Memory makers face lawsuit over alleged DRAM price-fixing

A U.S. class-action lawsuit accuses Micron Technology, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix of price-fixing and creating artificial scarcity in the computer memory market. Consumer DDR5 PC memory saw a near 700% inflation in price in a span of just 1 year, with the complaint pointing to DRAM makers shifting production capacity toward HBM stacks used in AI compute GPUs.

The lawsuit also alleges that long-term HBM order bookings are tying up manufacturing capacity going as far into the future as 2030, limiting supply for consumer PC memory. It calls for manufacturers to restore consumer DRAM production and availability, and cites Apple’s recent decision to raise prices across its products, including Macs and iPhones, because of escalating memory costs.

The complaint alleges collusion and cartel-like behavior among Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix to coordinate pricing. It also references the year 2000, when the U.S. Department of Justice fined the companies hundreds of millions of dollars and several executives received prison sentences.