Lexar regional manager says that RAM prices are expected to double by the end of the year

According to Chris Xia, Lexar's regional manager for Australia and New Zealand, RAM prices are expected to double by the end of the year. While some retailers have offered discounts or bundled deals t... Read original →

The AI compute arms race is structurally reallocating DRAM capacity toward HBM and DDR5, relegating consumer-grade memory to supply chain 'second priority.' Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have locked over 70% of advanced-node output into long-term AI customer contracts, starving PC and mobile segments. This ripple effect now disrupts motherboard design cycles and BOM costs—even niche devices like GoPros face constraints. Tightening global export controls and TSMC’s CoWoS packaging bottlenecks further jeopardize HBM delivery reliability. While second-tier players like Nanya may exploit niche openings, they cannot challenge the pricing hegemony of the top three. Over the next 12–24 months, even amid weak consumer demand, sustained AI capex will keep memory prices elevated, cementing a 'high-compute premium' era—where everyday users indirectly subsidize AI infrastructure.