Memory prices stable for the past few months

jtr1962

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Is it just me, or does it seem like RAM prices have been at their least volatile(at least by my memory-no pun intended) during the last few months? I've been checking RAM prices on Pricewatch on a fairly regular basis. After the price dipped to very low levels(a stick of PC133 256 MB for $10), and shot back up a bit(I think the same part reached about $35), it seems to have been stabilized at about $25 for the last few months, if not longer. It's also nice that it stabilized at something fairly reasonable rather than something like $200.

Anybody know the reasons behind this, or why RAM prices in general seem to be so volatile? CPU prices, on the other hand, are always steadily downwards after a new part is released, with a few notable exceptions(PIII 1000 MHz 100 FSB slot 1 comes to mind). Most other types of ICs don't really seem to have much price fluctuation. Some logic ICs have been at around the same price for decades.
 

blakerwry

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RAM prices did drop a few months ago... I bought my pc2700 $10 cheaper than it was when i researched what I wanted (took about 1 week for the prices to go down)... since then I think there has been another price drop...

Which makes me wonder why you think prices are so stable.. maybe it's just the retailers i'm looking at... or maybe just yours...
 

CougTek

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In fact, the RAM prices have fluctuated a lot during the last few months. As Stereodude wrote, the DDR SDRAM prices are falling these days, but since they are at they lowest level ever, I don't believe it will last for very long. SDRAM prices have hit their bottom this Fall, probably in November, but have since risen 60% or more. Even in November, they have not hit the rock bottom price they were some two years ago, when I remember being able to buy a 512MB stick of SDRAM for a scant 65$CAN.

DDR SDRAM prices were low at the end of Spring /beginning of summer but rose in July or August to reach outrageous levels. DDR SDRAM cost too much all Fall and have finally become more affordable since mid-January.

Now and the upcoming month probably is the time to buy if you were looking for DDR SDRAM modules.
 

jtr1962

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I guess it is just me, then. Probably since I don't have any machines that use DDR I just look at the price of PC133, and that seems to have fewer fluctuations than the other types.
 
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