I’m on a computer from 2017, so the RAM price spike hits close to home, and I looked into the cause before thinking about any upgrade. Here’s what works.

Blame AI, not your wallet

Memory makers are putting more production into high-bandwidth memory and server memory for AI data centers. That leaves less for regular PC memory, which is why even a basic upgrade for a computer like mine costs more than it used to.

Don’t wait for a price drop

Micron’s CEO said on September 30 that he expects demand to exceed supply through 2027 and 2028. If you’re hoping prices fall next month, that’s not what the people making the chips are saying.

Skip the old-memory shortcut

It’s tempting to hunt for older memory as a cheap workaround. One analyst says DDR4 is no longer the cheap option it used to be, and makers are shifting production toward DDR5 and AI memory. Micron has also exited its Crucial consumer memory business.

Check before you buy

• Look up which memory type your machine actually takes
• Compare a few stores, since prices are moving fast
• Buy only the capacity you’ll really use

Squeeze more from what you have

Closing background apps and extra browser tabs costs nothing, and on an older computer it’s the first thing I’d try before spending money.

A pricey RAM market isn’t the end of an old computer. It just means making what you have last a little longer.