DRAM prices fell 20% in the first quarter of 2023, will continue to fall

[broly]

In context: While prices for computer hardware have remained relatively high in the past few years, the slowing of PC and component sales are starting to take effect. DRAM is the latest piece of hardware to become even cheaper, and projections show that prices will continue to fall in the coming months.

According to a report from TrendForce, DRAM prices have fallen 20% in the first quarter of 2023. This is a continued decline for the DRAM market as sales have been slowing for all sectors of the industry. Some DRAM manufacturers have already started layoffs as they see their revenues on a steep decline. For the second quarter of 2023, TrendForce says that prices are expected to fall another 10 to 15%.

Despite production cuts already in effect, PC makers still have between 9 and 13 weeks of DRAM inventory. The mobile sector seems to be having healthier levels of inventory as mobile manufacturers were more conservative in their plans.

Nonetheless, mobile DRAM pricing is also expected to decline by 10 to 15%. As consumer demand for DRAM was sluggish, suppliers looked to the server side of the business for sales, however this simply resulted in a huge pile-up of inventory for server DRAM.

The recent boom of machine learning-based tools like ChapGPT, which rely heavily on computing power from GPUs, has seemingly not impacted demand for graphic based DRAM either as it faces a similar projected decline to the other categories seen in the table above. TrendForce does not yet make predictions for the second half of 2023 as it says "It's uncertain whether or not demand will recover."

All of these are, of course, good news for consumers. Along with the dropping storage prices, and GPUs seemingly making a return to MSRP (albeit with high price points), builders and PC buyers can now get their systems for a much lower total cost. For mobile devices, the mid-range have better specifications than ever, while the average device price has gone down, though that could be impacted by Arm's new proposed pricing model.

Image credit: Sergei Starostin

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https://www.techspot.com/news/98116-dram-prices-fell-20-first-quarter-2023-continue.html

 

[NintPlayBox]

Let them fall even lower

 

[wiyosaya]

So it sounds like the best strategy for those wanting to build is to wait even longer. No problems for me. I've been waiting, and I will wait even longer. Maybe around June or July, I'll start the first of my new builds.

 

[Julnor]

I don't need to do a new build and at the prices these components go for these days I don't have a whim for it either. I might begrudgingly swap out new GPUs, but asking me for cpu, mobo and DRAM at inflated prices is a hard sell. GPU matters for gaming but even then depending on what you play you don't need the newest, CPU barely matters. Everything from like the past decade is usually fine.

 

[kiwigraeme]

See specials on Samsung T7 2Tbs - etc - didn't pick one up as think these prices will be around for awhile if not cheaper again in future

So it sounds like the best strategy for those wanting to build is to wait even longer. No problems for me. I've been waiting, and I will wait even longer. Maybe around June or July, I'll start the first of my new builds.

see specials on Samsung T7 2Tbs - etc - didn't pick one up as think these prices will be around for awhile if not cheaper again in future

So hopefully good reductions in dramm and nand memory - I'm no hurry to update - but I think by the time ZEN 5 hits2/3nm and Mother Boards have matured and cheaper - 8000/5000 series GPU - 4TB cheaper M2 drive - I'll be about ready . Plus Intel - who knows as well
Plus curious to see how say a 5080 or 8900 will be priced - not sure current high prices sustainable
Really happy not upgrading 2022/23

 

[KofeViR]

Give me falling GPU prices as well, thank you

 

[KofeViR]

So it sounds like the best strategy for those wanting to build is to wait even longer. No problems for me. I've been waiting, and I will wait even longer. Maybe around June or July, I'll start the first of my new builds.

Yes, which platform?

 

[daffy duck]

Sure and what about the prices of MB's. They are not falling, they are criminally priced. So the memory could be free for all I care.

 

[wiyosaya]

see specials on Samsung T7 2Tbs - etc - didn't pick one up as think these prices will be around for awhile if not cheaper again in future

I've seen Crucial 4TB NVMe PCI-e 4.0 drives for approximately $250 US at B&H. Talk about inexpensive storage. It sounds like those priced will drop, too, and if DRAM continues to drop, us hobbyist builders will be in our glory! If PCI-e 5.0 drives come in at a similar price - all I can say is WOO-HOO!

 

[wiyosaya]

Yes, which platform?

I'll be going AM5. I built Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge the last time I built and was not happy with the limited life of the socket. I do know that the life of the AM5 socket will also be limited and all the other concerns from CPU gen to CPU gen, but not as limited as the socket lives of typical Intel platforms.

 

[KofeViR]

I'll be going AM5. I built Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge the last time I built and was not happy with the limited life of the socket. I do know that the life of the AM5 socket will also be limited and all the other concerns from CPU gen to CPU gen, but not as limited as the socket lives of typical Intel platforms.

7800X3D?

Well, I have used both Intel and AMD many times, and I have yet to replace the actual CPU on the same board. I simply always upgraded everything to get all the new stuff and if I really need to upgrade a CPU within a few years after buying it, I bought the wrong chip to begin with. A CPU should easily last 4-5 years.

Going from Zen 1 to Zen 3 was a big upgrade tho, so I get the point. However I think AM5 only is supported till 2025 this time.

I am considering 7800X3D but might wait for 8000 series (I kind of want to see Intel's true next gen Arrow Lake first)