Et Tu, RAM? Computer Memory Price Hikes Are Coming
Get it while you can
High demand for PCs and, importantly, desktop PCs has already resulted in increased graphics card, PSU, HDD, and SSD pricing, but apparently, now DRAM is getting even more expensive, too. According to a new report from Taiwan, memory prices are set for double-digit growth in the coming months.
Contract memory prices are projected to increase by 10% - 20%, DigiTimes reports (based on a Seeking Alpha story). According to the report, memory prices may rise by up to 25%, depending on the kit. Keeping in mind that demand is high and DRAM is transiting to DDR5 memory, the increase is not surprising.
Most enthusiasts who buy premium memory kits shouldn't be particularly worried — high-end memory kits already carry a hefty price tag. Hence, a 10% increase in DRAM IC prices isn't too extreme. However, every penny counts when it comes to mainstream desktop and laptop PCs, so this is where that 10% - 25% contract price hike gains importance. In fact, even a 2% to 5% increase in the bill-of-materials (BOM) can increase the price of a laptop by a significant sum.
DRAM quotes are not alone when it comes to price hikes, according to the report. Prices of NAND memory have also increased by 10% so far this year, and given the current Chia Coin farming craze, it's easy to expect that trend to continue.
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Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.
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vern72 Yes, I've already noticed this. I think I'm going to pull some RAM out of another machine for my new machine instead of buying new.Reply -
InvalidError Glad the 32GB of RAM for my next PC is already in the mail, memory prices won't affect me again for another 4+ years.Reply
Kind of wish I had bought it last year, would have paid $40 less for practically the same thing. Then again, I didn't want to sit on unused RAM for over a year. -
mikewinddale I'm glad my 256 GB of DDR4-3200 RDIMM just arrived in the mail. (I'm building myself a ThreadRipper Pro 3955WX system to replace my Ryzen 7 2700X with 64 GB of ECC UDIMM.)Reply -
helper800
You most likely dodged a 200+ dollar increase in price, nice.mikewinddale said:I'm glad my 256 GB of DDR4-3200 RDIMM just arrived in the mail. (I'm building myself a ThreadRipper Pro 3955WX system to replace my Ryzen 7 2700X with 64 GB of ECC UDIMM.) -
mikeebb I'm glad I got my last-generation rebuild done when I did. It's adequately quick, and no RGB! (Yes, you can suspend my nerd card for that...)Reply
So, what do I do with the old board etc.? At this point, it's in a box waiting for the e-waste collection. Anybody want some DDR2 RAM? A Core2 Extreme? A monster all-copper Zalman cooler designed for Socket 775 CPUs (would it work on newer?)? Oh yes, careful with that cooler, it bites (sharp edges; every time I had to mess with it over the years I ended up dripping blood). -
InvalidError
My main PC is in my bedroom, so I greatly prefer near-silent and dark-mode builds too. Unfortunately, all remotely decent boards have at least some RGB on them, so the best I will be able to do with my new PC is turn those off.mikeebb said:I'm glad I got my last-generation rebuild done when I did. It's adequately quick, and no RGB! (Yes, you can suspend my nerd card for that...)
Side by side, LGA775 and 115x HSF are practically indistinguishable from each other, so you can most likely reuse your Zalman finger-dicer at least one last time if you want to. -
alceryes
Same. I was looking for a pair of 16GB 3600MHz with tight timings and dual rank about a year ago. Then the set I was looking at was $126. Now it's $200+.InvalidError said:Glad the 32GB of RAM for my next PC is already in the mail, memory prices won't affect me again for another 4+ years.
Kind of wish I had bought it last year, would have paid $40 less for practically the same thing. Then again, I didn't want to sit on unused RAM for over a year.
On the plus side. I'll probably sell some older DDR3 and DDR4 sets on eBay soon for more than I would get a year ago. -
Pollopesca Literally EVERYTHING is 20%+ more expensive now... At this point I’ve just moved to not buying anything I don’t have to and wait this out.Reply