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DDR5 prices surge again as CPU cost hike looms
DDR5 prices in Germany have hit a new peak, up 448% from a year ago, while a report says TSMC could raise chip production prices by up to 10% next year.
Image: TechRadar
DDR5 prices in Germany have climbed to a fresh high, adding to what has already been a brutal stretch for PC buyers. According to 3D Center, cited by Wccftech, DDR5 memory at German retailers is now 448% more expensive than it was a year ago, before the current memory crunch began.
That marks a sharp move even against recent gains. Pricing was at 440% at the start of 2026, fell to 408% in March, stayed there in April, then rose to 419% in June before jumping again in July. TechRadar notes that this is only one market, but says it broadly matches wider expectations that memory prices will keep rising through the second half of 2026.
There may be more pressure ahead beyond RAM. A report from Nikkei Asia, flagged by PC Gamer, says TSMC plans to increase chip production prices by up to 10% next year, with some off-the-cuff orders for high-performance computing chips potentially seeing hikes of up to 15%.
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TSMC price increase report
The reported reasons include higher costs for materials and chipmaking equipment, plus the need to fund expansion of new fabrication plants. If that happens, companies buying chips from TSMC are likely to pass at least part of the increase on to customers.
That would have wide reach. Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm all rely on TSMC, so any increase could ripple across processors and devices that use them.
TechRadar adds one caveat: the TSMC move is still a rumor based on Nikkei Asia’s sources, not an official announcement. The publication also says the increases may not take effect until 2027, though the headline report frames the broader risk as higher CPU prices next year.
For buyers, the takeaway is simple: hardware is not getting cheaper anytime soon, and Black Friday may be one of the few chances to soften the blow on a new PC or laptop.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via TechRadar
