The DDR5 RAM price drop has taken a sharp turn this week, as memory prices in mainland China fall by up to 30 percent, quickly shifting the market mood from shortage fears to aggressive selling, while global supply conditions remain largely unchanged. This sudden correction comes after months of rising DRAM costs, and it now affects both retail and spot markets across multiple regions.
The main trigger behind this shift comes from market sentiment rather than real changes in supply, as suppliers like SK hynix, Samsung, and Micron lose significant market value, which pushes retailers and resellers to offload inventory quickly. At the same time, concerns around Google’s TurboQuant algorithm create fear that future AI systems will need less memory, even though long-term demand still points upward due to growing AI workloads.
According to Taiwanese outlet UDN, DDR5 module prices in China dropped by nearly 30 percent within days, marking the first visible correction after a long period of price increases.
Retailers describe the situation as a price collapse, with some modules losing more than 100 yuan in a single day, while demand slows as buyers wait for further drops.
Prices dropped
Recent retail data shows clear declines across popular configurations:
- 32GB 6400MHz DDR5: $490 to $379.99
- 16GB 5200MHz DDR5: $260 to $219.99
- 16GB modules in China: around RMB 1,000 to RMB 700
- 32GB modules: around RMB 3,000 to RMB 2,200
These numbers confirm that both global and local markets react quickly to shifting expectations.
This correction reflects short-term panic and inventory clearing rather than a real change in supply and demand, as memory prices still remain higher than last year and high-end segments continue to hold value. At the same time, experts expect AI growth to drive stronger memory demand over time, which means current price drops give temporary relief for buyers but do not signal a long-term decline.
