High RAM prices are our fault

[Sami13496]

I think you could argue that high RAM prices are partly our own fault because of the massive demand for AI. We keep using AI chatbots, image generators, coding assistants, recommendation systems, and other AI services, and all of that requires huge amounts of powerful hardware running in data centers. Those systems need enormous amounts of memory, which increases demand across the entire memory industry.

The more we use AI, the more companies invest in building larger AI data centers. Tech companies are buying huge quantities of high-performance memory for AI servers, sometimes competing for the same manufacturing capacity that could otherwise be used for other types of memory. This can put pressure on supply and contribute to higher prices for consumers.

In that sense, you could say that our growing obsession with AI is contributing to expensive RAM. We demand faster, smarter, and more powerful AI, but then complain when the hardware needed to support the AI boom becomes more expensive.

Of course, consumers are not entirely responsible. Memory manufacturers and large technology companies make their own decisions about production, supply, and pricing. But if there were no massive demand for AI services, there would likely be less pressure on the memory market. So the argument is that high RAM prices are, at least partly, the result of our own demand for AI.

 

[drrich2]

Who's 'we?'

Society? 1st world societies? Consumers? Industry?

If you mean mainstream home users of computing platforms (e.g.: Macs, PCs, smart phones, tablets), while there is some use, how much of the 'demand' is from them vs. more industrial users like coders, businesses, etc.?

A.I. is in effect an investment with huge costs and hopes of huger returns.

 

[Apple_Robert]

You can keep the we on your shoulders.

 

[mw360]

I think you could argue that high RAM prices are partly our own fault because of the massive demand for AI. We keep using AI chatbots, image generators, coding assistants, recommendation systems, and other AI services, and all of that requires huge amounts of powerful hardware running in data centers. Those systems need enormous amounts of memory, which increases demand across the entire memory industry.

The more we use AI, the more companies invest in building larger AI data centers. Tech companies are buying huge quantities of high-performance memory for AI servers, sometimes competing for the same manufacturing capacity that could otherwise be used for other types of memory. This can put pressure on supply and contribute to higher prices for consumers.

In that sense, you could say that our growing obsession with AI is contributing to expensive RAM. We demand faster, smarter, and more powerful AI, but then complain when the hardware needed to support the AI boom becomes more expensive.

Of course, consumers are not entirely responsible. Memory manufacturers and large technology companies make their own decisions about production, supply, and pricing. But if there were no massive demand for AI services, there would likely be less pressure on the memory market. So the argument is that high RAM prices are, at least partly, the result of our own demand for AI.

Maybe, but all the evidence points to us not using it enough to justify the expenditure, therefore the 'blame' lies with what the AI companies thinks future us will do, not what we're actually doing.

Don't get me wrong though, enough of us will all act in their own immediate interest and not for the collective good, and they'll be proud of it. We'll use AI to compete with each other and in that process AI will win everything. As AI becomes more and more productive, human labour will fall so far behind in productivity contributions that most of us simply won't be able to afford RAM.

The idea of owning AI hardware will be as nonsensical as the idea we could currently own a Harvard graduate who goes into the office on our behalf and brings home a 300K salary. That economic imbalance makes no sense at all, yet that's effectively what people are naively walking into. There's a bubble about to burst, bit it might not be overvalued AI, it might be overvalued people.

There you go. Sorry, when I enabled dark mode on my browser I thought it would just change the colours. 😱

 

[derekheeps]

I think you could argue that high RAM prices are partly our own fault because of the massive demand for AI. We keep using AI chatbots, image generators, coding assistants, recommendation systems, and other AI services, and all of that requires huge amounts of powerful hardware running in data centers. Those systems need enormous amounts of memory, which increases demand across the entire memory industry.

The more we use AI, the more companies invest in building larger AI data centers. Tech companies are buying huge quantities of high-performance memory for AI servers, sometimes competing for the same manufacturing capacity that could otherwise be used for other types of memory. This can put pressure on supply and contribute to higher prices for consumers.

In that sense, you could say that our growing obsession with AI is contributing to expensive RAM. We demand faster, smarter, and more powerful AI, but then complain when the hardware needed to support the AI boom becomes more expensive.

Of course, consumers are not entirely responsible. Memory manufacturers and large technology companies make their own decisions about production, supply, and pricing. But if there were no massive demand for AI services, there would likely be less pressure on the memory market. So the argument is that high RAM prices are, at least partly, the result of our own demand for AI.

I don't use AI at all and avoid it like the plague .

 

[drrich2]

Maybe, but all the evidence points to us not using it enough to justify the expenditure, therefore the 'blame' lies with what the AI companies thinks future us will do, not what we're actually doing.

That's not always a bad bet. IIRC, Amazon was an online bookstore losing money for years before it morphed into the economic juggernaut we know today.

We keep using AI chatbots, image generators, coding assistants, recommendation systems, and other AI services, and all of that requires huge amounts of powerful hardware running in data centers.

I don't use AI at all and avoid it like the plague .

It's getting harder not to use A.I. Seems like lately every Google Search I perform has an A.I.-generated result at the top, and it's often quite useful. I get on Amazon and some sort of what I think is an A.I.-generated summary sums up user reviews at the top of the reviews.

 

[edubfromktown]

Another contributing factor: Apple and other manufacturers marketing, in my opinion.

So many get all wound up about "future proofing", fear of missing out, etc. and all too often: purchase far more than needed as individuals and day job enterprises "within the stratosphere" in my experience (of 4+ decades in enterprise IT).

I have no regrets about pre-ordering a Studio M1 Max 32GB. It has done exceptionally well running flawlessly and super. I have a higher-spec M5 Max 128 GB Studio on order and debating whether to cancel and wait another 6-18 months or not.

 

[drrich2]

Another contributing factor: Apple and other manufacturers marketing, in my opinion.

So many get all wound up about "future proofing", fear of missing out, etc. and all too often: purchase far more than needed as individuals and day job enterprises "within the stratosphere" in my experience (of 4+ decades in enterprise IT).

Yet Apple was hotly criticized for years for promoting 8 gig RAM as sufficient in Macs for many mainstream users (a debate in and of itself that's been waged in other threads).

When Apple went to the 'system on a chip' model and we lost the option to upgrade RAM in any Macs, it brought pressure to 'make sure and get enough' at purchase. We've seen threads on MacRumors about that - if I stick with 16 gig and don't buy 24 will I regret it? If I get 24 will I be able to tell a difference?

I recall reading somewhere not so long ago that Microsoft was trying to make Windows 11 more '8 gig friendly' (my phrasing). I'm seeing adds for roughly $500 (even more!) Windows notebooks with 8 gig. RAM. And PC Magazine put out an article Aug. 25th, 2026, analyzing the subject for PCs:

Is 8GB RAM Enough for Windows 11? I Tested Two Dell XPS Laptops to Find Out Rising memory costs mean you'll see more and more budget PCs selling with just 8GB of memory. Are the savings worth it, versus shelling out for 16GB? I ran the numbers. Matthew Buzzi Matthew Buzzi Principal Writer, Hardware

The impression I got from that was unless you know you're a consistently light user, go for more. Macs are a different platform, but one where we can't swap out RAM or (in a practical sense for many of us) SSDs (and swap usage puts some wear on them when RAM is low).

 

[drrich2]

16GB vs 24GB of Ram on the M5 Macbook Pro

From AdamTalksTech, Dec. 26, 2025.

A quick 'test case' looking at the difference.