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RAM Suppliers Accused of Price Fixing
30 Jun
Summary
- Suppliers allegedly shifted DRAM to HBM, raising prices.
- Lawsuit claims collusion, not independent market response.
- Court relief for consumers unlikely due to complex proof.
Major RAM manufacturers Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are facing a lawsuit accusing them of illegally colluding to fix memory prices. The plaintiffs allege that these companies deliberately reduced the supply of consumer-grade DRAM, such as DDR3 and DDR4, by shifting production capacity towards the more profitable High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) used in AI data centers. This strategic shift, if proven to be coordinated rather than an independent business decision, could constitute illegal price fixing, given the suppliers' dominant market share.
However, the article suggests that consumers are unlikely to benefit from any legal victory. Proving deliberate collusion among the three tech giants will be extremely challenging, especially if they can demonstrate that their actions were simply a response to market dynamics. Furthermore, the legal proceedings are expected to be protracted, with potential appeals and reversals.
Even if the lawsuit succeeds, it will not offer immediate relief from the current high prices of computer memory. The business rationale for prioritizing HBM production is strong, as it offers significantly higher returns. This reality, coupled with the legal hurdles, means that prices are expected to remain elevated for the foreseeable future, regardless of the lawsuit's outcome.
