How RAM prices are set: chips, kits and retail
A RAM kit's shop price and a memory maker's chip price measure different things. The kit has a capacity, module count, speed, profile and seller; the manufacturer's statements cover its own mix of memory products and customers.
The chip market
Memory makers report their own sales, capacity and supply outlook. DRAM includes products for different applications, and a statement covering the whole business does not isolate the cost of the kit you want.
The finished kit
Capacity, module count, generation and published settings distinguish one kit from another. Compare the same configuration before attributing a price difference to a change in the memory market.
The retail record
A matched-product change compares the same identifiers at two dates. A daily median describes the products available in that day's sample and can also change when the mix changes. The RAM chart labels those two calculations separately.
The factory index
The BLS manufacturing index is a broad production-price measure. It supplies longer context but is not a dollar price for a RAM kit. Its units and dates remain separate from the retail chart.
Dated manufacturer and application information
Micron · Jun 24, 2026. Micron expects DRAM and NAND supply to remain tight beyond 2027. That is the manufacturer's outlook, not a date for a retail price cut.
Samsung · Jul 30, 2026. Samsung says server demand is keeping memory supply constrained, even with partial demand moderation in PCs and mobile.
SK hynix · Jul 29, 2026. SK hynix reported higher DRAM and NAND prices in its second quarter. Its chip prices are distinct from the price of a finished memory kit or SSD.
Compare prices and specifications
Why RAM prices are high nowRAM retail price chartMemory manufacturing index