Consumers hoping to upgrade their computers this holiday season may face significantly higher costs, as a dramatic surge in RAM prices is impacting the electronics market. According to industry experts, the cost of this essential component has quadrupled in the last two months, driven by considerable demand from the artificial intelligence sector. Retailers in Norway are already feeling the pressure, and warn that increased costs coudl soon be passed on to consumers for PCs, and possibly other electronics.
If you’re planning to build a PC this holiday season, experts advise acting quickly. A dramatic surge in RAM prices is already impacting the electronics market, and industry observers predict further price increases in the coming year.
The Bottom Line
- RAM prices have quadrupled in two months, driven by high demand from the AI industry.
- This could make all electronics, including PCs and mobile phones, more expensive in the coming years.
- Both Greencom and Komplett purchased inventory before the price surge, but are now seeing lower sales and squeezed margins.
Summary created by AI tool ChatGPT and quality-assured by E24 journalists
Prices for RAMRAMRAM is the part of a computer that temporarily stores data while it’s in use. The more RAM a computer has, the more programs and tasks it can handle simultaneously without slowing down. and SSDSSDAn SSD is a fast storage device used to store files, programs, and the operating system. It makes computers start up faster and load programs much quicker than traditional hard drives. have risen sharply in recent months. Norwegian retailers are feeling the pressure directly.
“The price increase has been absolutely incredible,” says Oskar Garnes, Managing Director at Greencom.
According to him, a 32GB kit of DDR5DDR5DDR5 is the latest generation of RAM (Random Access Memory), a type of memory used in computers to temporarily store data. RAM cost around $1,000 in early October. Now the price is close to $4,000, a fourfold increase in under two months.
“The pressure is enormous,” Garnes adds.
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AI Industry Driving Up Prices
Komplett confirms the sharp development.
According to Hauan, the explanation is simple: enormous amounts of RAM are being bought up by AI companies.
“We’re buying RAM for consumers, while Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Sam Altman are on the other side bidding on the same chips. It sounds surreal, but that’s the reality. Manufacturers prioritize where they earn the most,” he says.
The three largest memory manufacturers – Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron – control around 95 percent of the market. As the competition for RAM intensifies in the AI space, consumers are bearing the brunt of the cost increases.
Greencom’s CEO agrees with Hauan.
