Tech Price Increase From the 2026 RAM Shortage: What to Buy Now and What to Wait On
Last updated: October 22, 2026. Picks are based on reviews and guides from PCMag (NVMe roundup, editors' note September 15, 2025), TechRadar (2026 SSD and DDR5 guides), PC Gamer (RAM guide, updated January 16, 2026), and Tom's Hardware (reviews and an October 14, 2026 price report), all read October 22, 2026. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links below are affiliate links, which means this site may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Skip to shopping links ↓ Quick answer Reviewers say to buy memory-heavy tech now only if you need it, and to skip extra RAM or storage if your current PC works. Top storage picks in 2026 guides: WD Black SN850X (PCIe 4.0), Samsung 990 Pro (PS5), and WD Black SN8100 (PCIe 5.0). Top RAM picks for Ryzen and mainstream builds: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo and Corsair Vengeance RGB, with DDR4 as a lower-cost route. Memory prices have climbed sharply in 2026, and the effect reaches well beyond RAM kit...