Today’s RAM and SSD Prices Are ‘Lagging’ and Will Continue to Climb, Valve Warns
Valve is warning that the memory crisis, which has been affecting RAM and SSDs for some time now, is far from over.
According to Valve engineers Yazan Aldehayyat and Pierre-Loup Griffais, retail buyers haven’t yet fully reckoned with the effects of rising component costs. Manufacturers already pay much higher prices for memory than current customer-facing price tags would suggest, they told Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier; this gap could close over the next three to six months as older inventory sells out and wholesalers are forced to sell at higher prices.
Unfortunately, industry analysts tend to agree. They forecast continued price hikes for DRAM and NAND through 2026 and into 2027. They see strong demand from AI data centers, as well as the supply chains for smartphones, PCs, and other consumer devices. Meaningful relief isn’t expected to arrive until at least 2028.
For Valve, memory costs directly shape Steam Machine pricing, which is $1,049 but could’ve been much cheaper if not for the crisis. But for DIYers who prefer to buy their components piecemeal, don’t expect RAM or SSDs to cool off anytime soon. If memory and storage aren’t an urgent need, give it a couple of years; if they are, you’d better buy now.
