Thinking of upgrading your rig? The pressure’s easing, but don’t celebrate just yet.
After months of brutal price hikes fuelled by AI demand, PC gamers are finally seeing a bit of breathing room on DDR5 RAM. Memory kits that were climbing week after week have started to dip, offering a small but noticeable window for anyone looking to upgrade their rig.
The shift follows a volatile period where AI hyperscalers snapped up vast amounts of memory for data centres, squeezing supply across the board. Now, a mix of tech developments and market reactions has nudged prices downward, though not by much, and not necessarily for long.
Why are DDR5 RAM prices going down right now?
The recent drop in DDR5 pricing appears to be tied to a combination of industry developments, most notably Google’s new TurboQuant compression algorithm. According to reports, the technology can reduce memory requirements for certain AI workloads by up to six times, easing some of the pressure on supply.
That announcement triggered a sharp reaction in the market. Memory manufacturer stock prices fell, and retail RAM prices followed, with some kits dropping by as much as US$30 to US$40.
At the same time, reports from The Telegraph suggest that OpenAI’s recent funding challenges have also contributed to reduced demand expectations, further cooling the market. Together, these factors have created a short-term dip that gamers are now seeing at checkout.
How much cheaper is DDR5 RAM compared to before?
While prices are heading in the right direction, the reality is far less dramatic than many players might hope. Some kits have dropped slightly from recent highs, for example, the Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 32GB fell from around US$409 to US$369.99. But that still sits miles above its historical low of just US$87, based on pricing data from Tom’s Hardware.
In other words, current “discounts” are relative. RAM is cheaper than it was a few weeks ago, but still significantly more expensive than what long-time PC builders are used to paying.
DDR5 RAM demand still driven by AI despite short-term dip
However, there’s reason not to celebrate yet. Industry analysts are urging caution before calling this a full turnaround.
In a report by Quartz, Ben Barringer, head of technology research at Quilter Cheviot, told CNBC that TurboQuant is “evolutionary, not revolutionary,” adding that “it does not alter the industry’s long term demand picture.” In short, AI will continue to consume massive amounts of memory, regardless of incremental efficiency gains.
There are also technical limitations to TurboQuant, meaning that it cannot fully replace the need for high-capacity RAM in large-scale AI computing. As a result, the underlying demand that drove prices up in the first place remains firmly in place.
RAM price outlook suggests slow recovery through 2027
Right now, the market looks more like it’s stabilising than crashing. Prices have plateaued slightly, but forecasts still point towards a longer recovery timeline.
Analysts previously suggested that the RAM crunch could last into or even through 2027, and current trends do not contradict that outlook. On top of that, manufacturers are already signalling potential increases, MSI general manager Huang Jinqing recently stated that the company plans to raise product prices by 15 to 30 percent in 2026.
That puts the current dip into perspective. It may be less of a lasting correction, and more of a temporary fluctuation driven by stock market reactions and short-term sentiment.
For gamers, that means this window could be one of the better times to pick up DDR5, just do not expect prices to suddenly return to pre-AI levels anytime soon.
