Memory and storage makers warn of tight supply through 2026, with DRAM and NAND shortages pushing prices up. That squeezes everything from budget PCs to gaming rigs, so plan any upgrades accordingly.

If you’re alright with stepping down to the RTX 5060, halving the RAM, and swapping out the AMD processor for the similarly powerful Intel Core i5 14400F, Best Buy ’s version of the Element SE is currently on sale for an all-time low $779.99 ($260 off). It ships in the same case, with the same 600W 80 Plus Gold power supply, too.

And the culprit is a shortage of RAM and flash memory chips that has suddenly sent SSD and (especially) memory prices into the stratosphere, caused primarily by the ongoing AI boom and exacerbated by panic-fueled buying by end users and device manufacturers.

There is increasing concern that skyrocketing RAM prices will impact high-end gaming not just in the short term, but the long term.

When Ram said goodbye to the TRX, plenty of folks, including me, figured that was the end of the line for high-performance Ram trucks. Turns out, they were just getting warmed up. The new 2026

RAM shortages have seen prices on DDR5 memory skyrocket, where a 64GB kit of DDR5-6000 now costs $599 after 'price cuts', more expensive than a PS5.

Skytech Gaming, another company that specializes in prebuilt and custom PCs, said in a post on Facebook that it’s “getting hit with RAM price increases too,” though it’s unclear whether these changes are impacting the prices listed on its website yet.

New reporting from Ars Technica lays out just how dire the situation has become, showing that prices for essential PC components, such as RAM and SSDs, have skyrocketed. The culprit is the ongoing AI boom, with data centers reportedly consuming the world’s supply of memory and storage hardware, driving prices straight into the stratosphere.

Forget the bare minimum: here's how much RAM you actually need to get the best performance out of your Linux system today.

One of the most powerful MacBook Air configurations is down to $1,669 in an exclusive Black Friday deal that drops the 15-inch M4 model with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage by $330.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil the world’s tallest statue of Shree Ram -- a 77-feet bronze structure -- in South Goa on Friday.