Now’s a decent time to upgrade your gaming PC. Over the past few years, graphics card prices have bounced around due to pandemic-related shortages and the rising demand from AI tech. Nowadays, you can find solid GPUs like AMD’s Radeon RX 9060 XT and 9070 series or Nvidia’s RTX 5060, 5070, and 5080 series for prices close to what’s suggested. Just a few months back, that seemed nearly impossible.
However, if you’re thinking about building a new PC or swapping out your old motherboard for one that needs DDR5 RAM, you might want to pause. Right now, there’s a significant shortage of RAM and flash memory chips. This surge in prices is mainly due to the recent AI boom and some panic buying from consumers and manufacturers.
To show how quickly prices have risen, let’s look at some RAM and storage prices from just three months ago compared to today. Many of these components are already sold out, highlighting just how volatile this market can be. Here’s a snapshot:
| Component | Price (Aug 2023) | Price (Nov 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Patriot Viper Venom 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR-6000 | $49 | $110 |
| Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 500GB | $45 | $69 |
| Silicon Power 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 | $34 | $89 |
| Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 1TB | $64 | $111 |
| Team T-Force Vulcan 32GB DDR5-6000 | $82 | $310 |
| Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB | $115 | $154 |
| Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB | $130 | $175 |
| Team Delta RGB 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5-6400 | $190 | $700 |
These price hikes hit SSDs and both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM kits, especially larger capacity kits. If an SSD upgrade is on your mind, it’s manageable. But if you need new RAM, it’s best to hold onto what you’ve got for now. The market’s unpredictable, and it’s wise to wait and see how things unfold.
Experts predict that these shortages may continue due to ongoing demand for AI technologies. In fact, a recent survey indicated that 67% of tech buyers are considering upgrades this year, but many are uncomfortable with current prices. Keeping an eye on industry trends will help navigate these challenges and make better purchasing decisions.
