Memory Prices Final?

[Jza]

With the recent rise in memory, is there any chance it will drop AGAIN? A $40 price tag for Crucial PC2100 DDR is almost painful when I remember the mid $20 range. I stubbornly sat and waited, not believing that RAM prices will rise anytime soon...but it evidently happened.

If they won't have a chance in hell in dropping again, i will buy some now. If they continue to rise, what would I expect the avg. price of DDR RAM to be when its at a stable stopping point?

 

[ahsia]

Prices for memory will surely drop again. I was reading a new article about memory makers in Korea and China folding tents because they foresee that 128mb sticks of PC133 will be worth about $1 US by next year, which mean very little chance for porfits for them. I can't say for sure how the supply level is for memory right now, but considering the low prices we've had for the past 6 months or so, I'd say that supply is getting a bit low, which drives prices up.

 

[ucla88]

i think it is extraordinarily hard to predict the course of memory prices. the reality is that memory prices have been artificially low for quite some time now, and will likely gradually increase over the course of the next couple of years. most memory makers are barely turning a profit, and some are heavily in debt. there will be consolidation and bankruptcy for some. what will happen next month, that's much more difficult to say. there's always a bit of a holiday push, then a traditionally slow period. whether or not the market can sustain these higher prices for the short term with warehouses full of ram is questionable.


moral of the story-ram is still well priced-half a gig for less than $100 bucks, and if you need it now, buy it.
but, i wouldn't hoard the stuff. remember, next year we'll all be using ddr333 ram anyway

ddr333

 

[Jza]

Will the DDR333 be able to be used in current DDR mainboards? If not, how likely will it be "mainstream" or its level of dominance over PC2100?

How correct would this be... pc100 : Pc133 :: ddr266 : Ddr333
where PC133 was new/better but wasn't in the majority of ppl's PCs.

 

[Kurupshin]

From what I read the increase in memory prices is due to the Christmas Buying time. Lots of new computers all around. They will fall back down in January.

 

[Jza]

If only we knew

I want to buy it cheaper hopefully, yet I feel the risk is too high that it won't be "as cheap" as it WAS. Maybe buy 1 stick now, another later.