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It's supply and demand. With the recent/coming smartphones using at minimum 1GB-2GB LPDDR2/LPDDR3 and a projected sales of smartphones/tablets of around 1-1.5billion units in 2013 is requiring more RAM. When demand is high, prices will rise.
The top RAM manufacturers are not going to create new assembly lines for DRAM manufacturing. There just isn't enough money in RAM to create a multimillion - multibillion dollar factory. With that in mind, the number of RAM being made is pretty much the same, but the demand for RAM has rose.
Example : Samsung prints out X number of RAM modules a month. They sell what is demanded, and save what wasn't sold. Rinse and repeat. Suddenly, the surge of RAM demand from 2012 to now lets Samsung sell out everything they are making, and the inventory of unsold RAM they saved. Now, Samsung hikes up the price because all the RAM they are making is being sold WITH pre-order demands from other companies that do not have the capabilities to make RAM.
The top RAM manufacturers are not going to create new assembly lines for DRAM manufacturing. There just isn't enough money in RAM to create a multimillion - multibillion dollar factory. With that in mind, the number of RAM being made is pretty much the same, but the demand for RAM has rose.
Example : Samsung prints out X number of RAM modules a month. They sell what is demanded, and save what wasn't sold. Rinse and repeat. Suddenly, the surge of RAM demand from 2012 to now lets Samsung sell out everything they are making, and the inventory of unsold RAM they saved. Now, Samsung hikes up the price because all the RAM they are making is being sold WITH pre-order demands from other companies that do not have the capabilities to make RAM.
MasterMace
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[citation][nom]tomfreak[/nom]Mainstream Smartphones are still on 512MB. 512MB are barely enough to be more than sufficient.[/citation]
Mainstream phones from two years ago. Most phones and tablets in 2012 shipped with 1GB RAM and most models shipping in 2013 have 2GB RAM. We will probably see 3-4GB devices shipping in 2014 to accommodate triple/quad-channel RAM controllers and faster IGPs on 1080-1600p screens.
[citation][nom]MasterMace[/nom]Don't most cards use DDR5?[/citation]
GDDR5.
There is no such thing as "non-G" DDR5... yet. DDR4 has only recently gotten into production. If you want actual DDR5, you will have to wait another 4-5 years.
Mainstream phones from two years ago. Most phones and tablets in 2012 shipped with 1GB RAM and most models shipping in 2013 have 2GB RAM. We will probably see 3-4GB devices shipping in 2014 to accommodate triple/quad-channel RAM controllers and faster IGPs on 1080-1600p screens.
[citation][nom]MasterMace[/nom]Don't most cards use DDR5?[/citation]
GDDR5.
There is no such thing as "non-G" DDR5... yet. DDR4 has only recently gotten into production. If you want actual DDR5, you will have to wait another 4-5 years.
roadrunner343
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There's a lot of bad information going around in the comments section.
Most cards use GDDR5, not DDR5. GDDR5, like GDDR4 was before it, is based on DDR3. So yes, the DDR3 price increase should directly affect even discrete cards using GDDR5. It would be nice if Tom's would devote a sentence or two to explain things like this in future articles.
Most cards use GDDR5, not DDR5. GDDR5, like GDDR4 was before it, is based on DDR3. So yes, the DDR3 price increase should directly affect even discrete cards using GDDR5. It would be nice if Tom's would devote a sentence or two to explain things like this in future articles.
DimensionWarped
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People who use Tom's hardware comments should really know better. GDDR5 = tweaked DDR3 to favor bandwidth over timings. When the price rises on DDR3, it rises on GDDR5. Chances are that sooner than later, we'll see GDDR6 based on DDR4 in new graphics cards... though this not be instantaneous to the release of DDR4.
Consumers might not see the impact of DDR3 supplies reducing if they are buying DDR3 as consumers to to the existing backlog, but for manufacturers, it's a somewhat bigger deal.
Consumers might not see the impact of DDR3 supplies reducing if they are buying DDR3 as consumers to to the existing backlog, but for manufacturers, it's a somewhat bigger deal.
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[citation][nom]roadrunner343[/nom]GDDR5, like GDDR4 was before it, is based on DDR3.[/citation]
That isn't exactly true either. DDR3 or GDDR5 is the spec for the interconnect and operating sequence for the electronics between the DRAM's row/column/mux array and the host controller.
GDDR5 isn't some extras that get magically slapped on top of DDR3, it is a re-design of the whole RAS/CAS pipelines to add stages and achieve higher clocks accompanied with a change from DDR to QDR signaling on data lines. The only things DDR3 and GDDR5 have in common is the DRAM storage matrix (which has remained fundamentally unchanged since DRAM was invented apart from cell/gate shrinks) and fab process.
So whether or not DDR3 price increases will affect GDDR5 is entirely up to DRAM manufacturers deciding whether or not they are happy with their current margins and production levels on GDDR5.
What might cause GDDR5 prices to increase is Sony stocking chips for the PS4... DDR3 prices increasing may be in part due to DRAM manufacturers shifting production to GDDR5 for Sony. At 8GB a pop and likely millions of units shipping before the year is over (unless Sony barely makes a 2013 launch), the PS4 is going to soak up a lot of GDDR5 production capacity.
That isn't exactly true either. DDR3 or GDDR5 is the spec for the interconnect and operating sequence for the electronics between the DRAM's row/column/mux array and the host controller.
GDDR5 isn't some extras that get magically slapped on top of DDR3, it is a re-design of the whole RAS/CAS pipelines to add stages and achieve higher clocks accompanied with a change from DDR to QDR signaling on data lines. The only things DDR3 and GDDR5 have in common is the DRAM storage matrix (which has remained fundamentally unchanged since DRAM was invented apart from cell/gate shrinks) and fab process.
So whether or not DDR3 price increases will affect GDDR5 is entirely up to DRAM manufacturers deciding whether or not they are happy with their current margins and production levels on GDDR5.
What might cause GDDR5 prices to increase is Sony stocking chips for the PS4... DDR3 prices increasing may be in part due to DRAM manufacturers shifting production to GDDR5 for Sony. At 8GB a pop and likely millions of units shipping before the year is over (unless Sony barely makes a 2013 launch), the PS4 is going to soak up a lot of GDDR5 production capacity.
Wisecracker
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sincreator
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eklipz330 I noticed the same increase for my MSI Twin Frozr III 7950. I got it for $289.99 in November(with 3 games), now it's about $339.99 on average. I was hoping for a decrease so I could get a second one at some point. 🙁
Onus
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Few gamers will want a card not using GDDR5. The RAM on a graphics card is not a big part of the cost, else we wouldn't see 2GB versions of cards selling for little more than their 1GB counterparts.
While I would expect a ripple effect to add to the price of all cards, this should matter too much among the cards Tom's readers typically buy. We're not a majority though.
While I would expect a ripple effect to add to the price of all cards, this should matter too much among the cards Tom's readers typically buy. We're not a majority though.
Rafeed Iqbal
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The card I bought in 2009 uses GDDR5. I haven't replaced it because with it's 256-bit bus, the 100-200 dollar range hasn't been more than 10-12% faster since everything in that range has 128-bit architecture.
The shader limitations are becoming more apparent now, but I didn't expect to get four years out of the card. It just hasn't seemed worth the price for small performance increases.
The shader limitations are becoming more apparent now, but I didn't expect to get four years out of the card. It just hasn't seemed worth the price for small performance increases.
dark_lord69
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"expect the impact to be restricted to the budget or entry-level market."
Yeah, I can't remember the last time I owned a video card with DDR3.
Did some looking back:
Looks like it was my Sapphire X1950XT with 256MB of DDR3
Yeah, I can't remember the last time I owned a video card with DDR3.
Did some looking back:
Looks like it was my Sapphire X1950XT with 256MB of DDR3
nurgletheunclean
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No reason for this to happen.
I could only find 2 current gen cards models that use DDR3. All others are already sunk costs on inferior products. besides ddr3 memory on a video card only makes up about 10% on of the total cost of a low end card to begin with. So even if the price of ddr3 doubled (which it hasn't), that would only increase the total cost of the card by 5%, negligible for a $60 card.
I could only find 2 current gen cards models that use DDR3. All others are already sunk costs on inferior products. besides ddr3 memory on a video card only makes up about 10% on of the total cost of a low end card to begin with. So even if the price of ddr3 doubled (which it hasn't), that would only increase the total cost of the card by 5%, negligible for a $60 card.
hannibal
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If low end graphic cards goes up in price so also have to go higher end because they would be too "cheap" compared to low end cards, so this may actually mean that every card will go up that 10-15%... Interesting to see, if they actually do it or do we see some price adjustment according the competition.
All in all not a good news...
All in all not a good news...
smeezekitty
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Wisecracker
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I've decided to blame AMD
AMD Kaveri APU To Use GDDR5/DDR4 Memory Controller?
In the next six months the GDDR5 HD7750 is going to become AMDs defacto entry-level card at $60-$70. The Kaveri APU with GCN Cape Verdi shaders and Steamroller cores bumps integrated graphics into mid-range.
The Richland *tweener* APU purportedly boosts the memory controller to native 2133MHz, and rumor has it will run dual-graphics with GCN cores (not sure I believe that one, but it would be a great trial run at some Kaveri logic - AMD is not shy about using us as beta testers).
DDR3 as VRAM, even at the entry-level, is simply going the way of the dinosaur.
AMD Kaveri APU To Use GDDR5/DDR4 Memory Controller?
In the next six months the GDDR5 HD7750 is going to become AMDs defacto entry-level card at $60-$70. The Kaveri APU with GCN Cape Verdi shaders and Steamroller cores bumps integrated graphics into mid-range.
The Richland *tweener* APU purportedly boosts the memory controller to native 2133MHz, and rumor has it will run dual-graphics with GCN cores (not sure I believe that one, but it would be a great trial run at some Kaveri logic - AMD is not shy about using us as beta testers).
DDR3 as VRAM, even at the entry-level, is simply going the way of the dinosaur.
Novuake
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[citation][nom]bgrt[/nom]I'm pretty sure both GDDR5 and DDR3 cards will go up in price. This article only mentions DDR3 because most of the DRAM being produced is DDR3, making it the biggest factor in overall RAM prices.[/citation]
Wanted to say just that... GDDR5 is a modified DDR3 chip. So ALL Cards will be going up in price.
Wanted to say just that... GDDR5 is a modified DDR3 chip. So ALL Cards will be going up in price.
Novuake
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[citation][nom]nurgletheunclean[/nom]No reason for this to happen.I could only find 2 current gen cards models that use DDR3. All others are already sunk costs on inferior products. besides ddr3 memory on a video card only makes up about 10% on of the total cost of a low end card to begin with. So even if the price of ddr3 doubled (which it hasn't), that would only increase the total cost of the card by 5%, negligible for a $60 card.[/citation]
Read my previous comment...
That pretty much goes for everyone that thinks that how few people use DDR3 VRAM>..
Read my previous comment...
That pretty much goes for everyone that thinks that how few people use DDR3 VRAM>..
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