Key Takeaways
1. ASUS is set to increase prices on certain memory products, including SSDs and DRAM kits, starting January 5, 2026.
2. The price hikes are seen as a strategic move to establish new pricing standards ahead of CES 2026, with potential increases up to 45% throughout the year.
3. The impact of these price changes may affect various hardware sectors, including laptops, prebuilt PCs, and graphics cards.
4. ASUS is supporting DDR4 motherboards to provide users with a more budget-friendly option despite some price increases in DDR4.
5. Other companies are responding to the situation by planning to release more laptops with only 8 GB of RAM.
Just before CES 2026, the situation with RAM supplies seems to be getting quite serious. ASUS has announced that it will increase prices on some memory products starting January 5. This information comes from a leaked internal message to business partners, which was first reported by Videocardz. ASUS in Taiwan has confirmed that the document is real, stating it was meant for internal business communication and not for public view.
Price Changes Affecting SSDs and DRAM
The price changes will specifically target SSDs and DRAM kits, but only certain product combinations and configurations will be affected, according to the leaked document. The timing, right before CES 2026, is interpreted by many in the industry as a strategic effort to set new pricing standards. ASUS has not yet shared specific details about which models will be affected or how extensive the price increases will be. Industry speculations indicate that RAM prices might rise by as much as 45% throughout 2026.
Impact on Hardware Segments
These price increases could have a ripple effect on all hardware sectors that rely on memory components like DRAM or NAND flash, which includes laptops, prebuilt PCs, and graphics cards. In response, ASUS is offering continued support for DDR4 motherboards, allowing users to stick with the older standard. While DDR4 has also seen some price hikes, it still remains more budget-friendly overall. Other companies are starting to implement similar temporary solutions, with an increase in laptops expected to ship with just 8 GB of RAM in the near future.
Current Product Pricing
The ASUS Low-Profile GeForce RTX 5060, featuring 8 GB of GDDR7 memory, is presently available on Amazon for about $424.
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