Did RAM suppliers fix memory prices? This lawsuit says they did but I dont think it will fix the RAMpocalypse

Date:
Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:02:34 +0000

Description:
A lawsuit filed against RAM suppliers says they colluded to fix memory prices in favor of HBM for AI data centers.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter A lawsuit claims RAM suppliers colluded to fix memory prices It says they did this by shifting manufacturing to higher-priced HBM But I doubt the lawsuit will make memory cheaper for consumers Unless youve been living under a rock, youll probably know that prices of PC components are out of control right now. Costs of computer
memory are some of the worst affected , making upgrading your PC next to impossible for all but the five richest kings of Europe.

Now, it seems that some people feel there is something deeply fishy about all these price rises. Indeed, a recently filed lawsuit has alleged that the globes leading RAM producers Samsung , SK Hynix and Micron colluded to deliberately constrain memory supply and push prices up as a result.
According to the filing (via AppleInsider ), the three named companies
shifted manufacturing capacity away from DRAM modules such as DDR3 and DDR4 that is, the type of memory used in phones, computers, tablets and other consumer devices towards HBM, which is used in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and sells for a higher price. With lower supply, memory prices rose accordingly. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

On the face of it, that's not illegal companies are allowed to make
strategic decisions to maximize profit if they wish. But what the lawsuit claims is that this move was a concerted, coordinated decision between the three firms, rather than each one separately responding to market conditions.

Because they have a stranglehold on the RAM market (up to 89% of DRAM market share and 100% of HBM market share, according to Counterpoint Research ), the allegations of coordination if proven could amount to illegal behavior, potentially including price fixing. You may like Memory expert predicts huge RAM price hikes over the rest of 2026 DDR4 RAM price falls but don't get carried away with any optimism yet The RAM crisis could get a lot worse if Lenovo and Microsoft are right Will this end the RAMpocalypse? (Image credit: Shutterstock / Nor Gal) If youre reading this and are desperate for some good news among all the PC component doom and gloom, you might be hoping that a favorable judgment in this lawsuit would open the door to lower memory prices and go some way towards getting costs back to reasonable levels.

Unfortunately, that outcome is unlikely. The lawsuit has not proven anything yet, and showing beyond doubt that Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron colluded to screw over consumers rather than merely making independent decisions in response to the same crisis will probably be exceedingly difficult to prove. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our
trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

But even if the plaintiffs succeed in doing that, the lawsuit is likely to be a long, drawn-out process, with many appeals and potential reversals. And
even then, it wont change the reality that right now, prices are through the roof. Were not getting any immediate relief, no matter what happens in the courtroom.

That skeptical view is widely reflected on social media. On Reddit, for example, user HorsePockets pointed out that HBM memory pays way more than conventional DRAM and allows [the defendants] to transition away from being purely cyclical stocks. Ramping up HBM production simply makes sense from a business perspective, they argued.

EloquentPinguin , meanwhile, put it this way: If they truly think that DDR3 was wound down in favor of HBM, and not because its an almost 20-year-old technology with two well-established successive generations, then they might just be grasping [at] straws.

That illustrates just how difficult this case could be to prove and how little impact it might have on the ongoing RAM crisis. But the reality is
that prices are completely out of control right now, whether or not memory manufacturers colluded to ensure that happened. Punishing the alleged
culprits might feel cathartic, but its not going to put prices right any time soon. And thats the real injustice here. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. The best DDR5 RAM for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best DDR5 RAM 1. Best overall: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 2. Best budget DDR5 RAM: Corsair Vengeance DDR5 3. Best easy-to-install RAM: Kingston Fury Beast RGB DDR5



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/did-ram-suppliers-fix-memory-prices-this-l awsuit-says-they-did-but-i-dont-think-it-will-fix-the-rampocalypse


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