DRAM Prices Still on a Downward Trend

[Guest]

The generally expected stabilization of DRAM pricing due to the bankruptcy of Elpida is not taking place yet.

DRAM Prices Still on a Downward Trend : Read more

 

[tomfreak]

Oh yeah bring it on! Now All we need is 8GB stick to go as low as 200% the price of 4GB stick.

then I'll pop in another 2x8GB can make my rig 24GB RAM for RAMdisk.

 

[dimar]

I wonder how this will affect the upcoming DDR4?

 

[ojas]

[citation][nom]dimar[/nom]I wonder how this will affect the upcoming DDR4?[/citation]
Won't affect anything. It'll be the same as DDR2->DDR3

 

[matt_b]

[citation][nom]ojas[/nom]Won't affect anything. It'll be the same as DDR2->DDR3[/citation]
Ditto. Like every shift in generational tech, the old gets to a point where supply is the highest it will be, prices are rock bottom, the new tech is short on supply and very high on price, old tech supply starts dwindling as the market transitions and fabs convert over, prices for the old tech creep up higher until in reaches equilibrium, prices for new tech start their descent as improvements and market share increases.

@dimar: There's your tech cycle.

I cannot complain though, 16 gigs of the stuff can be found for $60 quite easy now.

 

[DRosencraft]

I suppose this is why Micron is buying Elpidia. Memory makers can't seem to get out of their own way. It's fantastic right now for us consumers. But I worry that in the long term there may be too few companies for competition and will actually make DDR4 and beyond more expensive than it otherwise should be. Then again, they can't seem to find a means of stabilizing DDR3 princes, so maybe there's nothing to worry about?

 

[CaedenV]

So with DDR down to $18 for 4GB, why don't phone makers spend $10 to put 2GB in their $500+ phones? I know that not everyone needs it, but ram seems to be the thing that makes for the most future proofing of a device over CPU speed, so give us more ram so our phones last our full contract period!

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

OMG, stuff is cheap! Where's that panic button?

But seriously, RAM is such a basic and widely used consumable (yes, it's closer to a consumable than a real desktop component, especially in countries with climate like India where RAM breaks left and right) that it should be dirt cheap, otherwise we'll never see that future of electronics completely replacing paper. I want these digital newspapers from Deus Ex HR, I want disposable holopad notes from Mass Effect, and how the hell are we going to get any of these when all electronics manufacturers do is whine and tremble in fear when prices go down?

Sure, there might be some sophisticated economical reason behind it that might justify it, but electronics market has been such a cheating scumbag lately (HDD supplies "will recover by 2014"? Riiight) that I won't even bother to look for one. I just want the stuff to stay cheap. I love the fact that we can provide our clients with custom-build office machines with 4-8GB of RAM so that they can multitask all they want and not hang the machine (50 tabs full of videos and other crap in Firefox - any idea how much memory it takes? ) for $350/PC (everything included, every part is high quality w/ 3 years warranty), RAM costing only $45.

 

[samkl]

How comes smartphones dont reflect the price drop?

 

[blazorthon]

[citation][nom]CaedenV[/nom]So with DDR down to $18 for 4GB, why don't phone makers spend $10 to put 2GB in their $500+ phones? I know that not everyone needs it, but ram seems to be the thing that makes for the most future proofing of a device over CPU speed, so give us more ram so our phones last our full contract period![/citation]

This is DDR3, not DDR. DDR is generally not nearly this cheap given that it isn't in as heavy production as it was like a decade ago anymore. Furthermore, these 4GB single/dual module DDR3 kits take up far too much space and have far too high power consumption for phones that use maybe one or two LPDDR or LPDDR2 chips. A computer memory module generally has eight or sixteen memory chips along with other small parts.

 

[samkl]

Thanks for explaining it. I thumbed up you.

 

[madjimms]

[citation][nom]CaedenV[/nom]So with DDR down to $18 for 4GB, why don't phone makers spend $10 to put 2GB in their $500+ phones? I know that not everyone needs it, but ram seems to be the thing that makes for the most future proofing of a device over CPU speed, so give us more ram so our phones last our full contract period![/citation]
Smartphones don't use RAM modules, they use individual chips soldered to the PCB. Also they use a different type of RAM that consumes much less power.

 

[proffet]

https://semiaccurate.com/2012/09/07/intel-to-do-away-with-dram-in-pcs/
Intel to do away with DRAM in PCs
No we are not joking, it works now

Intel logo 63x58 Intel to do away with DRAM in PCsSemiaccurate has learned that Intel intends to do away with DIMMs, DRAM, and any other sort of user accessible memory. We do realize the implications of this move, but it is going to happen sooner than people expect.

The functions needed to completely do away with user memory are in place and functioning as of Sandy Bridge-E/EP. How do we know that they work? Intel has a demo unit running around showing various high level folk what can be done, and has been literally pushing this cart around for 6+ months.

Taking DRAM out of the PC build list is a massive step, but as with most integration moves, it is quite inevitable. Haswell will show people what can be done with Interposers, Crystalwell is going to be a wake up call for DRAM vendors, RAM-free PCs will seal the deal. When Intel productizes this feature, and it is in current chips, you can all but kiss main memory goodbye. SemiAccurate knows how it will be done, and, well, it is simply a good idea. Unless you are running Windows and have a serious love for a particular shade of blue……S|A

 

[blazorthon]

[citation][nom]proffet[/nom]https://semiaccurate.com/2012/09/07 [...] am-in-pcs/Intel to do away with DRAM in PCsNo we are not joking, it works nowIntel logo 63x58 Intel to do away with DRAM in PCsSemiaccurate has learned that Intel intends to do away with DIMMs, DRAM, and any other sort of user accessible memory. We do realize the implications of this move, but it is going to happen sooner than people expect.The functions needed to completely do away with user memory are in place and functioning as of Sandy Bridge-E/EP. How do we know that they work? Intel has a demo unit running around showing various high level folk what can be done, and has been literally pushing this cart around for 6+ months.Taking DRAM out of the PC build list is a massive step, but as with most integration moves, it is quite inevitable. Haswell will show people what can be done with Interposers, Crystalwell is going to be a wake up call for DRAM vendors, RAM-free PCs will seal the deal. When Intel productizes this feature, and it is in current chips, you can all but kiss main memory goodbye. SemiAccurate knows how it will be done, and, well, it is simply a good idea. Unless you are running Windows and have a serious love for a particular shade of blue……S|A[/citation]

There won't be a point any time soon in which a few GiB of RAM won't be of great use even if it's not necessary. That it's so cheap would keep it's use cemented in many computers. Besides, Windows and such need at least about half a gig of RAM to run properly with software running , so what will Intel do about that, especially with programs that need many GiB of RAM?

 

[proffet]

There won't be a point any time soon in which a few GiB of RAM won't be of great use even if it's not necessary. That it's so cheap would keep it's use cemented in many computers. Besides, Windows and such need at least about half a gig of RAM to run properly with software running , so what will Intel do about that, especially with programs that need many GiB of RAM?

for once I agree with you...