存储芯片，何以至此？

Group 1 - The price of RAM, particularly DDR5, has skyrocketed, with 64GB desktop memory kits becoming more expensive than a Sony PlayStation 5 and some larger kits exceeding high-end desktop GPUs [1] - The surge in RAM prices is primarily driven by overwhelming demand from AI computing giants, which are consuming a significant portion of available memory manufacturing capacity [2][3] - TrendForce predicts that AI-centric memory will account for 70% of global memory hardware output this year, leaving little capacity for consumer products [2] Group 2 - Major memory chip manufacturers are reallocating production capacity towards high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and server-grade DDR5, further reducing supply for consumer-grade chips [3] - Micron has exited the consumer memory market entirely, closing its long-standing sub-brand Crucial, which will impact supply for PC manufacturers as well [3] - The price increases are expected to persist for a year or longer, as AI software and hardware companies secure supply contracts for unproduced wafers and chips [3] Group 3 - The price increases are not limited to DDR5 memory modules; DDR4 and DDR3 prices are also rising, affecting older memory standards that still meet basic needs [4] - The supply shortage is impacting other components that rely on memory, such as graphics cards, which use dedicated memory for rendering and AI workflows [4] - Prices for GDDR6 and GDDR7 memory have more than tripled in the past six months, leading to higher costs for both desktop and laptop graphics cards [4] Group 4 - As PC users face memory shortages, they may turn to high-speed solid-state drives (SSDs) and software solutions, but the companies producing DRAM also manufacture the NAND chips used in SSDs [5] - The demand for DRAM is diverting production capacity away from NAND chips, causing NAND wafer prices to rise, with a month-over-month increase of 60% reported last November [5]