Memory prices

[Daniel Prince]

A few weeks ago, I was looking at a four gig ecc memory kit on
Crucial.com. It was 80 dollars. Now it is 108. Is this a normal
seasonal price variation? Is it likely that the price will come
back down about a month after Christmas? Thank you in advance for
all replies.

 

[John Doe]

A few weeks ago, I was looking at a four gig ecc memory kit on
Crucial.com. It was 80 dollars. Now it is 108. Is this a
normal seasonal price variation? Is it likely that the price
will come back down about a month after Christmas?

That depends on what specifically you are talking about. Supply
and demand works in mysterious ways. Good luck.

 

[Paul]

A few weeks ago, I was looking at a four gig ecc memory kit on
Crucial.com. It was 80 dollars. Now it is 108. Is this a normal
seasonal price variation? Is it likely that the price will come
back down about a month after Christmas? Thank you in advance for
all replies.

This site has charts. If you're lucky, there may be a useful chart
on the left. For example, it says DDR2 chip prices have doubled
in the last three months. The economics of DDR2 are not sustainable,
and eventually, some players have to leave the market, and then
the prices go up again.

http://www.dramexchange.com/

If you want to predict the future, you'll need to read some
industry news articles, about what governments are not providing
bailout money, what companies have stopped making DDR2, and so
on. Eventually, DDR3 will be considered to be mainstream.
Recovery of the economy, will also play a part.

Paul

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

A few weeks ago, I was looking at a four gig ecc memory kit on
Crucial.com. It was 80 dollars. Now it is 108. Is this a normal
seasonal price variation? Is it likely that the price will come
back down about a month after Christmas?

I don't think it's seasonal but more a matter of chip manufacturers
not overproducing for a change and some companies going out of
business (Qimonda) or consolidating (apparently Micron and the 4-6
Taiwan makers are merging). And it wouldn't surprise me if ECC
module prices don't track the prices of non-ECC modules very closely
because that's high-class stuff sold mostly to the commercial market.
OTOH non-ECC memory has about tripled in price since January, when
Fry's had 4GB Corsair PC6400 kits for $15, after rebate.
Unfortunately I couldn't keep it because each pair I tried had a bad
dud in it, and four friends got duds as well. OTOH nobody I know had
problems with the $20, after rebate, 4GB Crucial pairs (Micron chips).