Get ready to buy PC memory like you buy lobster.

Generative “AI” data centers are gobbling up trillions of dollars in capital, not to mention heating up the planet like a microwave. As a result there’s a capacity crunch on memory production, shooting the prices for RAM sky high, over 100 percent in the last few months alone. Multiple stores are tired of adjusting the prices day to day, and won’t even display them. You find out how much it costs at checkout.

  • Trainguyrom@reddthat.comEnglish
    2·
    3 hours ago

    I mean since it’s driven by demand from companies running AI models it’s mostly impacting higher speed modules with lower speed/capacity kits being less significantly impacted. Granted that’s also pushing demand up for those lower speed kits since for gamers quantity matters far more than speed, meanwhile AI really cares about speed most

    • ulterno@programming.devEnglish
      2·
      2 hours ago

      I am going by mainly 2 points:

      • DDR4 being dropped in favour of DDR5
        • What if the places with high quality output end up just staying on DDR5
      • DDR4 being taken by the cheaper manufacturers
        • Ever since seeing how well my old SK Hynix DDR2 has lasted, I have been kinda partial to it. paying $10 - 15 extra to get something that I won’t have to replace for the device’s lifetime (~20 years) makes sense to me
        • The new modules made by the cheaper ones might not end up being as good and reviews may be hard to find as most enthusiasts that do quality testing, tend to do so only when the tech is new (and now that is DDR5)