The DDR5 RAM shortage is getting worse for PC builders, gamers, and anyone planning a system upgrade. A cybersecurity researcher has revealed that bots now appear to dominate traffic on DDR5 memory product pages, with automated scalping activity reportedly outnumbering real shoppers by roughly 10 to 1 on one unnamed retailer’s site.
According to Jérôme Segura, a cybersecurity researcher and VP of Threat Research at DataDome, around 91% of the traffic hitting certain DDR5 RAM listings is believed to be bot activity. That means only a small fraction of visitors trying to buy memory are actual human customers.
The situation highlights just how intense the DDR5 market has become. Earlier this year, a similar analysis suggested that only one in six visitors on the same retailer’s DDR5 pages were real people. Now, the balance appears to have shifted even further in favor of automated tools designed to monitor stock, grab inventory instantly, and resell products at inflated prices.
Scalping is not new in the tech world. High-demand products with limited supply have often been targeted by bots, including graphics cards, gaming consoles, and limited-edition electronics. Now, DDR5 RAM has become the latest major target as global memory supply struggles to keep up with demand.
The price increases have been dramatic. A consumer-grade 32 GB DDR5-6400 memory kit from Crucial reportedly cost about $88 in September last year. By December, the same type of kit had climbed to around $270. In June, it reached roughly $400. At the moment, similar kits can be found near $480 on Amazon, though prices occasionally dip for short periods.
That means some DDR5 RAM kits have seen prices rise by nearly five times in less than a year. For buyers hoping to build a new gaming PC, upgrade to a newer platform, or expand workstation memory, the cost jump has become difficult to ignore.
The shortage is also affecting more than just individual shoppers. Several PC manufacturers and hardware companies have already started raising prices to offset rising memory costs. Even businesses that do not heavily rely on DRAM are feeling the pressure as component prices continue to climb across the supply chain.
Mini-LED display manufacturer KTC, for example, has indicated that it may raise prices due to higher component costs. Other consumer electronics brands may face similar decisions if the DDR5 shortage continues to disrupt production and pricing.
The broader impact could also reach gaming hardware. Sony has reportedly faced delays linked to memory supply challenges, showing how deeply DRAM shortages can affect the consumer technology industry. When essential components become scarce, everything from PCs and monitors to consoles and other electronics can become more expensive or harder to launch on schedule.
Unfortunately, the outlook remains difficult. DDR5 RAM pricing is not expected to return to more reasonable levels anytime soon, with some industry expectations pointing toward 2027 or even 2028 before the market fully stabilizes.
For consumers, that means patience may be the best strategy unless an upgrade is urgently needed. Shoppers looking for DDR5 memory should compare prices carefully, watch for short-lived discounts, and avoid panic-buying from resellers charging extreme markups.
As long as supply remains tight and demand stays high, scalping bots are likely to keep targeting DDR5 RAM listings. For now, the memory market remains one of the most frustrating areas of PC hardware, and buyers may need to wait longer before prices finally return to normal.
