Another Sign of Falling RAM Prices, or Just a False Illusion Coming Out of China?

TECH NEWS – This is the first major price drop, but we are still not optimistic about the near future…

 

The current volatility of the DRAM market is showing up in price uncertainty, which is why RAM prices seem to rise one day and fall the next. The German market showed exactly that pattern in March, when the prices of various DDR5 modules finally dipped for the first time. That shift did not last long, though. Within a few weeks the trend reversed, and by April prices had climbed again. Some DDR5 kits became more expensive while others dropped sharply, but overall the average price of DDR5 kits still remained more than four times higher than normal. Likewise, in most regions, DDR5 RAM kits are still 4-5 times more expensive than they were before the RAMpocalypse era.

The price of 16 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM RAM kits in China has now fallen to a record low for this year. That is still far above the usual retail price seen last June, but compared to February of this year, the price is down by a solid 34%. It remains unclear whether this applies to all 16 GB SO-DIMM DDR5 kits or only to one specific model, but regardless, the drop from 1,759 RMB to 1,159 RMB is still a notable relief for consumers.

The same kit was selling last year for just 246 RMB, so even this “discounted” price is still nearly five times higher than what used to count as normal. The reason behind such a steep decline is not yet clear, and it will be interesting to see what happens next. For now, there is only speculation about whether this drop is temporary or whether other DDR5 RAM kits will begin to follow the same downward path. The problem is that the DRAM market takes a long time to stabilize, especially while major DRAM manufacturers continue to prioritize AI data center demand.

The takeaway is the same as before: it is still better to wait, because buying memory at prices like these would be borderline absurd. Yes, many other PC components have become more expensive as well, but nothing has exploded in price quite like RAM. Hopefully, there is no second 100% jump still waiting around the corner…

Source: WCCFTech

DDR5 SO-DIMM price chart in China

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