This is it, the price of DDR4 memory is surpassing that of DDR5. Underlying this phenomenon is a lack of supply, while demand is on the rise. As you know, July 9 marks the end of the moratorium on Trump’s tariffs on technology products from Asia, and this seems to be creating a certain amount of panic that is driving some buyers to buy compulsively. This is putting upward pressure on older RAM technology.
DDR4 prices on the rise, up to +~40%!
As you can see, DDR4 prices on the spot market are on the rise. The price of some configurations has risen by 40% in the space of a week. Some modules, such as the 16 Gb at 3200 MT/s, are reaching $12.5, with peaks at $24. In contrast, classic 8 Gb DDR5 modules from Samsung or Hynix, operating between 4800 MT/s and 5600 MT/s, are priced between $6 and $9. The reason for this rise is the threat of Trump’s tariffs, as mentioned above. However, there is another underlying cause: the lack of inventory renewal. As we reported here, major memory chip manufacturers have stopped or are stopping production of DDR4 modules. The reason behind this is simple: too fierce competition from Chinese companies who don’t hesitate to slash prices. Unfortunately, these companies also have a lower product capacity than the big memory companies, so if you take Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix out of the market, production falls drastically. Unfortunately, despite being launched in 2014, this technology is still in demand, as it is present on platforms such as the AM4, which is still popular today.