Memory Companies Have Destroyed the Consumer Market

Memory manufacturers Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix have shifted to long-term contracts that favor data-center customers, diverting supply from consumers. SSD and RAM prices have risen 137–483%, with 128-GB DDR5 kits now unavailable and resale prices reaching $6,800–$23,811. Major brands, including Apple, Xbox, Amazon, and Nintendo, have raised consumer device prices to offset the 2.5-to-3-fold increase in memory costs.