The workstation memory challenge

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Unfortunately, the disruption isn’t temporary. Analysts expect this shortage, and sky-high prices, to continue through mid 2026, with some warning it may extend into 2027 before supply stabilises.

How this affects workstations

Rising memory costs are already impacting the price of workstations. In just a few months, DDR5 prices have surged — in some cases tripling or quadrupling. A 96 GB kit that cost £200 in July can now command £800, while a 256 GB ECC kit that sold for £1,500 in August may now push £4,000, if it can be sourced at all. Prices remain volatile, dramatically shifting week to week, even overnight. The memory crunch is also spilling over into other components. SSDs have climbed in price too — not as sharply as DDR5, but enough to notice — because some of their components are made in the same fabs. Then there are pro GPUs, which demand far more memory than their consumer cousins. Business Insider reports that a 24 GB Nvidia RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell GPU in a Dell mobile workstation now carries a $530 premium.

All of this leaves firms asking a simple question: how do you make sensible workstation purchasing decisions when the market is so unpredictable?

The most obvious tactic is to shop around, though don’t presume prices will stay still for long. Lenovo has been kicking the proverbial DDR5 can down the road by stockpiling memory, but how long will that last? Unfortunately, boutique integrators don’t have the same buying power, and some have even been forced to ration stock.

Consider buying pre-configured workstation SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) already in the channel. You may also find more pricing stability in systems where memory is soldered onto the mainboard. For example, a top-end HP Z2 Mini G1a with 128 GB of memory that cost £2,280 in August 2025 now goes for just £50 more (see review here).

Another approach is to extend the life of what you already have. If your workflows have evolved from pure CAD/BIM to visualisation, upgrading the GPU — for instance, to the Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 Blackwell (see review here) — can breathe new energy into your workstation. Furthermore, if you’re maxing out the system memory in your current machine and you still have spare DIMM slots, adding a bit more RAM is cheaper than replacing all of your memory modules.

If you must buy new systems, planning for future upgrades is more important than ever. Look for platforms with four or more DIMM slots so you can start with a baseline configuration and add more memory later when prices come down. Don’t splurge on top-tier modules today — leave some room to grow. This way, you meet your immediate needs without blowing the budget, and you’ll be ready to expand when the market stabilises.

Software and workflow strategies can also stretch existing resources. Optimising projects to reduce memory footprint, closing unnecessary applications, or offloading demanding tasks to the cloud, such as rendering, simulation and reality modelling, can all help ease memory pressure.

Renting cloud workstations is another option. With a 1:1 remote workstation (see here), you get the performance you need without tying up capital in potentially overpriced hardware. Some workstation-as-a-service providers, such as Computle (see here), have even locked in prices across their contracts.

Strategies for smarter purchases

The memory crunch isn’t going anywhere fast, so buying a workstation now requires more thought than usual. Preconfigured SKUs, squeezing more life out of your existing machines, and careful planning upgrades for later all help stretch your budget. Cloud processing and remote workstation subscriptions can also ease some pressure. The market is unpredictable, but firms that mix foresight with flexibility can keep design and engineering teams productive without overpaying. In other words, treat memory like you did toilet roll in Spring 2020: buy wisely, stay calm, and you’ll get through the crunch unscathed.

This article is part of AEC Magazine’s 2026 Workstation Special report