MSI Chairman Warns of Memory Supply Crisis as DDR5 Prices Surge to $200

Memory prices have surged dramatically, pushing 16GB DDR5 modules from approximately $40 to $200. This sharp increase has created significant hesitation in the DIY PC market. MSI Chairman Hsu Hsiang states that current memory supply visibility is restricted to approximately one month. Manufacturers currently only see about one month of deliverable quantities.

MSI chairman reports supply visibility limited to one month amid steep price hikes

The price shock has rippled through the entire PC industry chain. NVIDIA reduced its GPU chip supply by roughly 30% during the first quarter due to VRAM shortages. Server costs are also climbing steeply with special specification modules increasing by $1,000 to $2,000 each. The unpredictable volume and pricing for next month are causing severe disruption to business order fulfillment.

MSI estimates that the DIY PC market will decline by more than 20% this year. This projection holds despite the rising component costs. The company notes that business order elasticity is severely impacted by these supply issues. Consumers are likely delaying purchases due to uncertainty about future pricing.

CPU supply constraints from AMD and Intel are expected to ease in the third quarter. MSI suggests that the full impact of memory price hikes will become clearer during this period. The company advises buyers to monitor supply trends closely as availability fluctuates monthly.