RAM Prices Are Exploding in December 2025 — What’s Driving the DRAM Crisis and How Long It Could Last

Updated December 4, 2025

As of December 4, 2025, RAM (DRAM) prices are in full‑blown crisis mode. Spot prices for mainstream DDR5 chips are hovering just under $27 per 16Gb, more than four times their level in September, and contract prices have jumped so fast that analysts are openly using words like bull market and super‑cycle. ^[1]

At the same time, one of the “big three” DRAM makers, Micron, is pulling out of the consumer RAM market and discontinuing its Crucial brand, while PC memory kits for gamers and creators have tripled in price since September. ^[2]

Below is a full rundown of today’s RAM price situation, why it’s happening, and what it means for PCs, phones and data centers.

1. Current RAM prices on 4 December 2025

DRAM spot prices: DDR5 and DDR4

Global market tracker DRAMeXchange shows just how extreme things have become. In today’s update (December 4, 18:10 GMT+8), average DRAM spot prices are roughly: ^[3]

DDR5 16G (2Gx8, 4800/5600):
- Session average: $26.93 per 16Gb chip
- Day’s range: $19.00–$36.00
DDR5 16Gb “eTT” (white‑label chips):
- Session average: $12.55
DDR4 16Gb (3200):
- Session average: $45.75

Those prices are a long way from where the market started this year. A recent analysis using DRAMeXchange data shows the average spot price for a 16Gb DDR5 chip jumping:

$6.84 on September 20
$24.83 on November 19
$27.20 on December 1 ^[4]

At these levels, just the DRAM chips for a single 16GB DDR5 module now cost around $217, before you even add the PCB, power management, assembly, logistics and taxes — pushing the bare cost of a 16GB stick into the $225–$228 range before any retailer margin. ^[5]

Contract prices and year‑over‑year surge

Contract pricing is even more shocking:

Some December DRAM and 3D NAND contract prices are up 80–100% month‑on‑month, according to TeamGroup’s general manager Gerry Chen. ^[6]
Across the broader market, DRAM contract prices are up about 171.8% year‑over‑year as of Q3 2025, outpacing even the recent rise in gold. ^[7]

In short: DRAM is now more than twice as expensive as it was this summer, and nearly three times as expensive as a year ago.

2. Today’s big RAM price headlines (December 4, 2025)

Several major stories broke today or in the last few days that define the current “RAMageddon”:

Micron exits consumer RAM and kills Crucial
Micron confirmed it is abandoning the consumer memory market, discontinuing its 29‑year‑old Crucial brand to redirect capacity to AI data centers and enterprise customers. The company will stop shipping Crucial RAM and SSDs to retail channels by February 2026, leaving Samsung and SK Hynix as the only major DRAM manufacturers serving consumers directly. ^[8]
PC memory prices triple after OpenAI’s mega‑DRAM deals
A detailed WinBuzzer report says average prices for both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM have roughly tripled since September, based on PCPartPicker data. High‑end DDR5‑6000 64GB kits jumped from around $200 to about $750, and mainstream 32GB DDR5 kits rose from about $115 to over $400. Even DDR4‑3600 16GB kits have gone from roughly $80 to $230. ^[9]
The same story links the shock to OpenAI’s “Stargate” project, which reportedly locked in up to 900,000 raw DRAM wafers per month, or around 40% of global DRAM capacity, through supply deals with Samsung and SK Hynix. ^[10]
RAM hits $27 per chip; inventory collapses
A synthesis article on Red94 notes DDR5 chip prices have surged to $27 per 16Gb by December 1, making this the worst memory crisis since 2020. It cites inventory data showing average DRAM supplier stock plunging to just 2–4 weeks in October, down from 13–17 weeks in late 2024, and reports that DRAM prices overall are up about 171.8% year‑over‑year. ^[11]
Transcend: no new chips since October, prices up 50–100% in a week
Memory brand Transcend told customers in a December 2 letter that it has not received any new chip shipments from key suppliers since October, and that its Q4 chip allocation has been “significantly reduced”. It warns that prices in the past week alone have jumped 50–100%, and expects the crunch to last at least 3–5 months. ^[12]
Motherboard sales halved as DDR5 RAM prices soar
In a separate TweakTown report, motherboard makers like ASUS, MSI and GIGABYTE are seeing 40–50% drops in motherboard sales versus late 2024, tied directly to 2–3× increases in DDR5 memory prices. That collapse is already forcing them to cut sales targets for November and December 2025. ^[13]
Retail RAM prices up 240%+ on Amazon, CyberPowerPC cites 500% cost spike
Tom’s Guide’s explainer on the “RAMageddon” notes that average consumer RAM stick prices on Amazon are up more than 240%, based on a check of over 100 listings. ^[14]
Meanwhile, a Tom’s Hardware report on CyberPowerPC says the prebuilt PC maker will raise system prices starting December 7 and claims RAM costs have risen by about 500% recently, with SSD costs roughly doubling. ^[15]

All of this is happening on top of already extreme Q3 price hikes.

3. Why RAM prices are exploding: AI, oligopolies and a supply miscalculation

A DRAM oligopoly with AI at the front of the queue

The global DRAM market is effectively controlled by three companies: Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology. Together, they account for around 95% of worldwide DRAM production, and they also supply the chips that go into “third‑party” brands like Corsair, G.Skill and Kingston. ^[16]

In 2024–2025, those manufacturers began re‑allocating capacity toward AI and data‑center products:

OSCOO’s December 3 industry note describes a rapid tightening from November to December 2025, with contract and retail prices for DDR5 and server DRAM rising unusually fast across PCs, OEMs and data centers. It attributes the surge to data‑center and cloud providers soaking up HBM and high‑spec DRAM, which suppliers prioritize because of higher margins. ^[17]
Tom’s Hardware reports that DRAM contract prices rose 15–20% in earlier quarters, then up to 50% for Q4, culminating in the 171.8% year‑on‑year jump now visible in Q3 data. ^[18]

With Micron exiting the consumer market to focus on AI, the two remaining DRAM heavyweights serving end users are doubling down on data‑center orders first, and consumer RAM is whatever’s left over. ^[19]

OpenAI’s mega‑deal and “Stargate” effect

The OpenAI “Stargate” project has become a symbol of just how skewed demand has become:

According to WinBuzzer, citing TechInsights, OpenAI signed parallel deals with Samsung and SK Hynix to secure up to 900,000 raw DRAM wafers per month, representing roughly 40% of all DRAM production capacity. ^[20]
Crucially, these are raw wafers, not finished modules, meaning that huge amounts of potential consumer and server DRAM are taken off the open market before they’re even packaged.

Red94’s roundup adds that OpenAI’s projected HBM wafer demand by 2029 is roughly double current global HBM output, underscoring how AI hyperscalers are effectively outbidding everyone else for memory. ^[21]

Structural shift away from DDR4 and “standard” DRAM

Another painful piece of the puzzle: the industry deliberately wound down DDR4 and older DRAM just as demand rebounded.

Red94’s report notes that:

Samsung ended DDR4 production in 2024, followed by Micron exiting DDR4 and many smartphone memory lines within 6–9 months.
China’s CXMT also scaled back DDR4, as leading vendors chased the higher margins of HBM and DDR5 for AI workloads. ^[22]

The result: when PC refresh cycles, traditional data‑center upgrades and smartphone sales came in stronger than expected, the industry found itself “producing the wrong product mix”—loads of high‑end HBM and not enough conventional DRAM.

4. Micron kills Crucial: what that means for RAM prices

Micron’s move is one of the clearest signals that consumer RAM is now second‑class compared with AI and enterprise memory.

According to TechHQ’s report:

Micron is discontinuing its 29‑year‑old Crucial brand, a mainstay of PC building since the late 1990s.
The company will cease shipments of Crucial‑branded RAM and SSDs to retail by February 2026.
That removes one of the three major DRAM manufacturers from the consumer market, consolidating supply around Samsung and SK Hynix. ^[23]

WinBuzzer adds that the decision comes after consumer RAM prices tripled in Q4 2025 and is part of a strategic pivot to high‑margin AI and enterprise customers. Micron is effectively saying it can earn much more selling memory to hyperscalers than to gamers. ^[24]

Fewer big manufacturers serving end users almost inevitably means less competition and stickier high prices for consumer RAM, even if raw chip costs eventually ease.

5. From chips to kits: how much have RAM prices actually risen?

Let’s translate the market data into the prices people see on product pages.

Raw DRAM chips

16Gb DDR5 chip:
- $6.84 (Sept 20) → $24.83 (Nov 19) → $27.20 (Dec 1)
- That’s roughly a 4× increase in a little over two months. ^[25]

At eight such chips per 16GB DIMM, the silicon alone now costs about $217.60 for a 16GB module, before the PCB and other components. ^[26]

Consumer DDR5 kits

Different trackers and outlets all show the same pattern:

PCPartPicker data (via WinBuzzer):
- High‑end 64GB DDR5‑6000 kits: ~$200 → ~$750 between September and November.
- Mainstream 32GB DDR5 kits: ~$115 → $400+.
- Common 16GB DDR4‑3600 kits: ~$80 → ~$230. ^[27]
PC Gamer’s Crucial tracking:
- A generic 32GB Crucial DDR5 kit was $69 in spring, moved to about $100 by late July, and reached $186–$237 by late November, while a 5600 MHz variant hit roughly $278, up from $77.99 in August. ^[28]
OSCOO’s December 3 industry note:
- Reports retail DDR5 module prices climbing in step with contract prices, with some 64GB kits already above $600, “several times higher” than mid‑year levels. ^[29]
Tom’s Guide’s Amazon snapshot:
- Across 100+ RAM listings on Amazon, the average consumer RAM stick price has risen by over 240%, reflecting the same 2–3× pattern. ^[30]

Downstream effects: motherboards, GPUs and whole systems

The knock‑on effects are already visible:

Motherboards: DDR5 price hikes have reportedly caused 40–50% drops in motherboard sales at major brands, halving volumes and forcing them to cut 2025 targets. ^[31]
Prebuilt PCs: CyberPowerPC is raising prices in the U.S. and U.K. from December 7, citing 500% increases in RAM costs and 100% in SSD costs in just a few months. ^[32]
Graphics cards & consoles: OSCOO and TweakTown both note that rising DRAM and GDDR prices are expected to push up GPU and console prices in 2026, as memory is a key bill‑of‑materials line item. ^[33]

For many builders, the RAM in a high‑end PC now costs more than the CPU and sometimes more than a mid‑range GPU, a reversal of the usual cost balance.

6. Who is getting hit the hardest?

DIY PC builders and gamers

DIY system builders are on the front line of the RAM shock:

High‑capacity DDR5 kits (64GB, 128GB) have moved well beyond the price of a current‑gen game console. Tom’s Hardware and TweakTown have highlighted 64GB DDR5‑6000 kits costing more than an entire PS5. ^[34]
Some Japanese retailers in Tokyo’s Akihabara district have resorted to purchase caps — limiting customers to eight memory products per transaction — to curb hoarding. ^[35]

The result is fewer new builds, delayed upgrades and a growing niche of enthusiasts simply sticking with older DDR4 platforms to avoid the DDR5 premium.

System integrators and OEMs

Prebuilt vendors and OEMs are caught between:

Locked‑in orders and tight delivery schedules, and
Component costs that can jump 10–20% in a single week.

Transcend’s letter describes Q4 price moves of 50–100% in just seven days, while CyberPowerPC warns that system price increases will likely persist into 2026 unless component pricing normalizes. ^[36]

Some distributors are already bundling RAM with motherboards (or requiring matched purchases) to ration supply—another sign of a classic shortage environment. ^[37]

Smartphone and consumer electronics buyers

Red94 cites Reuters interviews with smartphone makers who warn that handset prices may rise 20–30% by mid‑2026 purely due to higher memory costs. Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Realme have said these are “unprecedented” increases, forcing them either to raise prices or downgrade components elsewhere. ^[38]

Because every phone, tablet, console and streaming box uses DRAM and NAND, the RAM shock is morphing into a broader consumer electronics inflation story.

7. How long will high RAM prices last?

This is the question everyone is asking — and the answer is, unfortunately, “a while”.

Different analysts and industry players paint a range of scenarios:

Near‑term (next 6–12 months):
- Tom’s Guide summarizes industry expectations that DRAM and NAND prices will continue rising at least through the first half of 2026, as AI buildouts continue and new fab capacity lags. ^[39]
- OSCOO reports that Samsung is raising DRAM shipment prices by 30–60% and temporarily halting some contract negotiations to reset prices, suggesting suppliers expect higher price floors rather than a quick retreat. ^[40]
2026–2027: a deep shortage or a normal cycle?
- TeamGroup’s general manager Gerry Chen expects availability of DRAM and NAND to worsen in the first half of 2026, once distributor inventories are exhausted, and warns that the current shortage could extend into late 2027 or beyond. ^[41]
- Red94 cites SK Hynix as projecting that new conventional DRAM capacity will not come online until 2027–2028, implying sustained tightness until at least 2027. ^[42]
Consensus forecasts compiled by independent analysts:
A synthesis of TrendForce, DigiTimes and other sources shows: ^[43]
- Q4 2025 DRAM prices up 18–23% quarter‑on‑quarter, a revision from earlier 8–13% expectations.
- Some forecasts see DDR5 prices rising 30–50% each quarter through the first half of 2026.
- Several analysts warn of a “long and strong” memory supercycle lasting 3–4 years, with elevated prices into 2027–2028.
- Others, like TechInsights’ Dan Hutcheson, still see this as a “typical” 1–2‑year shortage, likely peaking before 2027, followed by a cyclical downturn.

The only consensus view is that meaningful relief before mid‑2026 looks unlikely unless:

AI investment slows dramatically,
New DRAM/HBM capacity ramps faster than planned, or
A macroeconomic downturn destroys demand.

None of those are visible today.

8. What buyers can realistically do right now

This is a news story, not financial advice, but a few themes keep recurring across industry commentary and coverage:

If your build or upgrade is urgent, waiting may be risky.
Sources from OSCOO, Tom’s Guide and Tom’s Hardware all point to further price rises into 2026, not immediate relief. ^[44]
Consider capacity and speed trade‑offs.
Moving from 64GB to 32GB (or from DDR5‑7200 to DDR5‑5600) can dramatically cut cost while still delivering good real‑world performance for gaming and most productivity tasks.
DDR4 platforms remain a value island — for now.
While DDR4 prices have also climbed, they have started from a lower base, and staying on DDR4 avoids the worst of the DDR5 tax. But Red94 and TrendForce highlight that DDR4 production cuts are creating their own shortages, so this window may not last. ^[45]
Watch for bundle deals and system sales.
With motherboard and CPU demand falling, vendors may discount those components even as RAM stays expensive, partly offsetting the memory premium. ^[46]

In practice, the market has shifted from “RAM is cheap, just max it” to “RAM is a strategic purchase again” — a mindset we haven’t really seen since the early 2010s.

9. Key takeaways for December 4, 2025

Spot DDR5 prices are around $27 per 16Gb chip, with contract prices up 80–100% month‑on‑month in some categories and 171.8% year‑on‑year overall. ^[47]
Retail RAM kits have roughly tripled in price since September, with high‑end 64GB DDR5‑6000 kits jumping from ~$200 to $600–750 and even DDR4 kits up 2–3×. ^[48]
Micron is exiting the consumer RAM market and retiring Crucial, leaving Samsung and SK Hynix as the only major DRAM makers serving end users directly. ^[49]
AI hyperscalers, especially OpenAI, are locking up unprecedented DRAM wafer volumes, starving the consumer channel of supply. ^[50]
Motherboard sales are down 40–50%, smartphone prices may rise 20–30% by mid‑2026, and PC builders are raising prices as RAM costs become the dominant line item. ^[51]
Most analysts expect no meaningful RAM price relief until at least mid‑2026 and possibly not until 2027–2028.

For now, RAM is the new bottleneck in the PC and device world — and December 4, 2025, marks the day when the situation stopped being a niche hardware story and became a mainstream economic one.

References