DDR5 RAM prices have been absolutely brutal lately, and if you’re planning a PC build in Malaysia, you’ve probably already felt the pain. But according to former Samsung chip boss Kye-hyun Kyung, the current memory madness may not last forever.
Kyung, who previously led Samsung’s Device Solutions division and now advises Samsung Electronics, reportedly said memory prices could start dropping in the second half of 2027. The reason? China is throwing serious money into DRAM production, and if those investments translate into actual output, the market could swing from shortage to oversupply.
That matters a lot for Malaysian gamers and PC builders. DDR5 pricing affects almost everything now: gaming desktops, laptops, creator rigs, handheld-style PCs, and even prebuilt systems on Shopee or Lazada. When RAM prices spike, local retailers don’t magically absorb the cost — it gets passed down to us in RM.
The current problem starts with AI. High-end AI accelerators depend heavily on high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, and demand from big tech companies has been gila strong. Because chipmakers only have so much production capacity, more focus on HBM can squeeze supply for regular memory products like DDR5. Even if your PC has nothing to do with AI, you still get hit by the same supply chain pressure.
Wccftech notes that DDR5 prices in Germany were up 414% in May compared with July 2025. That’s a wild number, and while Malaysian pricing won’t move in exactly the same way, global memory markets are connected. If distributors and brands pay more upstream, our local prices for RAM kits, gaming laptops, and prebuilt PCs usually follow.
This is also why some PC companies have been buying ahead. Apple and Dell reportedly saw shipment jumps linked to preemptive ordering before higher memory costs fully landed. Big companies can stock up early. Normal gamers? We just stare at RAM listings and wonder why the same 32GB kit suddenly costs way more than it did a few months ago.
Kyung’s view is that China could change the equation. Chinese memory firms are pushing harder into DDR5, with ChangXin Memory Technologies, better known as CXMT, seen as the key player. Jiahe Jinwei is also mentioned as one of the companies adding pressure in the market. If these companies successfully scale production, extra supply could cool prices down by late 2027.
He also pointed to market research data suggesting total production capacity in the second half of 2027 could reach around six million wafers per month. That sounds like a massive supply boost, but there is one big condition: AI spending has to stay attractive enough for companies to keep investing. If major tech firms start seeing weaker returns from AI capital expenditure, investment plans could slow down.
For SEA buyers, the practical takeaway is simple: if you need RAM now, buy what you need, not what FOMO tells you to hoard. If you’re building a full PC and can wait, late 2027 might bring better DDR5 value — especially for 32GB and 64GB kits that gamers, streamers, and creators are starting to treat as normal.
This also affects gaming laptops. Many mid-range laptops in Malaysia still use fixed or partially upgradable memory setups, so RAM cost can quietly influence the final retail price. If DDR5 stays expensive, expect brands to protect margins by charging more, cutting specs elsewhere, or pushing base models with less memory.
So yes, there may be light at the end of the RAMpocalypse tunnel. But for now, Malaysia’s PC crowd should keep an eye on DDR5 prices, avoid panic buying, and treat RAM deals seriously when they actually appear.
Source: Wccftech Gaming