The cheapest 32GB DDR5-6000 kit in Tom’s Hardware’s US price tracker was $449 on October 13, 2026, against roughly $100 to $200 in October 2025. The cheapest 2TB NVMe SSDs in the same outlet’s tracker (last updated September 29) were $249. Nothing in the supply forecasts points to relief before 2027 at the earliest, so the practical answer is: if your build or upgrade has a deadline, buy what you need now and skip the extras; if it doesn’t, waiting costs nothing but patience.
What RAM Costs Right Now
Tom’s Hardware’s RAM price tracker, which lists the lowest US retailer price per kit and which we read on October 13, 2026, showed this:
| Kit | Cheapest US price | Lowest ever tracked |
|---|---|---|
| DDR5-5600 16GB | $249 | $199 |
| DDR5-6000 16GB | $266 | $197 |
| DDR5-5600 32GB | $434 | $72 |
| DDR5-6000 32GB | $449 | $72 |
| DDR5-6000 64GB | $909 | $159 |
| DDR4-3200 16GB | $102 | $94 |
| DDR4-3200 32GB | $198 | $193 |
The same page says a 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 kit sold for around $100 to $200 in October 2025 and that a 32GB DDR4 kit went for $60 to $90 that month. Using those ranges, our arithmetic puts today’s cheapest 32GB DDR5 at 2.2 to 4.5 times its year-ago price, and 32GB DDR4 at 2.2 to 3.3 times. Tom’s own headline for the DDR5 section is that prices have gone up “triple and, in some cases, quadruple.”
Retailer guides land in the same place. Newegg’s DDR5 buying guide, updated October 7, said mainstream 32GB DDR5-6000 kits it verified that week “cluster around $399 to $479.” Our gaming PC build cost guide found $459.99 on October 6. Sources differ by a few dollars because kits sell out and restock at different prices, so treat any single number as a snapshot.
What SSDs Cost Right Now
Tom’s Hardware’s SSD tracker, last updated September 29, 2026, lists the lowest US price on major NVMe models. The cheapest entries:
| Drive | Cheapest US price | Lowest ever tracked |
|---|---|---|
| Silicon Power UD90 1TB (Gen 4) | $149 | $38 |
| TeamGroup MP33 1TB (Gen 3) | $153 | $35 |
| Samsung 990 Pro 1TB | $239 | $59 |
| Silicon Power UD90 2TB | $249 | $75 |
| TeamGroup MP33 2TB | $249 | $65 |
| WD Black SN850X 2TB | $348 | $89 |
For a year-over-year comparison, Tom’s July 29 piece on SSD pricing looked at one drive. The Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB was $113 on 2025’s Prime Day and $363.49 on the day of that article, an increase of 221.5%. That is a single drive at a single retailer, but it matches the tracker’s picture: most 2TB drives are about three times their summer 2025 price.
Why Prices Are This High
Memory makers are putting capacity into AI server demand. TrendForce’s September 30 press release projects conventional DRAM contract prices to rise 10% to 15% quarter over quarter in the fourth quarter of 2026 and NAND Flash contract prices 15% to 20%. It also says NAND wafer prices are at historical highs and that “downstream retail channels are increasingly unable to absorb” them.
The supply side is no better. After its record quarter, Micron’s CEO said the company has no “line of sight to when supply and demand will return to balance,” according to a TheNextWeb report from October 2. The same report says Micron expects demand to exceed supply in both 2027 and 2028, with about 75% of its 2027 memory output already committed. New clean rooms are planned for 2028 and ramp gradually.
One counterweight: TrendForce describes suppliers as taking a “more flexible” stance on client SSD pricing, with PC brands drawing down inventory and trimming SSD capacities. That can slow consumer SSD increases, but it is not a forecast of cuts, and TrendForce gave no percentage for client SSDs.
What It Does to a Build
Take the two parts most people buy together, 32GB of DDR5-6000 and a 2TB NVMe drive. At the cheapest tracked prices that is $449 + $249 = $698. The lowest prices Tom’s has ever tracked for those same listings were $72 and $75, or $147 (our arithmetic, and the lowest-ever figures may refer to different kits or drives than today’s cheapest). In other words the pair costs about $551 more than at the tracker’s floor.
Dropping to 16GB of DDR5-6000 at $266 saves $183, or 41%, compared with the $449 32GB kit. Our laptop price guide covers how the same costs reach finished PCs, and the homelab NAS electricity guide is relevant if storage is the reason you are shopping.
Buy Now or Wait: A Simple Test
Prices are not falling, and the people who sell memory say tight supply lasts through 2028. That shifts the question from “when will it get cheaper” to “what does waiting cost me.”
- Buy now if your machine is failing, you need the capacity for paid work, or you are building anyway. Get the kit you will use, not a spare. Newegg’s own guide advises buying only when you need the capacity.
- Buy the smaller size if 16GB covers you. The 16GB kit above costs $183 less, and you can add more later, accepting that later may cost more.
- Wait if the upgrade is optional. We found no source forecasting a drop in the next quarter, but optional spending is the easiest kind to postpone.
- Check DDR4 only for an existing platform. A 32GB DDR4-3200 kit is $198 on the tracker, but it only helps if your motherboard already takes it. Buying a new DDR4 platform rarely makes sense.
- Compare against a prebuilt. Tom’s July article says prebuilt systems can be one of the better ways to get RAM and storage, with the caveat that makers can hide a slow SSD in the spec sheet.
Bottom Line
A 32GB DDR5 kit costs about $450 and a 2TB NVMe drive about $250, roughly three times last year for many parts. TrendForce expects more contract increases in the fourth quarter and Micron expects tight supply through 2028. Buy the minimum you need if you must buy, and recheck live prices the day you order because tracker snapshots go stale within days.
FAQ
How much does 32GB of DDR5 cost in October 2026?
Tom’s Hardware’s tracker listed the cheapest 32GB DDR5-6000 kit at $449 on October 13, with the DDR5-5600 version at $434. Newegg’s buying guide, updated October 7, put mainstream kits at $399 to $479.
Are SSD prices going up or down?
Up over the year. A Tom’s Hardware comparison found one popular 2TB drive at $113 in July 2025 and $363.49 in July 2026. TrendForce projects NAND contract prices up another 15% to 20% in the fourth quarter, though retail SSD prices may move differently.
Is DDR4 cheaper than DDR5 right now?
Yes. Tom’s tracker showed a 32GB DDR4-3200 kit at $198, against $449 for 32GB DDR5-6000. DDR4 also rose, from $60 to $90 in October 2025 per the same page, and it only makes sense for a platform you already own.
When will RAM prices come down?
No source we found promises a date. Micron’s CEO said he has no line of sight to supply and demand rebalancing, and Micron expects shortages through 2028. Planned new capacity arrives in 2028 and ramps slowly.