"Really, though, the show just confirmed what was apparent since RAM prices skyrocketed over the last few months, driven by demand from AI datacenters. As Samsung's marketing leader, Wonjin Lee, told Bloomberg at CES: "There's going to be issues around semiconductor supplies, and it's going to affect everyone. Prices are going up even as we speak.""
"Dell's new XPS 14 and XPS 16 are among the earliest systems hit by these demands. Last year's models started at $1,699 and $1,899, respectively, and we were initially told the new models would actually come in cheaper at $1,650 and $1,850. But Dell later announced a shocking price jump: The XPS 14 now starts at $2,050, while the XPS 16 is $2,200."
"On the desktop front, AMD's David McAfee, Corporate Vice President and GM of Client Channel Business, noted that the longevity of the company's AM4 and AM5 platforms might be a boon for gamers, since they can upgrade their CPUs without buying new RAM kits and motherboards. That allows for a pathway to better performance without paying out the nose for over-priced RAM."
RAM demand from AI datacenters has driven prices sharply higher and tightened supply across the semiconductor market. Major vendors report supply issues and rising prices that are already affecting consumer PC pricing. Dell raised XPS 14 and XPS 16 starting prices above $2,000 after expected cuts, while Apple maintained current MacBook Pro pricing. NVIDIA and AMD AI supercomputers are consuming significant RAM inventory. AMD notes AM4 and AM5 platform longevity may let users upgrade CPUs without replacing RAM and motherboards, enabling piecemeal upgrades rather than full system replacements amid elevated RAM costs.
Read at Engadget
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