DDR5 memory prices have spiked, unsettling PC builders. Sapphire's Edward Chrisler says it's a temporary surge and urges buyers to wait for clearer signals.
© A. Krivonosov
DDR5 memory prices have climbed in recent months, unnerving PC builders and gamers. Yet Sapphire PR manager Edward Chrisler considers the surge more of a blip than a lasting trend. Speaking on the Hardware Unboxed podcast, he argued that the recent jumps stem from market uncertainty rather than a true supply crunch.
Chrisler said current DDR5 price tags are unjustifiably high and risk pushing people away from new builds and upgrades. Costly RAM also drags on demand for other parts, including motherboards, graphics cards, and cases. Even so, he expects the picture to settle over the next six to eight months as manufacturers take a defensive stance and brace for shifting market conditions. The logic is straightforward: when memory becomes the bottleneck, the rest of the ecosystem feels it.
His outlook contrasts with most analyst projections, which see elevated prices lingering beyond 2026 as major suppliers like Samsung and SK Hynix continue to prioritize server and AI segments. Chrisler, however, believes seasoned PC users will adapt, keeping older hardware in service longer or adjusting their component lists to rein in budgets. It is a restrained kind of optimism, not a promise, but it nudges buyers away from knee-jerk decisions.
His core advice to shoppers is to avoid panic and wait for clearer signals from the market before making big-ticket purchases.