• DDR4 RAM is getting costlier
• AI is partly driving that improve in pricing, nevertheless it’s additionally a pure course of
• Worth will increase are prone to proceed

The PC parts market has taken one thing of a twist as slower last-gen DDR4 reminiscence is now a very good deal costlier than cutting-edge DDR5 RAM – or not less than that is broadly true, and you’ll blame AI for this, in a roundabout manner.

Tom’s {Hardware} picked up a paywalled DigiTimes report that breaks down pricing within the provide chain for PC RAM sticks. Simply keep in mind it is a image for your entire RAM market (enterprise and shopper), and I will come again to why that is vital shortly.

DigiTimes observes that reminiscence pricing (for producers of RAM) surged in Q2 of 2025 and has now stabilized at these excessive ranges, however DDR4 remains to be creeping up. As of August, we’re advised the value of 16GB of DDR4 reminiscence elevated by 7% to $9.17 per chip, whereas DDR5 went the opposite manner, dropping 3% to $5.99 for every chip.

Briefly, DDR4 kits are actually 50% pricier than DDR5 (for the general reminiscence market). So, why is that this occurring? As talked about on the outset, the issue is that AI is all the craze, and so the massive reminiscence makers – Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron – are switching to provide extra DDR5 and HBM (high-bandwidth reminiscence) for AI accelerators, as they’re massive revenue spinners.

The necessity for that manufacturing is consuming away on the capability of meeting traces for DDR4, and so there’s much less in the best way of these modules being produced, which is affecting provide negatively, and due to this fact exerting upward strain on pricing.

Do not count on this to vary in This fall, both, as based on the DigiTimes report, DDR4 pricing is prone to go just a little greater nonetheless within the closing quarter of this yr.

Evaluation: Out with the previous, inevitably…

It is price noting that previous tech has manufacturing wound down naturally over time, in fact, because it turns into increasingly irrelevant, and that is the case with DDR4 now, simply because it was with older RAM requirements earlier than it. As everybody will get new PCs with DDR5 help – and the value of that modern reminiscence customary comes down – and PC builders cease utilizing DDR4, it heads for the door. It is simply that on this case, the AI market seems to be hastening this departure.

Proper now, although, whereas costs on some DDR4 kits clearly have spiked, it is not the case that every one worth tags are going by way of the roof for DDR4. In actual fact, 32GB RAM kits (a pair of 16GB modules, which is the easiest way to configure that reminiscence loadout), there’s not a lot in it for the pricing of DDR5 and DDR4 kits on the low-end, and the latter nonetheless has the marginally cheaper choices. (Based mostly on the present state of play at Newegg within the US, however there’s prone to be variation, in fact, with totally different retailers, and in different areas.)

So, this does not imply all DDR4 RAM is now way more costly, however that that is broadly true throughout the entire market (together with the enterprise world, not simply shopper retail websites, as I touched upon earlier). There are nonetheless exceptions to this rule, and you’ll see that clearly sufficient on-line pricing (at typical massive consumer-facing retailers).

Nonetheless, with developments heading the best way they’re – and DDR4 inescapably on its manner out – should you do need an inexpensive DDR4 RAM improve for an present PC, it is in all probability a good suggestion to purchase now moderately than ready, and seize a type of lower-priced kits nonetheless kicking round. We have additionally picked out the finest DDR5 RAM for these on the hunt for that, together with budget-friendly choices because the current-gen customary will get cheaper and cheaper.

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