PC Parts Are Getting Stupid Expensive Again (and it's not just GPUs)

The RAM Price Situation Is Straight-Up Annoying

RAM should be one of the "safe" parts. Not the flashiest component, not the one getting scalped, just… memory.

Except lately? DRAM pricing has been climbing fast, and it's not a "normal seasonal bump" — it's "supply is tight and the money is elsewhere" energy. TrendForce has been tracking a sharp run-up in DDR5 spot pricing since September, and they've also revised their conventional DRAM pricing outlook upward for Q4 2025 because supply is tight and pricing pressure is rising.

And it's not happening in a vacuum. Reuters just covered how the AI boom is pressuring memory supply and raising costs across consumer hardware, because manufacturers prioritize higher-margin data-center demand.

Translation: if you're a normal person trying to buy a reasonable DDR5 kit, you're competing (indirectly) with infrastructure spending that prints money.

GPUs: "Production Cuts" + Memory Constraints Is a Nasty Combo

Now for the part that really makes builders groan:

Multiple outlets are reporting that NVIDIA is looking at significant reductions in GeForce (gaming) GPU production in early 2026 — figures being tossed around are roughly 30–40% — and the reasoning being discussed includes memory/VRAM supply constraints (not just one specific memory type).

Even if you ignore the exact percentage (because rumor-land is always messy), the direction is what matters:

• Less supply (or even "tighter supply planning")
• while AI demand stays strong
• in a market where memory is already getting more expensive

That's basically the recipe for "MSRP is a suggestion" all over again.

Why This Kills the DIY Vibe

Building your own PC used to feel like:

"I'm making the smartest choice. I'm learning something. I'm saving money. I'm not paying the 'prebuilt tax.'"

But if RAM and GPUs keep climbing, the emotional math changes:

• People put off upgrades longer (because it feels pointless)
• New builders get discouraged (because the entry price is rude)
• More folks default to laptops / prebuilts / consoles (even when they'd prefer a desktop)

And that sucks, because DIY PC building is one of the most approachable on-ramps into tech. It's how a lot of people get interested in hardware, performance tuning, troubleshooting, and eventually… careers.

The Part That Bugs Me Most: This Keeps Inflating the AI Bubble

Here's what I mean by "AI bubble":

When the market rewards AI infrastructure spending so heavily that it distorts supply chains, the entire hardware ecosystem starts orbiting "what sells best to data centers," not "what normal people can afford."

We're already seeing pressure signals in memory markets tied to AI workloads and high-margin demand.

That creates risk:

• Overbuilding capacity because the demand looks infinite… until it isn't
• Consumer pricing staying elevated because builders are no longer the priority customer
• A whiplash effect later if/when demand cools and inventory dynamics flip

And while that's a "market cycle" conversation for investors, for builders it shows up as:

"Why is my normal gaming build suddenly $400 more than it was supposed to be?"

If You're Building Soon: My Practical Advice (Unfortunately)

Not financial advice — just builder survival advice.

Closing Rant

I'm frustrated because none of this makes the hobby better.

It doesn't make games more fun.
It doesn't make learning more accessible.
It doesn't help new builders get into the space.

It just makes the barrier to entry higher while the industry continues sprinting toward whatever feeds the AI machine fastest.

If you're building anyway: I respect it. Just go in with eyes open — and don't let the market gaslight you into thinking this pricing is "normal."

Sources / Further Reading

• TrendForce DRAM pricing updates + Q4 2025 outlook revisions
• Reuters on AI-driven memory pressure spilling into consumer hardware
• Reports on NVIDIA GeForce production cuts tied to memory constraints