AMD warns DDR5 prices may stay elevated until 2028 amid AI demand

If you've been delaying a PC upgrade in the hope that DDR5 memory prices would fall, AMD has delivered some disappointing news. During an interview with 4Gamers at Computex 2026, AMD VP and GM of Client Channel Business David McAfee said DDR5 pricing is unlikely to return to more normal levels for roughly another two years, pushing any significant recovery out to around 2028.

According to McAfee, the ongoing AI boom has dramatically increased demand for memory, with manufacturers prioritizing production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI data centers over consumer DDR5 modules. At the same time, DDR4 production has been steadily reduced as memory makers shifted their investments toward newer technologies. As a result, users on both older and newer platforms are feeling the effects of constrained supply.

The impact on pricing has been substantial. For example, a 32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 memory kit that sold for approximately $100 / €92 / £79 in late 2025 now costs around $440 / €405 / £347, illustrating how dramatically memory prices have increased over the past year.

McAfee expects prices to eventually ease as additional manufacturing capacity comes online. Major memory producers, including Samsung, Micron, and China's CXMT, are all expanding DDR5 production. However, memory fabrication facilities require significant investment and several years to build, meaning any improvement in supply will take time to materialize.

The discussion also covered AMD's long-term platform plans. McAfee reiterated that introducing a new CPU socket is both an expensive and technically demanding undertaking. Before moving beyond AM5, AMD is evaluating whether the current platform can continue supporting future technologies such as DDR6 memory and PCIe 6.0 connectivity.

AMD recently extended its AM5 support commitment through 2029, indicating that the socket is expected to support at least the upcoming Zen 6 generation and potentially Zen 7 as well. McAfee noted that platform transitions are not made solely to introduce new standards. AMD wants any socket change to provide meaningful benefits for consumers rather than modest improvements that increase overall system costs.

His comments also reinforce previous industry reports suggesting that memory supply constraints are likely to continue throughout 2026 and 2027. Adding further weight to that outlook, Micron's CEO recently described AI-related memory demand as still being in its "early innings," implying that demand is expected to remain strong and continue growing for the foreseeable future.

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