How are AI data centers driving up SSD, GPU, and motherboard prices for PC upgrades?

Why are DDR5 RAM prices rising in 2026, and is it smarter to buy now or wait?

AI demand is pushing a price wave through PC hardware

A recent headline suggested that RAM price increases in Europe might be easing. The more useful signal, though, is what large comparison datasets show over time: memory prices are still rising fast, and the effects are spreading to nearby components.

Price-tracking sites in Germany have raised a clear warning. People who rely on newer memory standards are feeling it first, because modern modules sit closest to current production constraints.

What the data says (and how it was measured)

A billiger.de analysis reports that average DDR5 RAM prices roughly doubled between November 2025 and January 2026. The underlying dataset covered more than 28,000 products across that period, using listings from over 2,000 online retailers on guenstiger.de and calculating category averages from each day’s lowest listed price.

That method doesn’t guarantee every buyer pays the “average,” because availability, shipping, and regional taxes vary. It does, however, capture direction and speed well, especially when the same method is applied consistently across months and categories.

RAM increases: DDR5 leads, but older standards rise too

The reported changes were broad, not isolated to one niche SKU:

• DDR5 RAM: about +100% from November 2025 to January 2026
• DDR4 RAM: about +46% over the same period
• DDR3 RAM: about +28%, despite being long past its mainstream lifecycle

When even DDR3 rises, it usually signals substitution pressure. As people avoid expensive new builds, they keep older systems running longer, buy used parts, or pull memory from retired machines. That behavior can tighten supply in legacy markets and lift prices that “should” be stable.

It’s not only RAM: SSDs, GPUs, and boards follow

Memory is the headline, but adjacent parts are also moving up. The same analysis points to rising prices in storage and core PC components, with SSDs showing one of the sharpest shifts:

• SSDs: about +25% (Nov 2025 to Jan 2026)
• HDDs: about +7%
• microSDHC cards: about +18%
• Graphics cards: about +13%
• Complete systems: about +12%
• Motherboards: about +10%
• Notebooks, tablets, consoles, smartphones: minimal to negligible movement so far

The pattern fits a supply chain reality: when high-demand buyers absorb more upstream capacity, consumer categories that share manufacturing steps, controller chips, substrates, or packaging can see price lift even if end-user demand is flat.

Why AI is affecting consumer prices

The core driver is a supply-side squeeze. AI infrastructure consumes large volumes of memory and storage, and it also pulls in GPUs and server platforms. At the same time, manufacturers tend to allocate production to higher-margin enterprise lines when capacity is tight.

That creates two compounding effects:

• Less output lands in consumer channels, so retail availability drops
• Remaining supply clears at higher prices, because buyers compete for fewer units

Torben Mallwitz (CTO of guenstiger.de) summarized the risk in practical terms: anyone building or upgrading should plan for higher costs, because AI data centers are absorbing a significant share of global memory output, leaving less for standard consumer DDR5 modules.

What this means for real buyers (a quick example)

Consider a typical mid-range upgrade: moving from 16 GB to 32 GB on DDR5. If the DDR5 category average has doubled, the same upgrade can consume budget that used to cover a larger SSD or a CPU step-up. That forces trade-offs: less capacity, fewer performance tiers, or delayed purchases.

For small businesses, the math gets harsher. Multiply the jump across ten workstations, then add SSD and motherboard inflation, and a routine refresh starts to look like a capital project.

Practical advice: how to reduce risk and overspending

If a purchase is necessary, focus on controllable decisions rather than predicting the exact peak.

• Buy for need, not for fear: If current performance is acceptable, delaying can be rational; if a project depends on new hardware, waiting can cost more than the parts
• Prioritize the scarcest constraint: If DDR5 pricing is the main spike in a build, compare a DDR4 platform (where viable) versus paying the DDR5 premium
• Avoid overpaying for peak specs: Paying extra for faster bins often has low real-world benefit compared with more capacity or better cooling
• Use price tracking and stock alerts: A single short-lived dip can matter more than weekly averages when supply is choppy
• Consider refurbished or lightly used parts carefully: Verify return terms, test memory with extended diagnostics, and confirm motherboard QVL compatibility
• Extend hardware life with lighter software: Lower background load and longer OS support windows can keep older systems productive without risky upgrades

The last point matters because software weight is a hidden hardware tax. A leaner stack can postpone upgrades, which is often the safest “savings” when component prices are unstable.

What to watch next (signals that often precede relief)

No single metric guarantees a turnaround, but these indicators tend to matter:

• OEM and module maker guidance on capacity allocation (consumer vs enterprise)
• Lead times and channel inventory for DDR5 and SSD controllers
• Major cloud or AI infrastructure capex updates that signal acceleration or cooling
• Sustained retail discounting across multiple weeks (not one-day promos)

Until those signals improve, it’s reasonable to expect continued volatility, and further increases remain plausible.