AI Data Centers Are Making RAM Crushingly Expensive, Which Is Going to Skyrocket the Cost of Laptops, Tablets, and Gaming PCs

"For the past few months, RAM prices have been shooting through the roof, as the rapid buildout of AI datacenters causes an ever tightening shortage of memory chips. What was once considered to be one of the most affordable components of building a gaming rig has now doubled or even tripled in price. Prices are so volatile, in fact, that some retailers are now selling RAM kits at market prices that go up and down - or usually up and up - by the day, instead of having a fixed price tag."

"On Wednesday, the computer hardware company Micron announced that it was ending its "Crucial" line of consumer RAM kits and solid-state drives (SSD), and will instead "improve supply and support" for its "larger, strategic customers in faster-growing segments," it said in an announcement. "The AI-driven growth in the data center has led to a surge in demand for memory and storage," Sumit Sadana, executive vice president and chief business officer at Micron, said in the announcement."

"The Crucial brand has been a staple of affordable PC gaming for nearly three decades, and its death is being seen as a canary in a coal mine. It won't just be gamers who are affected, either: pricier RAM means pricier laptops, tablets, and even smartphones for everyone. RAM prices have already surged by 171 percent year-over-year on average, with many products seeing even worse price hikes."

Rapid AI datacenter buildout has tightened memory chip supply and driven RAM prices sharply higher. Retailers increasingly list volatile, market-driven RAM prices that can change daily. Micron is discontinuing its Crucial consumer RAM and SSD lines to prioritize larger strategic customers in faster-growing segments, notably AI companies. The Crucial brand had provided affordable options for PC gaming for nearly three decades. The product exit and surging demand will push up costs for gaming PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. RAM prices rose roughly 171 percent year-over-year on average, affecting both builders and pre-built system makers.

Read at Futurism