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Corsair’s limited-time memory sale brings 25% savings, but persistent DDR5 price hikes paint a grim outlook for buyers
With the AI boom driving up memory prices globally, Corsair is running a limited-time promotion offering a 25% discount on DDR5 memory kits. Considering prices have increased by as much as 300%, the rebate may not provide significant relief, especially if you opt for higher speeds with lower latency. Lower capacity kits, on the other hand, like the Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR5 6000 MHz CL36 kit, priced at $259.99, can be purchased for around $195 after discount. While that might not sound terrible, it is important to note that the same kit was selling for under $100 six months ago.
If you’re still interested, head over to Corsair’s official website and use the code “DDR5-25” at checkout to take advantage of the offer. According to Corsair, the promotion applies across Corsair’s DDR5 lineup, including Vengeance and Dominator series modules, and is valid until March 26. The company also notes that the promotion cannot be stacked with any existing discounts.
Memory prices continue to soar, with no signs of relief in the near future. Earlier this month, a report by DigiTimes highlighted how the global memory market is becoming increasingly volatile, with DRAM prices now fluctuating on an almost hourly basis due to the AI-driven supply crunch. Apparently, large buyers, including cloud providers, automakers, and smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung, have gained priority access to memory by leveraging their scale and upfront payments. This has resulted in small and mid-sized firms scrambling for limited supply while being forced to pay much higher prices or cut back operations.
Recently, TrendForce revised its Q1 2026 conventional DRAM contract price outlook, increasing its forecast from a 55–60% quarter-over-quarter rise to a steep 90–95%. The firm expects PC DRAM prices to more than double quarter-over-quarter, marking a new quarterly record. At the same time, NAND flash contract prices are projected to climb by around 55–60%, which is also significantly higher than the earlier estimate of 33–38%.
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Ultimately, short-term discounts like Corsair’s may sound attractive, but with supply increasingly tied up by AI-driven demand and pricing remaining on the higher end, both consumers and PC manufacturers may have to adjust to a new normal where memory is no longer an affordable component.
Kunal Khullar is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. He is a long time technology journalist and reviewer specializing in PC components and peripherals, and welcomes any and every question around building a PC.
How expensive does it need to get before someone decides it is worth starting a new manufacturing plant to get in on the profits?
That's a tough one for manufacturers. Dropping $20-$100 billion to cover the next year or two of surge only to have demand drop again is a risky investment. Not to mention how long it takes to actually build out the facility. But... there's a good chance this surge will last much longer than that, demand will remain high, and in that case, whoever gets new fabs built first reaps all the benefits.
I would not be surprised if every major manufacturer is looking into this very closely.
