RAM and SSD Prices Went Through the Roof: How to Buy Your Next PC

If you’re planning to buy a new computer anytime soon, pay very close attention to how much RAM and storage it comes with.

For years, we got spoiled. RAM and SSDs were cheap, so you could buy the minimum configuration, wait for a sale and upgrade it later without spending a fortune. That was usually the smart way to do it. In 2026, that advice changed: memory prices went through the roof, and “I’ll upgrade it later” can now cost a lot more than you expect.

Prefer to watch instead of read? Here’s the full video — or skip it and keep reading below.

How Big Was the Jump?

According to the market research firm TrendForce, conventional DRAM prices rose roughly 93 to 98 percent in the first quarter of 2026. That’s not a typo: prices nearly doubled in one quarter. Their forecast for the second quarter was another 58 to 63 percent for DRAM, and 70 to 75 percent for the NAND flash memory used inside SSDs. When I made the video, forecasts still pointed up for the third quarter too.

So this isn’t one retailer raising the price of one RAM kit. The memory chips themselves got substantially more expensive.

Why It’s Happening

You can probably guess one of the main reasons: artificial intelligence. AI data centers use an enormous amount of memory, and manufacturers are shifting production toward the high-profit server and enterprise products. That leaves less capacity for the ordinary RAM and SSDs in desktops and laptops, while demand keeps outrunning supply. Even the chairman of SK Group, which owns the memory maker SK hynix, called RAM prices “abnormally high.” When the people making the memory say that, it tells you something.

How Much RAM to Buy Now

• 8 GB: I wouldn’t buy a new Windows computer with 8 GB in 2026.
• 16 GB: the practical minimum for most people.
• 32 GB: worth serious consideration if you plan to keep the computer for several years.

The important part is deciding before you buy, not six months later when you find out the upgrade costs as much as the computer did.

Check Whether It Can Even Be Upgraded

This matters most for laptops. Many modern laptops have some or all of their RAM soldered to the motherboard, which means it can’t be upgraded at all. Buy one of those with 8 GB, and you may be stuck with 8 GB for as long as you own it.

Before you buy any laptop or prebuilt desktop, look up the specifications and find out:

1. Is the RAM soldered, or in replaceable slots?
2. How many memory slots are there, and how many are already used? A computer with two slots may arrive with both full, so upgrading means replacing perfectly good memory.
3. What’s the maximum memory it supports?
4. Is there a second M.2 slot for another SSD, or does more storage mean replacing the drive you have?

And remember: replacing the system drive means moving or reinstalling Windows, your programs and all your files. The physical swap takes five minutes. Dealing with everything on the drive can take a lot longer.

What About Storage?

Same thinking. Don’t pay an absurd manufacturer markup to go from 1 TB to 2 TB, but don’t buy a computer with a tiny drive because you assume SSDs will always be cheap. External drives, network storage and the cloud can hold extra files, but your internal drive still needs room for Windows, programs, updates and normal growth. A nearly full Windows drive brings its own collection of problems. (See C Drive Full? What’s Eating Your Storage.)

Should You Buy Right Now?

I’m not telling anyone to panic-buy every stick of RAM they can find. Memory markets are cyclical: prices rise, manufacturers build more, demand changes, and eventually prices may come back down. Nobody can promise when. If you know you need to upgrade, start watching prices now. If you’re buying a new machine, put more weight on getting the right configuration from the start.

And if your current PC just feels slow, it may not need new hardware at all. Start with Why Is My PC So Slow? 5 Things Windows Runs in the Background.

The Short Version

1. RAM and SSD prices jumped sharply in 2026.
2. “Buy the base model and upgrade later” can now cost you more.
3. 16 GB of RAM is the practical minimum; consider 32 GB if you keep PCs for years.
4. Check for soldered RAM, free slots, maximum memory and a second M.2 slot before you buy.
5. Don’t overpay for storage upgrades, but don’t buy a tiny drive either.

Stay grumpy.