DDR5 memory prices are increasing steadily, driven by AI industry demand. Framework reports $12-$16 per GB, with high-capacity kits becoming premium. Expect continued hikes.
© A. Krivonosov
DDR5 memory prices continue to climb steadily, moving further from a temporary spike. Framework has released updated pricing, indicating that buyers now typically pay between $12 and $16 per gigabyte. What was once seen as an anomaly is becoming the new market standard, driven primarily by surging demand for components from the artificial intelligence industry.
AI projects are consuming more memory, directly impacting DDR5 availability for everyday users. Chip manufacturers are shifting production capacity toward server and enterprise solutions, which naturally reduces supply for the consumer segment. This combination of rising demand and limited shipments almost always leads to higher prices.
The sharpest price increases are seen in 128-gigabit chips, used to build 128GB kits. These high-capacity sets are now becoming a premium product, with the most significant cost jumps. More mainstream 32GB and 64GB options are still being kept closer to previous price levels, but even they aren't immune to potential future hikes.
Framework's pricing approach deserves special mention: the company openly states it sells memory based on actual supply chain costs and doesn't hide market challenges. This transparency is rare amid general silence from other manufacturers. For buyers, the message is clear—the era of affordable DDR5 is ending, and with the AI boom ongoing, expecting prices to drop soon is no longer realistic.