RAMageddon: Europe’s Price Drop Signals Hope for U.S. Gamers and Builders

The RAM crisis has been brutal—DDR5 prices skyrocketed by up to 4x in just a few months, turning PC building into a budget nightmare. But there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon, and it’s coming from across the Atlantic.

Europe’s DDR5 Prices Are Finally Cooling Off

According to reports from Tom’s Hardware and the PC enthusiast community on Reddit’s r/pcmasterrace, DDR5 prices in Germany and across the EU have started to decline after months of painful inflation. The data shows that an average 32GB DDR5 kit, which hovered around €95–€100 last autumn, spiked to a staggering €430–€470 in early February 2026, and has now begun trending downward.

While these aren’t fire-sale prices yet, a 10–15% correction is a welcome relief. Popular kits like Corsair Vengeance have dropped from ~€480 to ~€425, and Kingston Fury Beast from ~€550 to ~€463 on Amazon Germany. This is the first real sign that the RAMageddon might be easing.

Why the U.S. Lags Behind

Historically, when prices drop in Europe, the U.S. market follows—but not immediately. U.S. retailers are still holding firm at record or near-record highs because, frankly, why lower prices when inventory is flying off the shelves? Retailers usually wait until sales slow before they blink.

So if you can hold off, late spring or early summer could be the sweet spot to snag DDR5 at more reasonable prices. Patience could save you a big chunk of cash.

Laptop Makers Feel the Squeeze

This price drop also has major implications for 2026 laptops. Big names like Dell, HP, and Lenovo are already feeling the pinch. To avoid sticker shock, many entry-level 2026 models are shipping with just 8GB or 12GB of RAM—which feels wild in 2026.

But if RAM costs keep stabilizing, we could finally see 16GB or even 32GB become the new standard again on mid-range machines. The back-to-school refresh cycle is usually when vendors pass along component savings, so that’s the best time to grab one of the best MacBooks or best Windows laptops with decent starting memory.

The End of the “AI Tax”?

The reason RAM got so expensive in the first place is no secret: Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron shifted massive production to high-margin AI chips for data centers. Reports, including one from Tom’s Hardware in January, project that data centers will consume up to 70% of the world’s high-end memory supply in 2026, leaving the rest of us fighting over the remaining 30%.

The early price easing in Europe could be the first sign that consumers are finally pushing back hard enough to make manufacturers remember us—the gamers, video editors, and everyday users who actually buy this stuff at retail. High-priced components won’t bring a profit if no one buys them, after all.

Bottom Line

RAMageddon isn’t over yet, but these developments in Europe are the first real sign of hope we’ve had in months. My advice to my U.S. friends hasn’t changed: if you possibly can, wait until spring or even summer before pulling the trigger on new RAM or a new laptop.

As always, stay tuned to Tom’s Guide, as we’ll let you know the instant we see U.S. prices stabilize or, better yet, finally start coming down.

Viral Tags & Phrases

• RAMageddon is easing – Europe’s DDR5 prices drop 10–15% after 4x spike
• U.S. gamers, hold your horses – Prices here still sky-high, but relief is coming
• Laptop makers squeezed – 8GB RAM in 2026? That’s wild
• AI tax is ending – Data centers hogged 70% of RAM, now consumers push back
• Spring 2026 could be the sweet spot – Wait for back-to-school deals
• Corsair Vengeance down €55, Kingston Fury Beast down €87 – Europe’s deals are real
• Patience pays off – Don’t buy RAM now unless you absolutely have to
• The RAM crisis might finally be over – First signs of hope after months of pain
• Gamers, video editors, everyday users win – Manufacturers remember who actually buys retail
• Tom’s Guide has your back – We’ll alert you the second U.S. prices drop

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