SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron face lawsuit over accusations of engaging in "concerted anticompetitive behavior" within the DRAM market
A class action lawsuit has been filed against major semiconductor firms SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron. The lawsuit alleges they have participated in "concerted anticompetitive behavior" within the dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) sector.
According to Law360, the legal action is led by Bathaee Dunne LLP, which argues in the Northern District of California that the trio collectively shifted from DDR3 and DDR4 production to focus on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) intended for data centers, alongside claims of manipulating supply and pricing since 2022.
The lawsuit contends that these companies have deliberately reduced the supply of traditional DRAM against "economic and business logic," highlighting Micron's 2025 closure of its consumer business, Crucial DRAM, at an alleged peak profitability. Prices for conventional DRAM have surged roughly 700% over the past four years.
Historical incidents from 1998 to 2002 are also mentioned, where Samsung, Hynix, and Micron were implicated in a criminal conspiracy to set DRAM prices.
The challenges of entering the DRAM market, due to the high costs and time required for building DRAM fabrication plants estimated between $15 and $20 billion, have made it difficult for other companies to break in and compete with these established players.
The affected class includes both consumers and traditional retail outlets.
The shift towards AI data centers has led SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron to concentrate on AI chip production. Consequently, there has been a significant reduction in DRAM and NAND supply for consumers, causing price spikes.
As a repercussion, companies such as Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Valve have raised prices on gaming hardware. Valve has also acknowledged that the upcoming Steam Machine console will be more expensive than initially anticipated due to the AI industry's growth.
An industry expert expressed the impact on the gaming hardware market as "totally crazy" in a GamesIndustry.biz interview. Meanwhile, Micron's recent financial report noted a 1,398% profit increase compared to the previous year.