Question DDR5 Availability

[TechFan1]

Anyone know when DDR5 will actually be available to buy. It almost seems like nobody is manufacturing DDR5. I'm assuming RAM manufacturers can't use the same equipment to make DDR5 as DDR4, otherwise I'm not sure why they wouldn't be increasing DDR5 production with the premium they would get.

 

[yacoub]

I'm stuck waiting on RAM as well. Allegedly around end of month there should be some inventory.

 

[Soulkeeper]

I'm guessing production is not the problem as much as other supply chain issues.
Everything is a mess right now, but i'm sure they really don't want to miss out on holiday sales so it would make sense that we'd start seeing a flood of products for sale before xmas imo.

 

[KentState]

It's more than likely sitting on freighters in the Pacific.

 

[TechFan1]

Apparently, it is due to a supply shortage of the chip that controls power management.

DDR5 memory is in shortage due to the PMIC being in short supply (techgenyz.com)
DDR5 already an actor in the global chip shortage play, though not for the role you'd expect - Neowin

 

[VirtualLarry]

Shortage of DDR5 worse than GPU shortage?

 

[UsandThem]

Shortage of DDR5 worse than GPU shortage?

I'm sure it (along with GPU prices) aren't helping Intel sell their 12th gen CPUs.

Sure people can go with a DDR4 motherboard, but the current models are pretty much all the entry-level / low-end boards, and if someone wants to do an Alder Lake build, I imagine most would want DDR5 instead.

I can imagine that at least for the next several months, if a person wants DDR5 and a new GPU, they pretty much will have to go with a pre-built PC. Sure, they can try to order DDR5 when a shipment arrives, but I imagine it will sell out almost immediately after it is listed.

These component shortages and high prices are just getting stupid at this point. Getting a Ryzen 5000 series CPU at MSRP for most of the year was also an issue, so who knows how long all this nonsense will last. It will be nice when we get back to having things in stock / available for those who want to upgrade their PCs, instead of this mess.

 

[UsandThem]

I saw this article over on Tom's, and it appears that DDR5 will likely be scarce and pricey for some time to come:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/ddr5-modules-already-in-short-supply

The main reason DDR5 memory sticks aren't available boils down to an insufficient supply of power management ICs (PMICs) that are now installed on memory modules, according to 12chip.com. Notably, DDR5 modules are the first generation of DDR memory that brings the PMICs on-module.

Because of the short supply, these PMICs are expensive. 12chip.com claims that they can be as much as 10 times more expensive than PMICs used for DDR4 memory subsystems. Furthermore, the procurement cycle is over 35 weeks long, suggesting we won't see a quick resolution to the issue.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Because of the short supply, these PMICs are expensive. 12chip.com claims that they can be as much as 10 times more expensive than PMICs used for DDR4 memory subsystems. Furthermore, the procurement cycle is over 35 weeks long, suggesting we won't see a quick resolution to the issue.

Won't someone think of the children lead times?

 

[yacoub]

NewEgg just removed a bunch of DDR5 from the ability to set an Auto-Notify, and has added language to some that they are uncertain if/when it might be restocked. Further evidence DDR5 inventory/stock is going to be brutal for the foreseeable future.

 

[Igo69]

There goes my new build that i want to do sometime in 2022. Absurd prices for GPUs, expensive hard drives or SSDs, no DDR5 or probably going to be expensive too next year.

 

[OlyAR15]

There goes my new build that i want to do sometime in 2022. Absurd prices for GPUs, expensive hard drives or SSDs, no DDR5 or probably going to be expensive too next year.

If you have decent DDR4, why not go with that. It'll be a while before DDR5 exceeds performance enough to make it worthwhile to upgrade. At least a couple of years, from the looks of things. By that time you will likely need a new motherboard anyways.

 

[yacoub]

Annnd the last DDR5 I was watching with an eagle eye just changed from ETA this week to simply Out of Stock so guess they're not actually getting that model either. Lovely.

 

[CakeMonster]

I guess I don't see the problem. Outside of some edge benchmarks, DDR5 doesn't appear to make any difference. I usually keep my system for at least 2 years, and then I always change CPU, MB, and RAM, since things have improved enough.

I'd get Alder Lake with DDR4 in a heartbeat if it was time to upgrade for me.

 

[yacoub]

The "problem" is rather apparent for anyone that already had a DDR5-based z690 motherboard ordered before the DDR5 availability turned out to be a mirage.

 

[Igo69]

If you have decent DDR4, why not go with that. It'll be a while before DDR5 exceeds performance enough to make it worthwhile to upgrade. At least a couple of years, from the looks of things. By that time you will likely need a new motherboard anyways.

I still have DDR3 , my computer will be 7 years old in spring/summer 2022. I wont build it anyways since the prices of GPUs are absurd and I'm not spending that kind $ on a GPU. Guess i wont be playing Stalker 2 and Dying Light 2.

 

[TechFan1]

The "problem" is rather apparent for anyone that already had a DDR5-based z690 motherboard ordered before the DDR5 availability turned out to be a mirage.

Yeah, I basically have a new computer ready to go except the RAM. Ironically, I think there was DDR5 available when I first started looking, but I didn't buy any because I was waiting to see the availability of the Alderlake CPUs. I didn't realize there would be such a shortage of DDR5 RAM.

 

[KentState]

The scalping on ebay is nuts. Folks are bidding over $2k for 32GB. At that rate, just get a 5950/5900x, ram, motherboard and splurge on other components.

 

[Hotrod2go]

I love it when local online retailers list new products like kits of DDR5, but clicking on the item informs you they are all already sold out.
I check this place everyday, so they must have sold out within hours or pre-orders all ready lined up.. then why list them then!
There are other online retailers in my country that don't even list DDR5... yet.

 

[yacoub]

Is there a news site that monitors DDR production and reports when new batches have been produced and shipped to resellers? Would be nice to have a sense for how long the wait is going to be.

 

[TechFan1]

I would like to know this as well. How long until it’s actually available, or do I actually have to buy a DDR4 motherboard and RAM?

It’s annoying seeing that DELL and probably others are selling computers with DDR5.

 

[Hotrod2go]

I would like to know this as well. How long until it’s actually available, or do I actually have to buy a DDR4 motherboard and RAM?

It’s annoying seeing that DELL and probably others are selling computers with DDR5.

You don't have to buy anything but it depends how patient you are. If you need a new system now, then I would advise a DDR4 build, supply is certain.

 

[AdamK47]

The new thing all the slack-jawed scalpers caught wind of to make them profits.

I'm just glad I got some at Micro Center on release day before their drool dripping faces caught sight of the new shiny.

 

[dlerious]

I saw DDR5 on the Newegg shuffle today. Cheapest was $510 for 2x16GB 4800 C40 with MSI Pro Z690-A motherboard. 2 bundles with Gigabyte memory and motherboard were $780 and $1210

 

[AdamK47]

My two 16GB (8GB x 2) where $100 each when buying them along with my Z690 motherboard and 12900K on release day Nov. 4th.

I bought them late in the day at 6PM. Had scalpers known about them I'm sure they would have been gone soon after the store opened.