SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron Face DRAM Price-Fixing Suit as Prices Jumped 700%
Updated
Updated · GamesIndustry.biz · Jun 29
SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron Face DRAM Price-Fixing Suit as Prices Jumped 700%
3 articles · Updated · GamesIndustry.biz · Jun 29
Summary
A U.S. class action in Northern California accuses SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron of coordinating DRAM supply cuts and steering production away from DDR3 and DDR4 toward higher-margin HBM for AI data centers.
The complaint says the three have fixed supply and prices since 2022, arguing the pullback in conventional DRAM defied normal business logic and helped drive consumer DRAM prices up about 700% in four years.
Micron's 2025 shutdown of its Crucial consumer DRAM business is cited as evidence, alongside the claim that all three have prioritized large AI-data-center contracts while consumer DRAM and NAND availability deteriorated.
Consumers and brick-and-mortar retailers are seeking damages in a market the suit says is hard to enter because a new DRAM fab can cost $15 billion to $20 billion.
The case also points to the industry's history: Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron were previously found to have joined a 1998-2002 criminal DRAM price-fixing conspiracy, while higher memory costs have already fed into pricier gaming hardware.
Are chip giants colluding for AI profits at the expense of everyday consumers?
Has the AI boom permanently made essential tech components unaffordable for the public?
2026 DRAM Price-Fixing Class Action: Legal Battle Against Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron in the Age of AI Chip Shortages
Overview
On June 25, 2026, a class-action lawsuit was filed by individual consumers and small PC repair businesses, alleging DRAM price-fixing and launching a major legal challenge in the tech sector. Represented by Bathaee Dunne LLP, the plaintiffs aim to expand the case into a broader class action that could include all consumers and businesses who bought D-RAM. The main targets are Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Micron, who could face triple damages if the plaintiffs win. Although currently small in scale, if the court approves the class action, the lawsuit could grow significantly and impact a much larger group of affected parties.