COMPUTER gaming has long been infamous for its high starting prices, making it a hefty investment for people who want the freedom of PCs. However, this past year has seen intense price increases for computer parts, pushing the goalposts farther than they ever have been. The prices still rise, and many lose hope in finally building their own or upgrading their current hardware, but why?
The main component rising in price is RAM, or random access memory. RAM is an important part of any computer; it’s what keeps short-term information needed to keep everything running smoothly. Without it, everything just falls apart, but it’s just getting too expensive to keep buying.
The price surges can be attributed to the high memory demand of AI data centers. Research shows that AI needs this memory to drive reasoning and processing and to provide models with the context and information they need to make decisions. Between AI data centers and consumers, demand for RAM has risen so high that the price of 2 sticks of 16-gigabyte RAM has gone from an average of $100 to $500.
Tariffs also threaten RAM prices. The Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, is threatening to implement 100% tariffs on chip manufacturers operating outside of the U.S. These tariffs would hike the prices of RAM way higher than they already are. Some manufacturers are already putting investments in U.S. production, but the effects of the tariffs will still be felt by consumers.
With these price jumps, owning your own PC is becoming harder for people to achieve. An up-to-date gaming rig could cost lancers at least $2500 for the hardware alone. Prices for consoles like the PS5 have also increased. On August 21st, 2025, Sony increased the price of the standard PS5 edition from $500 to $549.99.
For lancers who want a gaming setup in the future, its a good idea to look for used computers or hardware. Over the next few years, prices will only keep rising, even for used hardware. Markets like eBay or Newegg are great places to find parts for cheaper than retail.
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