Samsung reportedly hikes DDR5 memory prices by up to 60%: PC gamers may soon face higher RAM costs

Samsung is reportedly hiking DDR5 memory prices, according to Reuters. The raise will be one of the steepest in years, at up to 60 percent. It comes as the South Korean electronics giant is seeing massive demand for its AI-related wares and is trying to navigate tightening production capacities.

The report claims Samsung has jacked up contract prices for 32 GB DDR5 modules to $239, a nearly 50 percent month-on-month rise, although these are enterprise figures, not retail. Other memory SKUs, including 16 GB and 128 GB, are also going up in price by similar percentages.

AI-driven demand could see gamers paying more for memory upgrades

There has been a trend among DRAM makers to increasingly cater to the AI boom as the big players rapidly build out data centers. The required infrastructure is a DDR and HBM memory guzzler, with an insatiable appetite for high-performance AI accelerators. Samsung enjoys the status of one of the world’s largest DRAM makers, and its price manoeuvres can easily trigger changes in the broader market.

As such, other DRAM manufacturers, such as Micron and SK hynix, may follow Samsung’s lead and raise prices as well. With memory contracts often locking in supply for years, this may affect PC builders and gamers down the line. Consumer DDR5 and even DDR4 modules could become costlier as manufacturers react to capitalize on market realities.

Gamers, therefore, could become the latest casualties of the AI surge, making memory upgrades noticeably more expensive.