Technology

It wouldn't be quite so bad if the previous gold rush ended first, but they seem to just be stacking up.

This is why I'm still running ddr4. Every time I think about upgrading a generation, there's a run on some integral component.

It’s why I started treating computers as commodities — I rarely upgrade anymore; just wait the 5 years and by an entirely new system.

I also have 128gb of ddr5 ram

And 64gb of ddr5 ram

And some laptop ddr5 ram

I'm going to wrap them all in Saran Wrap and stick them up my ass so my brain works faster

Is it sitting on top of a pile of beanie babies?

Thing is, this isn't new in the slightest.

I remember calling around to different PC stores in the 90s and early 00s to find the cheapest RAM and hard drive prices.

Before that, I remember my grandfather, an IBM employee in the 60s-90s calling places looking for best pricing on 64k-128k SIPP memory for an ibm pizzabox 286.

EDIT: Snapper RAM for the man!

I was like DDR4 doesn't count

One well-documented memory industry trend that is behind the price increases seen is said to be makers shutting down their DDR4 production in favor of DDR5 and other more profitable lines. In February, we noted that the likes of Micron, Samsung, and SK hynix were being rudely elbowed out of the DDR4 market by Chinese players (such as CXMT and Fujian Jinhua) ruthlessly undercutting them in this segment.

Samsung was seen to flinch in late April, as reports circulated that the South Korean technology and manufacturing giant had scheduled to cease DDR4 production in early June.

Now there are indications that oversupply from Chinese ‘dumping’ is at an end, as CXMT has been instructed by the Chinese government to abandon DDR4 manufacturing. Thus, the reported spikes in DDR4 pricing in recent weeks may stem from a perfect storm of the above supply-side factors all exerting an effect over a relatively short period of time.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ddr4-prices-continue-surge-reportedly-122337204.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

But still ouch :)

For real. I've been building a completely brand new computer for my husband for a couple months now. Buying a new piece each paycheck, then I get paid this week and I discover I can't buy the RAM... It's fucking half way finished and the only 2 parts left to buy is GPU and RAM.

I think the RAM manufacturers were found to be guilty of colluding/price-fixing in that case (maybe this case too).

Yeah but even second hand drives are stupid-priced today. No, I dont want to buy your 2014 1TB drive for 25€ + shipping.

I can't wait for this to pop, I mean if it does in a way that produces selloffs.

It's blatant price-gouging. Any stock in the store has already been sold to them at an agreed price. They can set a number and make their set margin.

Updating prices after each delivery might make sense (if their procurement department is absolute dogshit at negotiating contracts), but updating prices throughout the day is just someone trying to see how hard they can push their margins to drain every cent out of their customers.

That's insane. I literally just got that same kit of memory free in a NewEgg bundle just 2 months ago! And the 32GB kits I was looking at were all priced at around $75-125 for 32GB

They are going to pivot all that processing to the next snale oil scheme. Do you think its a coincidence that rhe AI hype came immediately after crypto crashed?

No, they have to base the price on what it costs to order the next shipment, unless they want to just stop carrying ram or you expect them to take on a loan for that. The wholesale market for ram must be fucking wild for a retail store to think they have to post something like that.

DMing you my patron