32GB DDR5 kits cost more than a flagship CPU, but waiting for RAM prices to drop is a trap

Published Oct 5, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT Hamlin has been in the tech field for over nine years. Since 2017, his work has appeared on MakeUseOf, Android Police, OSXDaily, Beebom, and more. He served as the Senior Editor at Valnet's MakeUseOf for over two years before joining XDA. He uses a high-end gaming rig for desktop use and a MacBook for traveling, but dislikes some of the quirks of macOS. You're more likely to catch him at the gym or on a flight than anywhere else. RAM prices have shot up so much in the last year that a 32GB DDR5 kit can cost more than a flagship gaming CPU like the 9800X3D. That's a tough pill to swallow if you're planning to build a new PC today, but it's even worse if you're upgrading from an older AM4 build. And those who remember these kits being available for just $100 early last year will probably have an even harder time convincing themselves to pay four or five times as much. It's why many gamers I've talked to are totally fine sticking with AM4 until prices come down. I wanted to take the same route when I saw RAM prices creeping up, but decided to bite the bullet and splurge on a 32GB DDR5-6000 kit back in December because I figured prices would get completely out of hand with the massive demand from AI data centers. Looking back, that was the right call since the same kit costs about $150–200 more than it did back then. But even if I were on the fence about upgrading to AM5 today, I'd still probably do the same thing because nobody knows if or when prices will come down. RAM shortage shows no signs of easing If anything, supply is only going to get tighter I'm not just speculating here when I say supply is only going to get tighter. That's coming from Micron directly. The company may not sell consumer RAM anymore under its Crucial brand, but it's still one of the biggest DRAM manufacturers in the world, so it has a pretty good idea of where the market is headed. During its Q4 earnings call on October 1, Micron said it expects supply-demand conditions to be much tighter in 2027 and 2028 than they've been this year. Sure, you could argue there's a chance this AI bubble deflates by then and data center demand eases. Even if that happens, Micron expects huge demand from humanoid robots, with each unit requiring as much memory as Level 4 autonomous vehicles, which already use over 200GB. So, if you're thinking you'll hold onto AM4 with that 5800X3D until RAM prices come back down, you're going to need a lot of patience. At this rate, we could be talking 2029 before things finally start looking better. AM5 will likely be at the end of its life by then Would you buy into AM5 that late knowing you wouldn't get drop-in upgrades? Earlier this year, AMD announced it would extend AM5 support through 2029. Mind you, this is the second time AMD has extended support, after promising support through 2027 at Computex 2024. So I really doubt the company will extend it again. And now that you know RAMpocalypse could drag on for a couple more years, 2029 would probably be the worst year to switch to AM5. You'd essentially be buying into the platform right when AMD's extended support commitment ends. Remember, a big part of AM5's appeal is its platform longevity. In fact, you've already experienced it with AM4 if you're still holding onto a 5800X3D today. The platform lasted long enough for you to upgrade your CPU several years later without replacing your motherboard or RAM, and AM5 gives you the same opportunity right now, even if it's halfway through its lifecycle. But if you wait until 2029 to make that switch, you're unlikely to get any drop-in upgrades later on unless you get lucky and AMD surprises us with another CPU as it did with AM4 and the 5800X3D in 2022. It's still hard to justify paying CPU money for RAM But it's not like waiting it out will make things any better When a 32GB DDR5-6000 kit costs more than a 9800X3D, I can't blame anyone for refusing to bite the bullet right now. You're already paying hundreds of dollars for a new CPU and motherboard to move to AM5, and for the longest time, RAM prices were the easiest to overlook when 32GB kits used to cost $100. But today, that's the most expensive part of your upgrade, so if you want to hold onto your 5800X3D for dear life, be my guest. But that doesn't mean you should get the 5800X3D Anniversary Edition today if you're still on an older AM4 CPU. At $349, you're spending even more money on a platform you already know has nowhere left to go. And for what? To wait another two or three years hoping DDR5 prices finally come back down? I'd rather spend that money on a platform with a few more years left and get it over with. A drop-in CPU swap is one of the last cheap PC upgrades left these days, and if prices don't come back down by 2028 or 2029, at least you can get one of the fastest gaming CPUs on the market for a few hundred dollars. You're paying the price either way There's really no perfect time to upgrade from AM4 anymore. If you make the jump today, you'll pay way more for RAM than you probably ever thought you would. On the other hand, waiting another two or three years, hoping prices come back down, means being too late to AM5 and missing out on drop-in CPU upgrades. And let's not forget there's no guarantee you won't be paying the same prices, or even more, by then. I'd rather bite the bullet and pay the RAM premium than spend years gambling that prices will go in my favor.