This year is shaping up nicely for PC memory makers: Prices for the current DDR technology are surging, and a new, high-profit replacement is about to hit store shelves.

DDR2 will likely sell for a healthy premium for nearly two years, giving manufacturers time to profit in a market plagued by a boom-and-bust cycle. But the shift to DDR2 will coincide with a major manufacturing overhaul; a slip anywhere along the line could cause manufacturing yields--and potential profits--to evaporate.

Read more: CNet News.

I wonder, just how much a healthy premium is ?

Well, for right now, samples of DDR 2 appears to be slower than current high-end DDR. Creating somewhere in the neighborhood of a 5% performance loss

So I don't think many people will consider paying the premium until the technology sits on the shelf for awhile and develops.

How much is the premium? You are looking at about twice the cost of DDR-1.

All I know is PC memory is extra expensive right now, 2 months ago I bought a strip of 512mb PC2100 for 69.99 from Crucial.com now it's $116.00