One gigabyte of RAM cost as much as a house back in 1995

This article reflects on the astronomical memory prices in 1995, when 1GB of RAM cost as much as a modest house. By comparing historical and current memory pricing, it highlights the dramatic decline ... Read original →

In 1995, the cost of 1GB RAM was equivalent to the price of a modest house, highlighting the extreme scarcity and high cost of semiconductor technology at the time. Today, DDR5 modules cost only a few hundred dollars, reflecting dramatic cost reductions driven by technological advancement. However, the current market faces supply constraints as manufacturers pivot production toward HBM for AI accelerators, intensifying bottlenecks. The evolution from SIMMs to DDR5 and HBM has not only boosted computing performance but also reshaped downstream sectors like AI and cloud computing. Companies must navigate supply chain risks amid geopolitical fragmentation, especially under increasing regulatory scrutiny. In the short term, memory pricing will remain volatile; in the long term, AI-driven demand will redefine industry supply dynamics. Technological progress has democratized hardware, but policy and geopolitical shifts are now key determinants of semiconductor ecosystem resilience and growth trajectory.