Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has entered the conversation about the ongoing RAM price hike crisis, and his message is simple: don’t expect things to improve anytime soon.
With AI and data center demand skyrocketing, consumers are now competing with billion-dollar contracts and losing.
RAM price hike driven by AI-hungry data centers
Sweeney explained that memory manufacturers are pivoting fast. Even though AI servers mainly use HBM and RDIMM, production of DDR5 is taking a hit. Why? Because factories are chasing higher-margin deals from tech giants building out their AI infrastructure.
Samsung and SK hynix recently signed deals to supply OpenAI with up to 900,000 DRAM wafers monthly. That’s nearly half of the global supply locked up gone before it even hits retail.
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The numbers show just how steep the climb is
Sweeney’s comments followed a tweet comparing RAM prices from just a month ago. One user claimed a 64GB Corsair kit they bought for $240 now costs $498. A second image showed the same kit had hovered around $260 in mid-October.
That’s a price surge of more than 90% in just a few weeks more than gold, more than GPUs.
And it’s not just RAM. SSDs, HDDs, and even MicroSD cards are starting to follow the same curve.
RAM price hike may hit consoles and handhelds next
Smartphones, consoles, and portable PCs aren’t immune. Microsoft has already hinted at pricing adjustments for its Xbox line, especially given the memory configuration it chose at launch.
Steam Machines and other future handhelds could also become significantly more expensive, depending on when they launch and what hardware they use.
Gamers feel the burn from the RAM price hike
Across forums and social media, frustration is growing. Some gamers have shared stories of saving for months to upgrade only to find the price has doubled.
The pattern is clear:
- AI firms outbid consumer tech manufacturers
- Memory factories chase HBM profits
- DDR5 supply drops
- Consumer prices spike
- PC gaming becomes less accessible
While Sweeney didn’t offer a solution, his warning was blunt this isn’t a blip.
RAM price hike is the new normal, for now
Sweeney says the PC industry will need time to catch up, as memory manufacturing doesn’t pivot overnight. With 2026 HBM supply already booked, the pressure on consumer RAM won’t ease quickly.
For gamers hoping to build or upgrade rigs, that means bracing for a new reality one shaped by AI, not graphics settings.
