Memory prices spike as DDR5 and VRAM shortages hit PC builders

Memory prices are spiking across the board. DDR5 RAM, DDR4, and high-VRAM graphics cards are all hitting wallet-crushing territory, according to Rock Paper Shotgun. The shortage is rippling through the entire hardware stack — prebuilts, the new Steam Machine, handheld gaming PCs, and likely the next wave of standalone VR headsets are all feeling the squeeze.

This isn't the first memory crunch (2017–2018 was brutal), but it's hitting at a rough time. DDR5 is the current standard for new builds, and 16GB is already the bare minimum for modern AAA titles. If you were planning a 32GB kit or a GPU with 16GB+ VRAM for 1440p/4K, you're looking at significantly higher costs than even a few months ago.

The good news: shortages eventually correct. The bad news: if you need to upgrade now, you're stuck paying the premium or settling for less capacity. There's no clever workaround for insufficient VRAM when a game demands it.

If you're already running tight on memory, check your current setup's optimization headroom — squeezing more performance out of what you have might buy time until prices stabilize.