Amid skyrocketing memory prices, AMD has acquired a startup called MEXT, developers of a software that allows systems to use SSD storage as a stand-in for expensive DRAM.
The technology, called Predictive Memory, monitors what parts of an application’s memory are actively used and keeps those in DRAM while offloading less-used sections to SSD.
With DRAM reaching up to 50 times the price of equivalent NAND flash memory, Predictive Memory alleviates cost pressures for data centers that are dealing with an inflated market.
While AMD’s acquisition of this startup is primarily a data center and enterprise play, it reflects the broader memory supply crisis that is actively hitting consumer electronics markets.
Why memory prices are continuing to rise
Memory prices surged up to 90 percent quarter-over-quarter between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026 across most segments. This has had knock-on effects for manufacturers and consumers who are facing increased prices of electronics.
Manufacturing prices of small electronics like phones, laptops, tablets, and pretty much any device with storage have been increasing, and consumers are bearing the cost.
Due to increased demand for DRAM by data center customers, the three major memory manufacturers, Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, have been shifting production lines away from consumer-type DRAM.
The three companies are instead producing HBM DRAM that is mainly used for AI data centers, which is far more profitable at the moment.
While Samsung has shifted most of its production capacity towards this memory, Micron took the more drastic approach of exiting the consumer market entirely and sunset the Crucial brand around February.
SK Hynix was the first to respond to the AI memory wave, going all-in on HBM and now holds around 60 percent of the global market.
Industry analysts are not optimistic for relief in the market, with some seeing no path out of the shortage until at least 2028. That’s because new fabrication lines cannot come online fast enough to make a difference before then.
What should you do?
The practical consumer advice is that if you must upgrade with a consumer DRAM kit, try to do so sooner rather than later. 32GB DDR5 RAM kits and 1TB to 2TB NVMe drives have increased in price, but remain reasonably affordable. Higher capacity kits and the 4TB+ segment have seen disproportionate price hikes.
If you’re waiting for a price drop, know that it may not come until at least 2028. While previous price crises like during the COVID-19 pandemic alleviated within 12 to 18 months, there’s no quick way out of this one.
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