Lawsuit alleges Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron colluded to inflate DRAM prices
A lawsuit alleges that Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron colluded to artificially inflate DRAM memory prices, harming consumers and businesses by limiting supply and fixing prices in the market.
Background
- DRAM is the type of memory used as RAM in computers, servers, and smartphones — distinct from storage (SSDs) or graphics memory (VRAM).
- Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron collectively control over 90% of the global DRAM market, making it an oligopoly.
- The lawsuit, a proposed class action filed in US federal court, alleges these three companies coordinated to constrain supply and keep prices artificially high for years, similar to a previous price-fixing scandal that resulted in guilty pleas and over $700 million in fines in the mid-2000s.
- This matters because DRAM prices directly affect the cost of almost all consumer electronics: PC builders and gamers have faced unusually high RAM prices since 2021, and the case could result in refunds for anyone who bought DRAM or devices containing it during the alleged conspiracy period.