Concern That Skyrocketing RAM Prices Driven by AI Needs Will Cause Problems for High-End Gaming for 'Several Years'

There is expanding interest that skyrocketing RAM prices volition interaction high-end gaming not conscionable successful the abbreviated term, but the agelong term.

With the explosive maturation of generative AI, AI information centers are hoovering up the world's representation and retention supply, sparking terms hikes that immoderate experts fearfulness could past for decades. Cheap SSDs, DRAM, and HDDs are beauteous overmuch a happening of the past, with prices rising arsenic AI request outstrips supply.

This has already caused terms rises, with PC retailer CyberPowerPC announcing a hike for representation modules crossed the U.S. and the UK “due to marketplace conditions.”

“Recently, planetary representation (RAM) prices person surged by 500% and SSD prices person risen by 100%,” CyberPowerPC said. “This has had a nonstop interaction connected the outgo of gathering gaming PCs since 10/1/25.” Price rises frankincense footwear successful connected December 7.

The interaction connected PC gaming could beryllium important and long-lasting, Epic Games brag Tim Sweeney tweeted. “RAM terms increases volition beryllium a existent occupation for high-end gaming for respective years,” helium said. “Factories are diverting starring borderline DRAM capableness to conscionable AI needs wherever information centers are bidding acold higher than user instrumentality makers.”

The concern has go truthful retired of power that, arsenic PCWorld reports, stores are opening to merchantability RAM astatine 'catch-of-the-day' marketplace prices. As CyberPowerPC pointed out, these terms rises travel with the holidays close astir the corner, which is little than ideal.

Just checked the terms of the RAM that is presently installed successful my gaming PC; the AI bubble cannot implode accelerated enough. pic.twitter.com/G7N5lthE9O

— Rin | 凛 (@TheIshikawaRin) November 24, 2025 — Bahamut (@Icewallowcumin) November 23, 2025

But the contented whitethorn agelong retired for years to come. “The AI build-out is perfectly eating up a batch of the disposable spot supply, and 2026 looks to beryllium acold bigger than this twelvemonth successful presumption of wide demand,” Dan Nystedt, vice president of probe astatine TriOrient, told CNBC.

As CNBC points out, AI servers chiefly tally connected processors from spot designers similar Nvidia. These AI processors heavy trust connected High-Bandwidth Memory oregon HBM. Nystedt said AI server companies are consenting to wage apical dollar for premium chips. “It could beryllium precise atrocious for PCs, laptops, user electronics and automotive, which beryllium connected inexpensive representation chips,” helium added.

And determination is interest for the terms of video crippled consoles, too. There are online rumors that Microsoft whitethorn soon beryllium forced to up the terms of Xbox consoles again successful absorption to the RAM crunch. Valve has yet to denote a terms for its next-gen Steam Machine, and fluctuating RAM prices whitethorn person thing to bash with it.

If you're hunting for the champion offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals connected video games, tech, and more. You tin find each our apical picks and terms drops successful our afloat Black Friday hub, oregon cheque retired our applicable pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

Photo by Mohamad Salaheldin Abdelg Alsayed/Anadolu via Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].