Cheaper Memory On The Way

kinetic · Dec 28, 2002, 10:17 AM

DRAM Chip Glut Could Lower Prices In 2003

By TechWeb News 27th Dec 2002

The world is likely to be up to its hips in DRAM chips in 2003, according to a survey by Nikkei Market Access.

The prediction is likely to ruin the holidays for already-plagued manufacturers but could lead to better deals for computer buyers.

Production of DRAM (Dynamic Random Access memory) chips, the survey said, will increase up to 66 percent as major manufacturers ramp up new production lines that pump out more chips per silicon wafer.

Even though the estimate takes into account a robust 10 percent increase in PC sales -- and a hike in the average computer memory from 196 Mbytes to 294 Mbytes -- the end of 2003 should see makers holding a two-month inventory. That could be enough to trigger a chip price crash.

Lower chip prices could result in lower PC prices or PCs with more RAM, or both.

digitalwanderer · Dec 28, 2002, 03:36 PM

...looks like me next mobo will take DRAM...

DriveEuro · Dec 28, 2002, 06:20 PM

Mine will........hehehe Gigabyte A7X (or something like that...i don't wanna look around for the model #) and 400mhz Corsair.

Vampyromaniac · Dec 28, 2002, 08:23 PM

Heh, I remember when I got my 256MB for $43 flat, just days before the price hikes started

Desert_Siege · Dec 29, 2002, 06:29 AM

I bought 512MB of OCZ PC2400 (has actually been very good memory) for $68, $34 a 256 stick, and not a month later, you could barely buy 128MB for that. Anyone notice the price hikes seem to occur every time MS releases a new OS with higher memory requirements? Hmmmmmm....ponderous....

Dec 28, 2002, 10:17 AM	#1
kinetic DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester England Posts: 2,559 Rep Power: 0	Cheaper Memory On The Way DRAM Chip Glut Could Lower Prices In 2003 By TechWeb News 27th Dec 2002 The world is likely to be up to its hips in DRAM chips in 2003, according to a survey by Nikkei Market Access. The prediction is likely to ruin the holidays for already-plagued manufacturers but could lead to better deals for computer buyers. Production of DRAM (Dynamic Random Access memory) chips, the survey said, will increase up to 66 percent as major manufacturers ramp up new production lines that pump out more chips per silicon wafer. Even though the estimate takes into account a robust 10 percent increase in PC sales -- and a hike in the average computer memory from 196 Mbytes to 294 Mbytes -- the end of 2003 should see makers holding a two-month inventory. That could be enough to trigger a chip price crash. Lower chip prices could result in lower PC prices or PCs with more RAM, or both.

Dec 28, 2002, 03:36 PM	#2
digitalwanderer Colour Commentator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Highland, IN USA Posts: 5,619 Rep Power: 0	Hmmm.... ...looks like me next mobo will take DRAM... __________________ WTF is up with the sigs?

Dec 28, 2002, 06:20 PM	#3
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	Mine will........hehehe Gigabyte A7X (or something like that...i don't wanna look around for the model #) and 400mhz Corsair. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Dec 28, 2002, 08:23 PM	#4
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	Heh, I remember when I got my 256MB for $43 flat, just days before the price hikes started __________________ *Digitalis 3.3* Athlon 64 3000 // ASUS K8V SE Deluxe // 1024MB PC3200 (2-2-2-10 1T) ATI All-In-Wonder 9700 Pro // 20" Dell 2005FPW (DVI) M-Audio Revo 7.1 + Philips Acoustic Edge // Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 320/16 Western Digital WD3200KS + 120/8 Seagate 7200.7 NEC ND-3550A 16x DVD±RW + Lite-On 52x24x CD-RW Antec Sonata case // 480W Antec TruePower personal bests \|\| Aq'3: 46796 \| 3D'01: 20461 \| 3D'03: 6336 \| 3D'05: 2677 \| PC'04: 4605 \| PC'02: 7691,9092,1250

Dec 29, 2002, 06:29 AM	#5
Desert_Siege Professional Slacker Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: KY Posts: 274 Rep Power: 0	I hear ya dude.... I bought 512MB of OCZ PC2400 (has actually been very good memory) for $68, $34 a 256 stick, and not a month later, you could barely buy 128MB for that. Anyone notice the price hikes seem to occur every time MS releases a new OS with higher memory requirements? Hmmmmmm....ponderous....