Why is RAM so expensive?

SyncroScales · Nov 30, 2014

Hi.

Why is RAM so expensive?

My Asus M3N78-VM uses this RAM:

- Motherboard RAM capacity: 4 x240-pin DIMM, Max. 8 GB, DDR2 1066/800/667/533 ECC, Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory Dual Channel memory architecture.
*DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2+ CPU only

I use Kingston ValueRAM DDR2 PC-800 DRAM. The capacity is 8GB. I have 4GB in there and am still using XP and Vista 32-bit.

I was considering getting a 64-bit operating system with 8GB. But I looked at RAM. Maybe last year I saw the same RAM I have in 2 piece 4GB kits for $25 on clearance. Now that same kit is $80-$100.

What happened?

I see high prices for DDR3 and other stuff. So I'm not excited about a system build.

Win 9 isn't out. Mac hasn't released a new OS, unless I missed it. I don't have an Apple Mac.

dish_moose · Nov 30, 2014

DDR4 is out now - new & expensive. DDR3 has been out for years - best value. DDR2 is old and harder to find - more expensive.
-Bruce
Edit DDR2 is still easy to find - they just are not making it.

SubZeroFlsh · Nov 30, 2014

DDR3 is your best bet, cheap and very good value as moose suggested. If I was you just stick to a DDR3, it is only ram.

Wolfshadw · Nov 30, 2014

What happened? A year passed. Memory manufacturers stopped making DDR2 memory modules a few years back. Since then, supply has been dwindling. As supply decreases, prices increase. It might also be where you're looking as I found this Kingston ValueRAM 2x2GB DDR2-800 Kit for a little over $40 shipped.

-Wolf sends

SyncroScales · Nov 30, 2014

Thanks for the replies so fast.

Wolfshadw: I am in canada. So somewhat recently prices have doubled when comparing to the US dollar. It's a load of BS.

When DDR3 came out, I was seeing DDR1 and less for dirt cheap. It stayed like that until it disappeared. So it doesn't seem to translate.

Wolfshadw · Nov 30, 2014

Kingston ValueRAM 2x2GB DDR2-800 - $59 + shipping @ amazon.ca.

Prices fluctuate, but in general, once supply gets low, the prices increase. When I was looking for 184Pin DDR memory, the cost for a good 2GB kit was ~60% over the cost of DDR2 RAM.

-Wolf sends

Tanyac · Dec 13, 2014

SubZeroFlsh :

I purchased a 32gb 2400Mhz CL10 G.Skill kit in early 2013 for $299. The price of that memory currently stands at $485. That an increase in RAM pricing of more than 60%. .. Update March 2015... The same memory is now $549

I guess the high prices of DDR4 allows retailers to keep the DDR3 at high prices too, but IMHO, DDR3 is not cheap. 60% is a huge increase in 18 months, and seems unusual. Generally things get cheaper over time, but not PC components.

DDR3 is not currently in short supply, which is one reason prices go up. So why the massive increases? (That's rhetorical).

Tradesman1 · Dec 13, 2014

There were a couple of plants that made chips that are no longer one burned, one was flooded, the need for memory chips has risen with all the tablets, and other using memory chips, manufacturing of DDR3 is down as the ear up for production of DDR4

Tanyac · Mar 27, 2015

oops... already posted

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Why is RAM so expensive?

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