RAM modules might be the one piece of component that's going to give PC enthusiasts some hope this year.
According to Tom's Hardware, the prices for RAM are due to decrease from 3% to 8% during Q4 2021. This is mainly due to excess inventory, a phrase that millions of folks hope could be said for graphics cards as well.
The projection comes from the Taiwanese semiconductor industry analyst TrendForce.
According to their report, RAM supply is at a so-called "healthy" pace to outrun current demand. TrendForce said that suppliers have more than enough inventory to satisfy their clients, but these clients are stocking up too much DRAM sticks.
As a result, there's a smaller demand for new RAM supplies to be added.
PC DRAM products top the list, with a maximum projected price drop of as much as 5-10%. That's mostly your DDR4 memory modules that you put in your computer.
Server memory comes in at close second with a maximum of 5% price decrease, tied with graphics DRAM (aka VRAM).
Mobile phone RAM prices are projected to stay largely the same because there's still a high demand for smartphones with the impending release of the iPhone 13 and its competitors.
Many experts have noted the almost immediate increase in the demand for PC components during the pandemic.
However, that demand has significantly slowed down. In fact, RAM prices have already stopped rising as early as August, as reported by TechSpot.
Tom's Hardware also reported that RAM prices have gone down in the US and Europe by 5% to 10% last month, and this Q4 price cut seems to be an icing on the cake.
RAM Price Drop Leading To Others (i.e. GPUs)?
Many people were elated when news broke out that graphics card prices in Europe were on the down trend. But could this DRAM price cut also affect graphics cards, since they also have their own memory modules?
It could, but the effects won't be felt that much by consumers.
See, the problem with the current GPU shortage is not because the cards are expensive to make. It's because there's simply not enough to go around.
Both NVIDIA and AMD are still struggling to keep up with demand until now.
More (Or Better) RAM Can Benefit Your PC In Other Ways
If you're like millions of PC gamers out there, you're probably stuck with the integrated GPU of your processor because you can't buy a current-gen card like the RTX 3000 or RX 6000 series. And if there's one thing you should know about integrated GPUs, they really love good memory.
The lack of a discrete graphics card with its own DRAM will force your PC's graphics chip to find an alternative.
Naturally, the quickest one it can access (with enough capacity) is your computer's memory modules. If it gets enough memory, the iGPU will work at its full capacity, which is why it is not advised to have a single-channel RAM configuration whenever possible.
Buy up enough RAM soon if you can!
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce
