TL;DR
Memory component prices jumped sharply late in 2025, with common DRAM modules rising about 63% between September and December, and storage components also up significantly. OEMs have so far absorbed some of the shock using inventory and contracts, but analysts expect wider system price increases within the next three months.
What happened
Distribution market data compiled by analyst Context shows manufacturers such as Kingston, Micron and Samsung raised prices for common RAM modules sold in Europe — 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB capacities — by roughly 63% between September and December 2025. Enterprise vendors including HPE, Lenovo, Dell and Cisco experienced smaller increases for enterprise-class RAM, about 28% over the same period, a difference Context attributes to existing component inventories and supply agreements that have buffered OEMs. At the system level, sell-through data indicated server pricing rose only modestly (about 5–10%) in December as vendors worked through older, lower-cost stock. Context warns that as those inventories run down and suppliers must buy components at current elevated rates, infrastructure system prices are likely to move higher within roughly three months. Storage media have also become more expensive: SSD and HDD price-per-gigabyte rose around 30–40% since September, potentially compounding overall infrastructure cost pressures.
Why it matters
- Higher DRAM and storage pricing can increase capital expenditures for server, storage and networking purchases.
- Enterprises planning infrastructure refreshes may need to revise budgets or timelines in response to rising component costs.
- Cloud and managed service providers operating large data centers could face greater operating costs that they might pass on to customers.
- OEMs’ short-term cushioning from inventories is temporary; wider price effects across systems are expected once stocks are depleted.
Key facts
- Context distribution market data recorded an average 63% price increase for common RAM modules (16/32/64/128 GB) sold in Europe between September and December 2025.
- Manufacturers named in the data include Kingston, Micron and Samsung.
- Enterprise RAM costs at OEM level rose by about 28% in the same period, per Context analyst Gurvan Meyer.
- Server system pricing in distribution edged up roughly 5–10% in December, as vendors used existing lower-priced component inventories.
- Analyst guidance from Context indicates larger infrastructure system cost increases are likely within approximately three months as OEM inventories are consumed.
- Storage media costs also climbed: SSD and HDD price-per-gigabyte rose about 30–40% since September 2025.
- Some organizations may accelerate procurement plans to secure current component pricing before further increases occur.
- The data and observations come from Context and were reported in industry coverage; broader market impacts remain contingent on inventory levels and purchasing decisions.
What to watch next
- Whether OEMs exhaust existing lower-cost component inventories in the coming months, forcing them to buy at current higher prices.
- Actual movement in system-level pricing over the next three months and any announced price changes from major server and storage vendors.
- If and when cloud and managed service providers publicly adjust pricing or disclose margin impacts tied to memory and storage cost inflation.
Quick glossary
- DRAM: Dynamic Random-Access Memory — a type of volatile memory commonly used for system memory in servers and PCs.
- OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer — a company that builds complete systems using components from other suppliers.
- SSD: Solid-State Drive — a storage device that uses flash memory to store data, typically faster than hard disk drives.
- HDD: Hard Disk Drive — a magnetic storage device that holds data on spinning disks; usually provides high capacity at lower cost per gigabyte.
Reader FAQ
How large were the DRAM price increases?
Context data shows about a 63% average increase for common 16–128 GB modules in Europe between September and December 2025.
Have server prices already risen by the same amount?
Not confirmed in the source; distribution data showed server system pricing rose only about 5–10% in December, but larger increases are expected once inventories are depleted.
Should organizations buy infrastructure now to avoid higher prices?
The source notes some organizations may consider accelerating purchases to lock in current prices, but it does not provide procurement guidance.
Will cloud providers raise customer prices because of this?
Not confirmed in the source; the article says cloud providers could face cost pressure and might pass on increases, but no specific pricing actions are reported.
STORAGE Buy servers now or cry later: DRAM price spike threatens infrastructure budgets Component up 63% since September, more pricey memory coming to a supply chain near you Paul Kunert…
Sources
- Buy servers now or cry later: DRAM price spike threatens infrastructure budgets
- The Rising of Global Infrastructure Costs: DRAM and SSD …
- Memory Crunch Drives Server and PC Prices Up
- Dell's Memory Cost Surge: AI Infrastructure Shift Driving …
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