Current state of the memory market?

[zombie67]

I haven't been paying attention lately. Are prices going up or down? And which direction are they headed in the short term? Specifically DDR3, 8gb, SO DIMM.

[Bryan]

AND,

If you were starting a new build (or 5) what brands should be seriously considered/avoided? :)

PS I noticed there is a a new "MM" badge on my FDC stats ... what is that?

[John P. Myers]

RAM prices have been going up all year mainly due to companies devoting more resources towards flash production than DDR3. SSDs, USB flash drives, and especially cell phones have made it an area too good to resist. Also fabs are having to prepare for DDR4. But it looks like things are settling down and prices aren't rising anymore. Maybe even dropping a tad.

@Bryan: As usual just avoid Corsair since they *still* have the highest rate of returns. Of course they have the same lifetime warranty as everyone else, but it's best to avoid the hassle of RMAs. I used to believe Kingston was the best myself, and that's all i'd ever use. And maybe that was true at the time, but over the past couple of years i've tried a couple of other brands: G. Skill and Patriot (who makes AMD's DDR3 for them). I have to say i like Patriot better than G. Skill, though i've had no problems out of either. Also it could be that i'm using 2x8GB Patriots and 4x4GB G. Skills, but the Patriot system just feels more snappy, though both are 1600MHz 9-9-9-24 timings. I also like Crucial and have noticed they have some stuff on sale right now at Amazon which is very tempting.

Anyway that's my 2 cents :)

[zombie67]

Thanks JPM!

Looks like no point in waiting for significant price drops in the near future.

[Bryan]

Thanks JPM, I appreciate the input!

[Cruncher Pete]

I like Patriot myself because my local market sells more of this than any other brand. For your future i7 3930 machines, I recommend a 2x8Gb kit.

[Bryan]

Aren't the 3930s 4 channel ... or did you mean the 8Gb kit has 2x4Gb modules?

[zombie67]

Is that question for me? I was asking about SO DIMMs -> The form factor used for laptops.

[John P. Myers]

My reply applied to both laptop and desktop modules. And yes the 3930 is 4 channel so you'd want 1 stick of RAM per channel for max bandwidth.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4 beta

[Duke of Buckingham]

I had always memory problems. I hope they make one memory for me very fast.

http://www.toonpool.com/user/589/files/memory_stick_826735.jpg

[zombie67]

Wow. I just looked up some DIMMs I bought on NewEgg a while back.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233280

Nov 2012: $63
Jul 2013: $126

Doubled in cost!

Edit: Fixed URL

[Bryan]

Is that question for me? I was asking about SO DIMMs -> The form factor used for laptops.

No that was for CP .... I ordered stuff for 6 3930K machines today with only 16G of memory per (4 channels of 4G). I decided to put in 750W supplies just in case I get a wild hair someday and decide to put in crunching GPUs.

[DrPop]

LoL! :)) "Just in Case..." he says. ;) hahaha!

[John P. Myers]

And some bad news:

SK Hynix, the world's 2nd largest memory chip maker burnt down the other day. Well...not completely burnt down but damaged enough that their production was halted. So far there's been a 19% rise in RAM prices because of this. :(

[Fire$torm]

Seems like... well, seems like it was an awfully convenient time for that to happen. That is in regards to market impact. Really good news for the other chip makers.

Just saying.........

[c303a]

Looks like I am going to have to rob 2 DIMM's as well as a video card from this box just to get another one running. I knew I waited to long to get the DDR3 that I needed. I was hoping that the faster ones would come down in price. Guess not. :mad::(

[E-30]

they are up to 144 now wow thats sucks

Wow. I just looked up some DIMMs I bought on NewEgg a while back.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233280

Nov 2012: $63
Jul 2013: $126

Doubled in cost!

Edit: Fixed URL

[DrPop]

And now those in the link are $145! :P

Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, this not ALL entirely due to the memory side of things. This is also reflecting the U.S. dollar. I know many folks don't want to go there with me, but when you are pumping $80 billion per month into your liquidity, the VALUE of that liquidity WILL go down. We are just now seeing some of these effects, and they will keep coming. As you can tell I'm not real happy about it.

[E-30]

They are up to 154 now wow

[Fire$torm]

CNBC Tech News: "SK Hynix posts record Q3 profit on surging chip prices" (Link (http://www.cnbc.com/id/101150254))

DigiTimes: "SK Hynix posts record revenues and operating profits in 3Q13" (Link (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20131029VL200.html))

WSJ Digits Tech News: "SK Hynix to Boost Chip Output " (Link (http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/10/29/sk-hynix-to-boost-chip-output/?mod=WSJBlog))

EET Asia: "SK Hynix turns to BeSang for 3D IC tech" (Link (http://www.eetasia.com/articleLogin.do?artId=8800691476&fromWhere=/ART_8800691476_480200_NT_9711e7bc.HTM&catId=480200&newsType=NT&pageNo=null&encode=9711e7bc))

And the most ironic bit of news.....

DigiTimes: "Restoration of fire-hit SK Hynix China fab likely to be delayed" (Link (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20131029PD212.html))

So like anyone see a pattern in these events?

I'd just like to know which Corporate Exec lit the match to this master plan.....???

[DrPop]

I know no one wants to hear it, but they're trashing our dollar and they're doing it on purpose. Of course prices are going up. Your dollar is not worth near as much as it was pre-2009/2010. :(

[shiva]

Well your are right Jed, but wrong at the same time. they are trashing the country not just the dollar. and they are doing it on purpose. If you think memory is high just wait a year. it's not going to be good.

[DrPop]

We are in agreement, Sir. :(

[Fire$torm]

So, it's been over 10 months since the SK Hynix fire. After this much time, you would think the RAM market would have returned to pre-fire levels. Well, you'd be wrong....

My RAM purchases over the years.

10/31/2011
CORSAIR Vengeance 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Model: CMZ4GX3M2A1600C9 - $32.99
Current Price: $52.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145343

01/09/2012
CORSAIR Vengeance 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 Low Profile Model: CML4GX3M2A1600C9 - $17.99 ($19.99 before $2.00 Promo Code)
Current Price: $51.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233187

02/05/2013
Crucial Ballistix Tactical Tracer 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 Model: BLT3KIT2G3D1608DT2TXRG - $44.99
Current Price: Discontinued

Closest comparison is the 12 GB version Model: BLT3KIT4G3D1608DT2TXRG
Price: $144.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148523&cm_re=Ballistix_Tactical_Tracer-_-20-148-523-_-Product

[Clank [MM]]

Hard drives never did. These companies pray for a catastrophe so they can reset their pricing and leave it there.

[DrPop]

Nope. They never will, either. Mark my words, our dollar has decreased in purchasing power so much it's pathetic. You won't see it all at once either; little by little, as inventories of goods get used up, newer shipments will begin costing increasing amounts. I'm not making this stuff up, and this is not a fear-based post. It's just reality when a government prints 3 to 4 trillion dollars out of thin air, this is the outcome. Every single time.

The fires and natural disasters that drive prices up are just a bonus for the other companies that did not experience the disaster.

[Duke of Buckingham]

The control of making money is a magic stuff that costs the same to all that detain that currency by the inflation.

Worst is countries that have no currency and need to pay for others as the south European countries are paying now. I understand your complains but having no national currency is much worst believe me.

I ear no one complains when banks make money creating inflation and having no means of payment later on, making a cascade of good enterprises bankruptcies, where good man devoted their lives to built.

And it is even worst when the guilty ones receive a pension of 900.000 Euros a MONTH to get out and let the huge amount of debts for the taxpayers to solve as loans to friends and family that will never be payed. Damn it was time to put them all in jail.

The people that is administrating countries use taxpayer money to go to the enterprises they benefit, people does nothing, say nothing, understand nothing and so the world goes on with the sharks feeding themselves and vultures feeding their children, the life is fine for all of them.

This must stop somewhere.

[E-30]

Yea I got ocz ripper ram for my ddr2 cod 6600 and for 8 gb it was almost 200