If you've been thinking about building your own gaming PC this year, you might want to sit down.
A perfect storm is driving PC RAM and storage prices sky-high, and it's about to change the way even hardcore builders think about DIY rigs.
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Over the past few months, prices for DDR5 memory and SSDs have climbed steadily — and not by a few quid here and there. We're talking noticeable spikes that are turning what used to be an affordable upgrade into a significant line-item cost.
For years, RAM and storage have been the parts where enthusiasts could shave pennies off their total build. Now those pennies are disappearing fast.
Why's this happening? Supply chain wobbliness, lingering post-pandemic production issues and strong demand from data centres and AI builders have all converged to tighten the market.
High-speed RAM and high-capacity SSDs are essential in AI and professional workflows, so gaming builders are suddenly competing with deep-pocketed buyers for the same stock.
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And here's the kicker: prebuilt gaming PC makers are currently capitalising on this. With components expensive, many have shrugged and locked in bulk deals that let them absorb costs better than your average enthusiast can.
The result? In some cases, a ready-built gaming PC with a decent GPU, plenty of RAM and a big SSD is now closer in price to what you'd pay assembling the same parts yourself.
This could be a turning point. The DIY scene has always trumpeted customisation and value, but when prebuilts start to undercut custom builds on price alone, the balance shifts.
Soon, buying a prebuilt might not just be the easy choice – it could be the smartest financial move for gamers who want serious performance without blowing the budget.
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