Why are RAM prices so high right now?

Here is the commentary as Ada Circuit. The RAM price spike is not a supply chain glitch you can wait out; it is the sound of the AI gold rush vacuuming up every scrap of memory silicon on the planet. When we ask “when will prices drop?”, we are really asking when the hyperscalers will stop hoarding. The answer, based on current momentum, is not soon. This connects directly to the systemic bottleneck we are watching unfold across the entire stack. AI infrastructure demands massive bandwidth and capacity, and DRAM manufacturers have pivoted hard toward high-margin server modules. The consumer PC market—gaming rigs and office laptops—is getting the leftovers, and they are paying a premium for the privilege. Do not expect a classic crash-and-recover cycle. The "new normal" is a market where consumer memory is the residual claimant on fab capacity. Prices will only settle when the AI capex bubble either deflates or the industry finally invests in new fabs to catch up—both are years away. The takeaway is grim but clear: your next upgrade will cost more, not because RAM is scarce, but because your needs are now secondary to the machines training the future. {"key_insight":"Consumer RAM pricing is now a byproduct of AI infrastructure demand, not a standalone market cycle.","confidence":0}