By the FlowUP team, PC gaming assembler in Genappe (Belgium) · Updated 13 October 2026
In brief: RAM prices continue to rise in 2026. TrendForce reports a 13 to 18% increase in DRAM’s contract prices in the third quarter, and expects a further 10 to 15% in the fourth. The reason: chip manufacturers are reserving an increasing share of their output for AI servers. So, for a gaming PC, waiting until the end of November is unlikely to reduce the bill.
RAM price increase: what’s happening in 2026
The RAM in a gaming PC comes from the same factories as the memory used by the servers that run artificial intelligence. But those servers consume a lot of memory and pay better. So manufacturers shift more of their production lines to them, and what’s left for PCs becomes scarcer, so it’s more expensive.
You can see it with every order of memory sticks at our place. And it’s not only about RAM: TrendForce also expects a 15 to 20% increase in the price of flash NAND memory, the kind used in SSDs, in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The Swift PC, assembled with DDR5 and a RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB
| Period | DRAM (contract prices) | NAND, SSD (contract prices) |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | +13 to 18% | not disclosed here |
| Q4 2026 (forecast) | +10 to 15% | +15 to 20% |
Sources: TrendForce, press releases of 3 July and 30 September 2026. Quarter-to-quarter variations.
RAM prices in 2026: what changes for a gaming PC
RAM and the SSD are only part of a PC’s total price, but their price increases ripple through the entire chain. TrendForce also notes that some brands reduce the SSD capacity of their consumer models to keep costs down.
For you, that means three things. First, a November deal could be applied to a base price that has already gone up in the meantime. Next, capacity matters: at the same price, check that you’re not losing storage or memory. Finally, DDR4 remains a smart option for a tight budget.
DDR4 or DDR5 in the face of the RAM price rise
The PC Spike: Ryzen 7 5700X and RX 9060 XT on a DDR4 platform
DDR5 is faster, and it’s the memory used on newer platforms (AM5 on AMD, Intel 12th gen and newer with a compatible motherboard). Still, DDR4 remains more than good enough for gaming, especially at 1080p and 1440p with a good graphics card.
This is the choice we make for our cheapest PCs: the Spike and the Savannah run on a Ryzen 7 5700X with 8 cores, in DDR4. The Swift, meanwhile, uses DDR5 and remains 8% cheaper than its equivalent model, which is still based on DDR4.
As for the amount: 16 GB is still enough for most games in 2026, while 32 GB gives you headroom for gaming while streaming. We break it all down in 16 or 32 GB of RAM in 2026.
When should you buy a gaming PC with the RAM price rise?
Our view is simple: if the PC you’re interested in is already well positioned price-wise, there’s no need to wait. On 12 October 2026, we compared our PCs against equivalent pre-built models from three major French assemblers:
| PC FlowUP | Memory | Processor and graphics card | Difference vs the listed equivalent model |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC Nova | 16 GB DDR4 | Core i5 11400F, RTX 3050 | 22% cheaper |
| PC Corvus | 16 GB DDR4 | Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 5050 | 12% cheaper |
| PC Spike | 16 GB DDR4 | Ryzen 7 5700X, RX 9060 XT | 8% cheaper |
| PC Swift | 16 GB DDR5 | Core i5 14400F, RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB | 8% cheaper |
| PC Cheetoh | 16 GB DDR5 | Ryzen 7 7800X3D, RTX 5070 | 13% cheaper |
FlowUP’s price check on 12 October 2026: prices shown VAT-inclusive and excluding shipping costs, base configurations. For the Cheetoh, the compared PCs often have 32 GB; switching to 32 GB is chosen as an option on its product page.
All of our selection before Black Friday 2026 is in our article Black Friday 2026: our gaming PCs at the best prices.
PC Swift: DDR5 and RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB
Core i5 14400F, 16 GB DDR5 and 1 TB SSD, 8% below its DDR4 equivalent
PC Spike: 8 cores in DDR4
Ryzen 7 5700X and RX 9060 XT, 16 or 32 GB DDR4, 8% below its equivalent
FAQ: RAM price rise
Why is the RAM price increasing in 2026?
Because manufacturers are reserving an increasing share of their output for AI servers. The supply for PCs is shrinking and its price is going up.
Will RAM prices go down?
Not in the short term, according to TrendForce, which still expects a 10 to 15% increase in DRAM contract prices in Q4 2026.
Is DDR4 enough to game in 2026?
Yes, for 1080p and 1440p with a good graphics card. DDR5 mainly gives you extra headroom on newer platforms.
Should you wait for Black Friday to buy a gaming PC?
Not necessarily. With rising memory prices, a PC that’s already well positioned today has little chance of being cheaper by the end of November.
Sources
- TrendForce, memory price forecasts for Q4 2026 (30 September 2026)
- TrendForce, memory price forecasts for Q3 2026 (3 July 2026)
- FlowUP price survey from 12 October 2026
