RAM and Graphics Card Prices Have Soared: 32GB DDR5 Up 5–7x in 18 Months. Buy Now or Wait?

If you have tried to build a new PC or add more memory lately, the prices may have shocked you. Price trackers in early November show RAM and graphics card prices are still high, and most forecasts say they are unlikely to fall much soon.

RAM: several times more in 18 months

• According to the tracker Capital & Compute, the same DDR5-6000 32GB (2×16GB) kit went from $59 in April 2025 to $429 on November 3, 2026 (about 7x).
• Other surveys also show 32GB of DDR5 that cost about $75–95 in early 2025 now sells for about $430–600.
• DDR4 chip prices have also roughly quadrupled in a year, but per gigabyte DDR4 is still about half the price of DDR5.

Graphics cards keep going up too

• Reports say Nvidia raised prices on some cards by 20–30% for the third time this year, and AMD raised Radeon RX 9000 prices by up to 20%.
• US street prices in October put the RTX 5070 at about $820 (launch price $549) and the RX 9070 XT at about $830 (launch price $599).

Why so expensive?

• AI data centers are buying memory in huge volumes, and Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron have shifted production to AI memory.
• Micron says more than 75% of its 2027 output is already sold, and analysts such as Gartner see no clear relief before late 2027.

So should you buy now?

• Price analysts mostly say: "If you need it, buy it now, and only as much as you need." Many expect little RAM discount even on Black Friday (November 27).
• If your motherboard supports DDR4, DDR4 is the cheapest way to add memory.
• If it isn't urgent, tidying up your current PC can help you hold on. Cleaning up startup programs and storage alone can make it feel faster.
• For screen recording and video editing, 16GB of RAM is enough for basic recording; for high-quality editing, 32GB is recommended.

Note: prices are US market prices and change daily. Check current prices at your local stores.

Sources: Capital & Compute – RAM Price Index · eTeknix – RAM & GPU Prices · BottleneckPC – Black Friday 2026 PC Parts