Why Did Prices Go Up?????

[Ice Breaker 489]

Guys, this really sucks...not that I haven't known about this until now but I'm asking WHY???

does anyone know why the ram prices went up?

in October 512mb ddr was about $70-$90
now its around $150-$200

if anyone knows why it happened just tell me...and if anyone has any predictions on when the prices will lower that would help too.

:mad: :confused: :mad:

[Placid]

They claim since intel boards started using ddr instead of rambus the demand is high.

No idea when it will get cheaper, it might even go up more.

[cjlax5]

if i could acuratly predict the future i would be very rich

[GoldenTiger]

The truth:

The reasons are:

Consolidation: Companies are merging, this always raises prices.

Memory was selling FAR below cost before. It still is below-cost (the prices on crucial.com now they still take a LOSS per stick sold).

Earthquakes in Taiwan have decreased the production capacity of factories.

The economic climate worldwide, especially in the U.S. has forced cutbacks in production, as well as more money being needed, again causing prices to rise.

Higher demand: Now that the P4 utilizes DDR ram, as well as laptops using DDR more and more, demand is far higher which raises prices. (This last blurb was an edit).

As high as the prices seem now, if you need the RAM or think you will eventually, BUY IT NOW. The prices now will seem awesome compared to what they will be in 3-5 months according to industry reports. Cnet had an article with analysis talking a ton about the prices and how they'll keep skyrocketting.

[Darrenct]

You guys are all wrong... The RAM mines in Taiwan are almost empty... So the harsh slave drivers were making the Gnome people mine even deeper in to the earth to find elusive RAM deposits. After years of tyranny the Gnome people have revolted. Because of the Insurrection, no RAM has been mined for quite some time. So supply is going down, therefore the price is going up. I wouldn't get too worried though. Last I heard the Gnome people are about to win the Revolution... Then they will control the slave drivers who are capable of a much greater mining capacity. Prices will lower for sure after that. Who knows they may even discover the Fabled Triple Data Rate RAM Shangri-La fabled in Gnomish Fairy Tales.

[chamblah]

Who knows they may even discover the Fabled Triple Data Rate RAM Shangri-La fabled in Gnomish Fairy Tales.

that would be a good thing.

[Ice Breaker 489]

so will prices go up or down

i need more opinions so i can be sure of a decision of whether or not I should buy now or later

[Taylor]

Originally posted by Darrenct
You guys are all wrong... The RAM mines in Taiwan are almost empty... So the harsh slave drivers were making the Gnome people mine even deeper in to the earth to find elusive RAM deposits. After years of tyranny the Gnome people have revolted. Because of the Insurrection, no RAM has been mined for quite some time. So supply is going down, therefore the price is going up. I wouldn't get too worried though. Last I heard the Gnome people are about to win the Revolution... Then they will control the slave drivers who are capable of a much greater mining capacity. Prices will lower for sure after that. Who knows they may even discover the Fabled Triple Data Rate RAM Shangri-La fabled in Gnomish Fairy Tales.

If they're not careful, or if they dig too deep, they'll awaken the Balrog!!

[Darrenct]

Originally posted by Taylor


If they're not careful, or if they dig too deep, they'll awaken the Balrog!!

Haven't you Heard? Recently the mighty Balrog was smitten in a fierce battle with Lothar of the Hill People. Good old Lothar... I am a little worried that they might Dig all the way through the earth... then they might awaken an even mightier threat then we could ever deal with... Janet Reno!!!! Dun, Dun, Dun!!!!

[Ice Breaker 489]

uhm...so the prices yeah they suck

[Darrenct]

Sorry Icebreaker, I guess we should address your question. I don't think anyone really knows what will happen to RAM prices... Try asking God. Until the wacky world of RAM is figured out, I only have one word of advice:
"Don't let the man get you down"
-Lucas
Empire Records

[MadMan007]

As som1 said, if I could predict the future...

However, according to all the analysts, etc (check yahoo finance, CNN or whatever) RAM prices are likely to continue to rise for reasons already stated here, including: consolidation; lower production; *higher demand* I have a feeling the last is actually the greatest change, now that the P4 can use DDR, demand should skyrocket.

My $.02

[Mojoman]

ITS QUITE SIMPLE THE CHICKENS ARENT LAYING AS MUCH RAM NOW because of the sudden decrease in cheese. A special substance in the cheese gave sustenance to these special chickens and they had enough energy to squeeze out those precious crucial memory modules. IF you want RAM - go buy your self a chicken farm - FOOLS!

[el]

outpost and check out cyber deals for cheap ddr.

[JoeCrappa]

you all have it wrong. the ocean isn't as rich in RAM deposits. when the water dries up it only lets out motherboards and CPU's so that theres a shortage of RAM. CNN reported though, that the RAM deposits were carried by whales up to Antarctica. If you want to get RAM, its really cheap in Antarctica. seriously

[res0r9lm]

bought me some right before it wen't up

[el]

Originally posted by JoeCrappa
you all have it wrong. the ocean isn't as rich in RAM deposits. when the water dries up it only lets out motherboards and CPU's so that theres a shortage of RAM. CNN reported though, that the RAM deposits were carried by whales up to Antarctica. If you want to get RAM, its really cheap in Antarctica. seriously

what?

[PCTroll]

Hehee, I bought my 512mb in october just one day before the prices started to rise.:D

[cw823]

does anyone know why the ram prices went up?


They sell it, we need it.

[JoeCrappa]

i bought mine before the prices went up too. my 256mb of PC2400 only cost me $40.

[muddocktor]

I got 2 256 MB modules of Crucial Reg DDR sitting in a drawer not even being used now, cost me $70 back in October. Probably a good investment now that I can sell it for more than I paid for it.

[Tithulta]

i'M KICKING MYSELF IN THE REAR FOR PROCATINATING. Ops sorry for caps.. Anyway I bought 2 256 mb pc2100 from crucial before the prices went up. I had no idea they were going to skyrocket so high. So I seent hat prices had jumped up$10 from just a few days from which I last checked it. I was rather ****ed as I needed another stick. I thought well I wait tilt he first of the year when people are thinking prices will settle down and start dropping a little, though not as low as they had been previously. Few weeks later I'm MAN I should have choked on the $10 and bought it anyway cuz now it's gonna cost me more for one stick than it cost me for my previous 2 together.

If you need RAM or THINK you DO....you got the cash? BUY NOW...I ahve a feeling they are wanting the prices to remain where they are if not higher. I remember paying $70 for 64mb pc100 sdram not too terribly long ago. I refuse to believe they aren't making a profit of their ram at this point.

[lennytiger]

prices will come down eventually! :)

[PCTroll]

No they will not come down. Maybe at the end of this year or in longer distance. I have lost the links where I got the information. Buy it now, buy your ram now if you need it, otherwise you WILL pay more in close future. The prices will continue the rising. At 2001 most high tech companies where in minust, it is time for them to start getting payed. As the prices were so slow it was mostly done by amd with several marketing trick if you want call it this way. It was usefull for amd to sell its processors and gain some more market share against intel. It was deamn wise from amd. They payd lot of money to hold prices down as intel didn't support ddr. Now intel is going to support ddr, of course the demand is much higher now, this also means lot. Buy it know.

[Billvill]

I can tell you exactly whats going on ! One of the OPEC guy was in the mens room using the urinal next to one of the RAM guys and they traded business practice stories. AKA " screw em where else are they going to get it "

Billy

[David]

I hear that Samsung stoped making RAM so everyone else pushed thier prices up - less competition.

[FRANK]

As high as RAM has gotten, look back about two years ago;

70 pin SIMMs FPM 32MB = +/- $100

It's still hard to take a 100% increase in three months.

[rUfUnKy]

This winter ,NEC shut down a memory plant to stem the flow of cash. Toshiba, gave up and sold its plants to micron..looks to me like prices are rising because of less competition and high demand....

[bigbenji]

i think maximumpc said that toshiba sold their ram factories to micron (crucial) and that samsung got out of the business---decrease in supply (or competition) = increase in cost
it will go down when demand does, so get it before it gets higher

[Ice Breaker 489]

PRICES JUST CREEPED UPWARDS AGAIN!!!

Last week kingston memory (512mb ddr) at gogocity.com was only $135...

Now its $145...

If you guys are right about the memory never coming back down (or won't come back down for a significant amount of time) to the prices in October then I'll just buy now.

This SUX0RS
:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Tumbler 00]

I heard micron started the whole thing,right before christmas too,hmmm.Count me as one of the one's who got screwed seeing how I picked this time too upgrade too a DDR board.:mad:

Should be better by summer,(unless Gates is behind the whole thing:eek: ).I betcha Billys a grinch too.

[Athlonman]

Hows the good old edo ram prices doin?
lol :beer:

[Cluster]

I got a price for 256MB PC2100 ECC REG for 103.50. Find it Here (http://www.adamant.com/main.asp)

Cheers:beer:

[inkleoneaters]

what do you need your memory for? if u want to know when prices will be back down try a minimum of 6 months but that takes us to summer so it'll be at least 9 months, providing they dont change the standard by then. i think the prices have gone up cos people have decided to upgrade from sdr to ddr people tend to wait a ~year especially as new mobos are needed to take advantage of ddr. i agree with comments from others about amds market share and all that too. also memory prices fluctuate anyway and were bound to go up, anyone that didnt buy whilst they were cheap is a bit daft, prices will fall when people start to undercut each other and another price war starts, but first they need profits, so fools buy now! buy buy buy, smart pepes wait if u can.

[Ice Breaker 489]

well i cant exactly put off my new system for 9 months seeing as i already bought my mobo, vid card, and case...and i dont want to buy a puny stick of 128 to last me that long...so i guess ill buy now... and give in to capitalism!!!!!:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Critical Bill]

Stop whining, I once paid >$100 for FOUR yes thats 4 mb simms

[Ice Breaker 489]

ehh...its my thread and I can whine if i want to

[supraway]

Here is what I have heard happened -- Micron was trying to put other manufacturers out of buisness as to be able to purchase these competator's manufacturing facilities.

It is long obvious that Micron was leading the price drop in DDR memory prices, forcing other companies to follow in it's path. This is common practice in buisness techniques, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME!!!... anyways, once Micron saw that one company in particular, Hyinx (sp?), was doing poorly, they decided to discuss purchasing their plant. I hear they were talking with Samsung also.

Now my only question, is, out here in Utah, they built a HUGE production facility a few years back, and they still haven't finished it. Now, why would they go around purchasing other companies, while they have unfinished facilities just laying around? Perhaps they will finish it?

Anyways, so now that they put a couple of smaller companies in the hole, they decide their profits suck as well, therefore, lets bring up the price, and WHAMMO, there is John Doe forking out like friggin $80 for 256M DDR ram.

My real question here is, are the chips made in these foreign production facilities going to be as high quality as the current chips they are manufacturing?

[Ice Breaker 489]

anybody have any links on stories about the rising RAM prices?

[TheNewbie]

I think that Dodge is stealing all of the RAM to put in thier new trucks.So that makes the price go up from shortage of ram (cause it takes alot of RAM to make a truck)

[Tea]

The real reason, the bottom line is, THE BOTTOM LINE. They raised prices
because they thought that the market would stand it. It is obvious that the
market will not.

I heard that memory prices were going up in the US because companies were
saying that the earthquake in Taiwan cut the supply-- the problem with
that
excuse is that Taiwan only supplies the US with 10% of the chips......

I saw a comment by a high muckety-muck in *Intel* stating
that he had no idea why memory prices were going up (!).

Taiwan is an excuse, not the cause.

[Vinny]

I use a p4 with rdram so im HAPPY rdram ram is less now. I can get 2 sticks of 128 for $80 (pc800) im going to get 512 next week. All i gots now is some pc600...