRAM faster than anticipated. Honestly, it’s a complete mystery.
I regret not buying more memory when prices were lower, but I’m learning from that mistake and stocking up on storage now. I’ve found some great deals on M.2 and SATA storage, so I’m sharing the best prices per gigabyte to help you save money.
Storage prices are moving quickly, and I plan to update this list frequently.
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2026-01-22 14:09