DDR5 RAM prices are finally dropping after months of inflation, according to Wccftech. Consumers and hardware manufacturers alike have been struggling for months to get their hands on memory kits as AI companies have snatched up inventory to fuel their RAM-hungry datacenters. After Google released its TurboQuant compression algorithm, which can purportedly drastically reduce the amount of memory required for certain AI workflows, earlier this week, stock prices for memory manufacturers dropped significantly. After the stock prices dropped, product prices fell as well, with some memory kits down by as much as $40.
However, this might not be a permanent downswing. As Quartz pointed out, Ben Barringer, head of technology research at investment management firm Quilter Cheviot, told CNBC that TurboQuant is “evolutionary, not revolutionary,” and “it does not alter the industry’s long‑term demand picture.” TurboQuant is widely misunderstood and has some hard limitations that mean AI computing will still require massive amounts of RAM. So even though the current price drop looks to be a promising sign for anyone who wants to upgrade their gaming rig or buy a Steam Deck, it could just be the result of temporary stock market volatility.
It’s also important to note that while prices of some memory kits are currently down from their all-time highs, they’re still significantly higher than their all-time lows. The Corsair Vengence RGB DDR5-6000 32GB might seem like a good deal at $369.99, down from a recent high of $409, but according to the RAM price index at Tom’s Hardware, its lowest-ever price was just $87.
When you put them in perspective, RAM prices are still very much out of control. Just two weeks ago, MSI general manager Huang Jinqing said the company plans to raise prices on its products between 15 and 30 percent in 2026. It’s hard to imagine that anything short of the AI bubble finally bursting could impact those predictions.