Imagine shopping for a new desk to give yourself more space for work. After weeks of scouring antique shops, furniture websites and retail stores, you finally find one that fits your space, even if it stretches your budget. You save for months, only to return and discover the manufacturer raised the price so drastically that it’s no longer in reach.
Replace the desk with RAM, and this is effectively what is occurring with consumers looking to upgrade their computers’ memory.
In August of last year, the average consumer looking to update their personal computer’s memory (RAM) to the highest performing component (two 32gb stick DDR5 5600 RAM memory sticks, to be specific) could have expected to spend on average $200. Today, as demand from large-scale data centers grows, similar components have skyrocketed to an average of $900, despite being essentially the same product a few months ago.
The jump is a direct result of a deliberate shift by manufacturers to focus on the incentive of AI rather than consumer parts. Micron, Boise’s very own semiconductor and storage manufacturer, announced its departure from the consumer market by February of this year.
“Micron has made the difficult decision to exit the Crucial consumer business in order to improve supply and support for our larger, strategic customers in faster-growing segments,” Sumit Sadana, EVP and chief business officer at Micron Technology said in a press release announcing the shift.
Micron’s departure, while a smart business venture, is projected to be consequential for consumers looking to upgrade their own hardware, as other manufacturers may choose to follow suit. In the face of this, buyers must get creative as prices continue to rise with no sign of stopping, fueled by AI’s growing footprint in everyday life.
Timothy Anderson, a computer science professor who began building his own computers when he was a kid with salvaged parts, describes the AI-driven disruption in the consumer market as most pronounced for high-end components.
“Companies are putting lots of money into AI, and that requires a lot of computing power,” Anderson said. “They create these big data centers and fill them with computers driving up the prices for some of the high-end stuff.”
Anderson mentioned some corners of the internet still provide good deals on high-end memory, but these places are supplied by consumer parts and can quickly run out of stock.
He also noted that mid-range components, such as 8 or 16GB modules, still offer strong value compared to past decades as an alternative. However, they are not spared from rapid price hikes, jumping from $75 to upwards of $200 over the past year.
A consumer purchasing a mid-range component for the same price as the high-end would’ve been considered outrageous just a year ago. This is why Anderson describes Micron’s shift away from the consumer market as “concerning,” as Micron is a major supplier and their departure creates a scarcity in the market driving up prices.
The increase in retail price prompts some consumers to shop at salvage stores like the Reuseum in Boise. The second-hand tech store offers a treasure trove of used and affordable computer components. It can be a thrifty solution if you know what you’re looking for.
The Reuseum largely relies on donations from the community to keep their shelves stocked. However, Tiffany Greyson, a board member at Reuseum, noted other branches of the tech industry, like Bastian Solutions, also feel the squeeze from these price hikes.
“We struggle with the same sort of problems that consumers are experiencing in terms of availability,” said Greyson. “If I want 60 NVIDIA Jetson modules, I need to plan it almost a year ahead of time. If I want it tomorrow, I’m going to be paying double. Consumers don’t have that luxury.”
Utilizing old tech found at Reuseum is only a temporary solution to help mitigate the shortage and prices when even companies struggle with availability. Reuseum depends on these donations to keep components in stock. If there’s fewer donations due to high prices and shortages, it leaves consumers with fewer affordable options.
Greyson believes this can be combatted by consumer education on computing needs.
“Understanding what computer you actually need helps people find affordable options, instead of chasing top-of-the-line hardware you can’t afford,” said Greyson.
It’s true, buying a top-of-the-line computer just to open a Google Doc is like buying an executive desk as an entertainment stand. It functions the same, but is wildly underutilized. Her advice, however, may not help students or professionals who require high-end components for memory-intensive software.
Unfortunately, the end of Micron’s 29-year legacy in consumer components signifies a shift in priorities away from everyday users to corporate AI investments. Unless consumers plan to reuse and adapt, they may find themselves being priced out entirely — left to watch as affordability slips further from reach.
