Question RAM Prices in the next 6 months

Caveman

Platinum Member
Nov 18, 1999
2,525
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I bought the following for a rig I was going to build about 18 mos ago:

https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-32gb..._re=F4-3600C16D-32GTZN-_-20-232-860-_-Product

It's great RAM and I want to make sure I don't sell it NOW if RAM prices are rising. My assumption is that I'll either upgrade to a 5800X3D which I'm assuming could use the RAM above or... Move to the Next gen AMD CPUs and jump into DDR5 later this year. My assumption are that DDR4 will continue to drop in price and DDR5 will be expensive for another 18-24 mos and then start dropping. Can anyone that watches the industry weight in on RAM pricing and where it's headed as we head to the end of the year?
 

Tech Junky

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2022
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There's a ddr 5 price tracker and 16gb can be had for ~100 32gb ~200. While it's still double DDR 4 prices it's more reasonable than it was back in Nov.
 

Tech Junky

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2022
3,332
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I can't say for sure either way but supplies now compared to ADL launch which brought DDR5 to the conversation is bringing more sources online for production / shipping.

When I was considering DDR4 vs 5 prices for 16GB were ~$135 before scalpers bought up the supply shooting prices to $500+. This seemed like a bad thing at first before digging into the total cost and lack of benefit of using current DDR6 over DDR4. Higher spec DDR4 performs as well as DDR5.

Major change being that a single stick of DDR5 is dual channel whereas you need 2 sticks on DDR4. The price difference though of the RAM is 2X and the MOBO side adds another $100-$150 for a mid range offering. For 16GB + MOBO let's call it a $200 upcharge / tax to get the same performance

Something dramatic will need to happen to convert people to DDR6 as it just doesn't make sense financially or technically. In theory there might be some benefit to it but, currently it just doesn't make sense. Could the design changes that brought DDR5 be enhanced in a year? Sure, but, at what cost?

From an architecture standpoint though we're out 2 generations on the Intel side before I suspect the next big leap to push things along. Of course as more systems ship with MOBO's using DDR5 things will level out but, I don't think they'll get as cheap as DDR4 currently sits for awhile. Releasing DDR4 & 5 compatibility with the new ADL setup left the door open to ramp up production of DDR4 while letting those that wait to upgrade potentially do DDR5. Due to the lack of supply though some have gotten creative with making adapters to put in between the RAM / slot to convert temporarily to make things work until the supply got better.
 

Insert_Nickname

Diamond Member
May 6, 2012
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Major change being that a single stick of DDR5 is dual channel whereas you need 2 sticks on DDR4.

No it isn't. DDR5 is 2x 32bit channels. A single DDR4 channel is 64bit. Dual channel is 128bits wide in both cases.

DDR5 is just more fine grained then older standards in that it can do a single 32bit transfer, vs. having to do a full 64bit transfer for older standards.
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,696
1,447
126
I can approve of the OP's selection for the make and model (I may have a problem pair of GTZR TridentZ-s.) The LEDs are nice bling, but I could have done without that feature -- of little consequence I'd think in terms of price or power-draw. For $254, about what I paid for my GTZR RAM a year ago, I've discovered a compatible set of RipJaws -- same OC speed but looser timings -- for $120+ and DDR4-3200.

Dated technology, but I snatched up a 2x16 kit of those anyway. It will be a while before I can install and test them, explained in other recent threads I started myself.