Memory Crisis Crushes EU Market: DDR5 Prices Up 400% in Some Bloc Countries

In Germany, prices for DDR5 RAM continue to rise, and despite signs of market stabilization, it remains one of the worst periods to buy new memory kits.

According to analysts at 3D Center, the German DRAM market has been under pressure for more than seven months due to a prolonged period of scarcity and a sharp increase in memory prices. The main reason for the price increase is the ongoing boom in artificial intelligence, which is increasing demand for DRAM chips.

After peaking in January and February 2026, Germany saw some decline in DDR5 module prices in March, but in April, prices started to rise again. The average cost of DDR5 kits increased by 2% in April and another 4% in May.

Analysts note that current DDR5 memory prices are already 414% higher compared to July 2025. This has made building a new gaming PC or upgrading an existing system significantly more expensive: users have to pay four times the usual prices for RAM.

The most significant increase in May was recorded among 32 GB kits. For example, a DDR5-6400 kit increased in price by 9% compared to the previous month, and a 2×32 GB DDR5-6000 kit by 8%. At the same time, some models still show a decrease in cost: for example, a 32 GB DDR5-5600 kit became 13% cheaper.

Not only Germany is suffering from the crisis – similar problems are experienced by the markets of France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Poland. Although the UK is not part of the bloc, prices there also force many to forget about hardware upgrades for a while.