RAM shortage: Difference between revisions

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*Some manufacturers selling their computers without DRAM included. One notable example is Maingear, who has started their own BYO (bring your own) RAM program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bring your own RAM, we’ll build you a complete PC. |url=https://maingear.com/blogs/promotions/maingear-byo-ram-program |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=Maingear |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260208065852/https://maingear.com/blogs/promotions/maingear-byo-ram-program |archive-date=8 Feb 2026}}</ref>

*Consumers resorting to buying DDR4 <ref>{{Cite web |last=Murtaza |first=Fawad |date=2026-01-22 |title=AMD Zen 3 AM4 CPU prices surge as customers flock to desktop processors with DDR4 support |url=https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Zen-3-AM4-CPU-prices-surge-as-customers-flock-to-desktop-processors-with-DDR4-support.1209042.0.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=NotebookCheck |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260224121950/https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Zen-3-AM4-CPU-prices-surge-as-customers-flock-to-desktop-processors-with-DDR4-support.1209042.0.html |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref>, and even DDR3, to avoid higher prices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yee |first=Alainia |date=2026-01-23 |title=Surprise! DDR3 isn’t dead—and it might be the budget PC gaming answer you need |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3040452/surprise-ddr3-isnt-dead-and-it-might-be-the-budget-pc-gaming-answer-you-need.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=PC Gamer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260124075610/https://www.pcworld.com/article/3040452/surprise-ddr3-isnt-dead-and-it-might-be-the-budget-pc-gaming-answer-you-need.html |archive-date=24 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kinghorn |first=Jess |date=2026-01-14 |title=Seeing the absolute state of memory pricing, Chinese DIY community opts for DDR3 motherboards instead |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/memory/seeing-the-absolute-state-of-memory-pricing-chinese-diy-community-opts-for-ddr3-motherboards-instead/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=PC Gamer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260117162610/https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/memory/seeing-the-absolute-state-of-memory-pricing-chinese-diy-community-opts-for-ddr3-motherboards-instead/ |archive-date=17 Jan 2026}}</ref><br />

*A significant increase in the theft of RAM sticks due to the high prices and their small size making them a lucrative easy target.<ref>{{Cite web |last=James |first=Luke |title=Thieves are starting to steal RAM now that it's as expensive as gold — a memory kit disappears in the snail mail at four in the morning with a bogus signature |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/ddr5/package-theft-leaves-pc-builder-without-ddr5 |website=Tom's Hardware |date=29 Nov 2025 |access-date=20 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251129165950/https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/ddr5/package-theft-leaves-pc-builder-without-ddr5 |archive-date=29 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zuhair |first=Muhammad |title=RAM Shortages Have Gone So Crazy That Thieves Are Now Actually Pulling Modules Out of PCs, Given It’s More Worthwhile Than Taking the Whole Unit |url=https://wccftech.com/ram-shortages-have-gone-so-crazy-that-thieves-are-now-actually-pulling-modules-out-of-pc/ |website=wccftech |date=14 Jan 2026 |access-date=20 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260114160613/https://wccftech.com/ram-shortages-have-gone-so-crazy-that-thieves-are-now-actually-pulling-modules-out-of-pc/ |archive-date=14 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Frankel |first=Todd C. |title=How cargo thieves are stealing millions of dollars in tech hardware |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/03/09/cargo-theft-ai-chips-data-centers/ |url-access=subscription |website=The Washington Post |date=9 Mar 2026 |access-date=20 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260309140313/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/03/09/cargo-theft-ai-chips-data-centers/ |archive-date=9 Mar 2026 |quote=Thieves today are targeting the pricey computer parts driving the AI and tech booms, snatching high-speed RAM modules, advanced computer chips and server racks as they flow toward the data centers and related industries popping up across the country. The thieves are also using increasingly sophisticated means to pull off their heists.}}</ref> [[Costco]] went so far as to remove RAM from display PCs due to repeated instances of theft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Batt |first=Simon |title=The RAM crisis has gotten so bad, Costco is removing memory from display PCs to halt theft |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/ram-crisis-gotten-so-bad-costco-removing-memory-from-display-pcs/ |website=XDA |date=29 Jan 2026 |access-date=20 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260130222035/https://www.xda-developers.com/ram-crisis-gotten-so-bad-costco-removing-memory-from-display-pcs/ |archive-date=30 Jan 2026}}</ref>

==Consumer response==

The RAM shortage has caused outrage amongst consumers, talking about how manufacturers are prioritizing the profits of the AI market and ignoring regular consumers. Lots of content on social media has been posted talking about the topic and its negative impact on personal computing, for example by highlighting the potential fulfillment of Jeff Bezos' desire for consumers to rent computing power from the cloud; taking away ownership,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Corden |first=Jez |date=2026-01-13 |title=Jeff Bezos said the quiet part out loud — hopes that you'll give up your PC to rent one from the cloud |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/artificial-intelligence/jeff-bezos-says-the-quiet-part-out-loud-bezos-envisions-that-youll-give-up-your-pc-for-an-ai-cloud-version |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=Windows Central |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221193537/https://www.windowscentral.com/artificial-intelligence/jeff-bezos-says-the-quiet-part-out-loud-bezos-envisions-that-youll-give-up-your-pc-for-an-ai-cloud-version |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref> and increasingly by making several YouTube videos stating how this will impact the future of home computing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MonkeyExplains |first= |date=2026-01-18 |title=RAM Prices Are Worse Then You Think |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfOREULEqRU |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=IfOREULEqRU |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gamers Nexus |date=2025-12-05 |title=WTF Just Happened? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A-eeJP0J7c&t=633s |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=9A-eeJP0J7c |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>

@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 *Some manufacturers selling their computers without DRAM included. One notable example is Maingear, who has started their own BYO (bring your own) RAM program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bring your own RAM, we’ll build you a complete PC. |url=https://maingear.com/blogs/promotions/maingear-byo-ram-program |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=Maingear |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260208065852/https://maingear.com/blogs/promotions/maingear-byo-ram-program |archive-date=8 Feb 2026}}</ref>
 *Consumers resorting to buying DDR4 <ref>{{Cite web |last=Murtaza |first=Fawad |date=2026-01-22 |title=AMD Zen 3 AM4 CPU prices surge as customers flock to desktop processors with DDR4 support |url=https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Zen-3-AM4-CPU-prices-surge-as-customers-flock-to-desktop-processors-with-DDR4-support.1209042.0.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=NotebookCheck |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260224121950/https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Zen-3-AM4-CPU-prices-surge-as-customers-flock-to-desktop-processors-with-DDR4-support.1209042.0.html |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref>, and even DDR3, to avoid higher prices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yee |first=Alainia |date=2026-01-23 |title=Surprise! DDR3 isn’t dead—and it might be the budget PC gaming answer you need |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3040452/surprise-ddr3-isnt-dead-and-it-might-be-the-budget-pc-gaming-answer-you-need.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=PC Gamer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260124075610/https://www.pcworld.com/article/3040452/surprise-ddr3-isnt-dead-and-it-might-be-the-budget-pc-gaming-answer-you-need.html |archive-date=24 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kinghorn |first=Jess |date=2026-01-14 |title=Seeing the absolute state of memory pricing, Chinese DIY community opts for DDR3 motherboards instead |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/memory/seeing-the-absolute-state-of-memory-pricing-chinese-diy-community-opts-for-ddr3-motherboards-instead/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=PC Gamer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260117162610/https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/memory/seeing-the-absolute-state-of-memory-pricing-chinese-diy-community-opts-for-ddr3-motherboards-instead/ |archive-date=17 Jan 2026}}</ref><br />
+*A significant increase in the theft of RAM sticks due to the high prices and their small size making them a lucrative easy target.<ref>{{Cite web |last=James |first=Luke |title=Thieves are starting to steal RAM now that it's as expensive as gold — a memory kit disappears in the snail mail at four in the morning with a bogus signature |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/ddr5/package-theft-leaves-pc-builder-without-ddr5 |website=Tom's Hardware |date=29 Nov 2025 |access-date=20 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251129165950/https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/ddr5/package-theft-leaves-pc-builder-without-ddr5 |archive-date=29 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zuhair |first=Muhammad |title=RAM Shortages Have Gone So Crazy That Thieves Are Now Actually Pulling Modules Out of PCs, Given It’s More Worthwhile Than Taking the Whole Unit |url=https://wccftech.com/ram-shortages-have-gone-so-crazy-that-thieves-are-now-actually-pulling-modules-out-of-pc/ |website=wccftech |date=14 Jan 2026 |access-date=20 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260114160613/https://wccftech.com/ram-shortages-have-gone-so-crazy-that-thieves-are-now-actually-pulling-modules-out-of-pc/ |archive-date=14 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Frankel |first=Todd C. |title=How cargo thieves are stealing millions of dollars in tech hardware |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/03/09/cargo-theft-ai-chips-data-centers/ |url-access=subscription |website=The Washington Post |date=9 Mar 2026 |access-date=20 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260309140313/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/03/09/cargo-theft-ai-chips-data-centers/ |archive-date=9 Mar 2026 |quote=Thieves today are targeting the pricey computer parts driving the AI and tech booms, snatching high-speed RAM modules, advanced computer chips and server racks as they flow toward the data centers and related industries popping up across the country. The thieves are also using increasingly sophisticated means to pull off their heists.}}</ref> [[Costco]] went so far as to remove RAM from display PCs due to repeated instances of theft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Batt |first=Simon |title=The RAM crisis has gotten so bad, Costco is removing memory from display PCs to halt theft |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/ram-crisis-gotten-so-bad-costco-removing-memory-from-display-pcs/ |website=XDA |date=29 Jan 2026 |access-date=20 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260130222035/https://www.xda-developers.com/ram-crisis-gotten-so-bad-costco-removing-memory-from-display-pcs/ |archive-date=30 Jan 2026}}</ref>
 ==Consumer response==
 The RAM shortage has caused outrage amongst consumers, talking about how manufacturers are prioritizing the profits of the AI market and ignoring regular consumers. Lots of content on social media has been posted talking about the topic and its negative impact on personal computing, for example by highlighting the potential fulfillment of Jeff Bezos' desire for consumers to rent computing power from the cloud; taking away ownership,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Corden |first=Jez |date=2026-01-13 |title=Jeff Bezos said the quiet part out loud — hopes that you'll give up your PC to rent one from the cloud |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/artificial-intelligence/jeff-bezos-says-the-quiet-part-out-loud-bezos-envisions-that-youll-give-up-your-pc-for-an-ai-cloud-version |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=Windows Central |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221193537/https://www.windowscentral.com/artificial-intelligence/jeff-bezos-says-the-quiet-part-out-loud-bezos-envisions-that-youll-give-up-your-pc-for-an-ai-cloud-version |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref> and increasingly by making several YouTube videos stating how this will impact the future of home computing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MonkeyExplains |first= |date=2026-01-18 |title=RAM Prices Are Worse Then You Think |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfOREULEqRU |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=IfOREULEqRU |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gamers Nexus |date=2025-12-05 |title=WTF Just Happened? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A-eeJP0J7c&t=633s |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-19 |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=9A-eeJP0J7c |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>