How I am beating excessive RAM costs in 2026 – an professional’s information to smarter PC shopping for

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• RAM costs have surged in current months; some DDR5 kits now price greater than a PlayStation 5 Professional.
• This hurts college students, energy customers, professionals, and players.
• I am going to break down the most effective methods to save cash.

For those who’ve been following PC {hardware} information over the previous few months, you may know that RAM costs have climbed to absurd heights. Based on PCPartPicker, the common value of a 2x 32GB DDR5-6000 equipment reached almost $800 in December 2025. For comparability, Sony’s PS5 Professional presently sells for $749. 

And the scenario could worsen, with extra potential value surges later this 12 months and RAM costs rising one other 50% in Q1 2026 alone.

Additionally: How a lot RAM does your PC really want in 2026? A Home windows and Mac professional’s verdict

Evidently, that is dangerous information for shoppers. In a submit on its official weblog, Acer factors to a number of elements driving these will increase. The rise of AI is on the prime of the checklist, referred to by Acer as “the one largest driver behind the scarcity.” There are additionally manufacturing challenges, rising {hardware} calls for, and the continuing decline in DDR4 RAM manufacturing.

Hovering costs do not simply have an effect on PC fanatics, they’re reshaping the complete PC market. Trade analysts at TrendForce state that pocket book shipments are shifting towards lower-tier 8GB fashions with a purpose to stabilize provide chains. This implies laptops that after shipped with 16GB of reminiscence could quickly go for much less. That is dangerous information for anybody looking for a brand new machine with excessive quantities of RAM this 12 months. 

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Excessive RAM costs are anticipated to persist all year long, however though the scenario is way from very best, there are steps you possibly can take to buy smarter. Here is what I counsel: 

1. Purchase a refurbished PC

One of many smartest strikes you can also make proper now’s shopping for a refurbished pc. Secondhand marketplaces are particularly value testing in order for you a PC or laptop computer that performs nicely with out paying right now’s inflated costs. 

BackMarket is one such platform, with wonderful offers on laptops. A fast search turns up Lenovo ThinkPads for underneath $300, an M3 MacBook Air for round $693 (over $300 off its unique value), and Chromebooks for lower than $100.

Additionally: Tariff-proof tech? Again Market’s refurbished gadgets maintain costs down

I’d additionally suggest shopping for older laptops to save cash, and it does not imply it’s important to sacrifice a complete lot of energy. Dell’s Inspiron 16 Plus 7630, launched in mid-2023, remains to be a stable alternative for on a regular basis workloads. The newer Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 can be value consideration, boasting a light-weight design, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a roomy 1TB SSD. 

If you would like one thing extra premium, the Acer Swift X 14 is an actual stand-out with its sharp 3K OLED display screen, Intel Core Extremely 7 155H processor, and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card.

2. Monitor seasonal gross sales

Benefit from main gross sales occasions once they occur. It goes with out saying that these promotions are a terrific alternative to attain a brand new pc, as laptops and PCs typically see steep reductions that assist offset inflated costs.

For instance, final 12 months, Amazon’s Huge Spring Sale kicked off in late March 2025, and it ought to return across the identical time later this 12 months — though nothing has been confirmed but. In fact, ZDNET will probably be monitoring notable offers throughout these sale occasions, so keep watch over protection. 

Additionally: I assumed 16-inch laptops have been extreme for work journey, however this mannequin is a giant exception

If you would like one thing proper now, you’ll find stable reductions on-line. Acer’s Aspire 16 AI is an effective choice in order for you a light-weight laptop computer, which is presently on sale for 20% off. For one thing extra high-end, the Dell 14 Premium has dropped to round $1,220.

3. Goal PCs with DDR4

Double Information Price (DDR) reminiscence refers to RAM that transfers knowledge twice per clock cycle, bettering general velocity and effectivity. Over time, it has gone by a number of generations, with DDR5 being the most recent. As a result of it is the newest model, DDR5 costs have exploded essentially the most. 

TrendForce stories that the standard DRAM contract costs are anticipated to rise by as a lot as 60% in Q1 2025, a soar that may immediately influence DDR5 kits. You do not have to look far to see the results. On Newegg, a 32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 equipment presently prices round $440. The identical equipment bought for about $95 in August 2025, in accordance with archived listings.

Additionally: How a lot RAM does your Linux PC really want in 2026? An professional’s candy spot

Give these will increase, goal methods that use DDR4 RAM, or purchase DDR4 sticks your self. Whereas DDR5 is objectively higher, providing increased velocity, extra bandwidth, and improved effectivity, DDR4 is way from out of date. It might probably attain knowledge charges of as much as 5,100 MT/s (and even increased with overclocking). That is greater than sufficient for productiveness duties, workplace work, internet shopping, and trendy gaming.

To save lots of you the difficulty, I discovered some nice offers on-line. At Finest Purchase, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 3 is on sale for $380. It’s a low-cost laptop computer that is excellent for work. For gaming, the Thermaltake LCFS Vista 460S desktop pairs an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, and 16GB of DDR5 reminiscence, all for underneath $1,000. And Corsair’s Vengeance LPX 32GB DDR4 Equipment is on sale at Finest Purchase for $210.

4. Purchase RAM bundles

For those who’re snug constructing or upgrading your individual desktop, RAM bundles are one of many smartest methods to work round right now’s inflated reminiscence costs. These offers pair DDR5 RAM with a suitable motherboard, letting you lock in each parts at a reduced mixed value. 

You will discover the bundles on Newegg. For instance, a TeamGroup memory-and-motherboard combo is priced round $230. The RAM alone on Newegg retails for $250.

5. Change to ChromeOS

One other good choice is to step exterior the Home windows ecosystem altogether and change to ChromeOS.

Chromebooks aren’t powerhouse gadgets; they’re light-weight, reasonably priced laptops constructed to ship a clean, dependable expertise for on a regular basis work and informal utilization. ChromeOS depends closely on Google’s web-based instruments, comparable to Docs, Images, and Drive, to function. Since these apps run within the cloud, Chromebooks do not want a lot RAM or storage to run nicely.

Additionally: 35+ finest merchandise we examined in 2025: Knowledgeable picks for telephones, TVs, AI, and extra

Consequently, Chromebooks are typically cheaper than Home windows machines. In addition they have a tendency to supply wonderful battery life, with many fashions lasting a full workday, generally extra on a single cost. For those who’re on the lookout for an excellent suggestion, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is a good alternative, providing responsive efficiency and a powerful battery life. 

For these with a tighter funds, try Acer’s CX15 Chromebook. It options quick charging and a spacious 15.6-inch Full HD show.

6. Change to Linux

Linux is one other sturdy different to Home windows. Many trendy Linux distributions ship a clean, on a regular basis computing expertise whereas utilizing fewer system sources than Home windows 11. One of many largest benefits of Linux is its effectivity. It does not come bundled with all these further options, built-in AI instruments, or background providers operating concurrently like Home windows. 

As an alternative, you solely set up what you want. Customers have full management over which apps begin up, which providers are lively, and the way updates are dealt with. Which means fewer wasted sources and extra efficiency obtainable at any second.

Additionally: 7 issues each Linux newbie ought to know earlier than downloading their first distro

As a result of it is so light-weight, Linux can breathe new life into older {hardware}. A laptop computer that may’t run Home windows 11 attributable to its strict {hardware} necessities may as an alternative run a selected Linux distribution rather more simply. 

There are many Linux distributions to select from. Ubuntu stays one of the crucial standard due to its user-friendly design and stable efficiency. ZDNET’s Jack Wallen has a useful information detailing easy methods to check out Ubuntu by a digital machine earlier than putting in it in your machine. 

Additionally, remember to try Q4OS in order for you one thing beginner-friendly. Its Software program Heart has a format much like a Home windows 11 app, making app set up straightforward to grasp for Win 11 customers.