DDR3 and DDR4: Will DDR3 ever become cheap again? And how will DDR4 effect this?

[WVUChemEnger]

1) Does anyone know when DDR3 prices will go back down?
Months, years, ever? And how will DDR4 effect this?

2) Should I buy now or hold out? (I would be willing to wait months)

I would love to hear everyone's opinions and thoughts on this.

**Other thoughts:
I want to start a new build and have been waiting for just the right moment. Perhaps I should wait until DDR4 comes out? But that seems like it may be a while (not to mention it will be awhile after that until DDR4 prices comes down and normalize after their initial introduction). Or I could wait until DDR4 comes out and hope that that drops the price of DDR3 and then make a build with DDR3?

7/12/2013

 

[manofchalk]

1. Whenever the next Windows OS releases. Though if Microsoft take an Apple-like approach to Windows upgrades like were seeing with Win 8.1, then even that might not even be true anymore.
The reason they were so low for so long is that people typically upgrade their machines when theirs a new Windows. To most people, upgrading their rig is throwing more RAM at it. So memory manufacturers stockpile for that rush, leading to the low prices we saw about 3-4 months ago. However Windows 8 wasn't all that well received and actually needed less RAM than 7 to run optimally, so that stockpile lasted longer and only recently has it run out.
Plus, memory manufacturers have been operating at a loss for decades. When a big name like Hynix goes bust, that's going to affect prices. Chances are this recent price hike is partly related to all the manufacturers selling their DRAM chips at sustainable prices.

Buy now, its not like memory is going to get cheaper any time soon.

2. By my estimate, were not going to see DDR4 for at least another two years, in line with Intels Skylake architecture and the AMD AM4 socket.

 

[WVUChemEnger]

As much as I hate to say it, I think you are absolutely correct. I never know that about how the upgrading of computers drive RAM prices (at least to that extent), but what you say makes sense and explains RAM prices over the past year or so. I had always heard there was a very small profit margin in RAM.

Sadly, I hope this is not the beginning of the end for desktop PCs... 🙁 but you never know what the future will hold.