RAM price : free falling without parachute.

[CougTek]

Anyone else amazed at how low the price of DRAM (especially DDR2) has felt recently? I keep saying : "No, it CAN'T drop below that price." and I'm always wrong. Visit www.dramexchange.com. The average price indicated for 1GB U-DIMM 667MHz is about what I pay for 1GB DDR2 667MHz, but in canayan dollars (so right now, if it's indicated that 1GB 667MHz cost 37U$ on average, it means I pay 37$CAN ...or less).

I'll soon build a box with 4GB of RAM that I'll use for VMWaring. The mainstream CPU will likely cost more than the RAM.

It will have to rise someday. I can't imagine they are still making profit with prices as low as they are now.

 

[ddrueding]

I'm still hurting with the price of 2GB DDR2-800 modules...

 

[Mercutio]

Actually, I've been pretty frustrated with the quality of the modules I've been getting. I have eight different high-end 2GB DDR2 modules that seemingly can't be used on any LGA775 system I own, though they work fine on AM2 systems.

I blew another $300 on a set of Corsair XMS2 "Dominator" modules today.

Anyone want some Geil, G. Skill, Crucial or Mushkin 1 or 2GB DIMMs?

 

[MaxBurn]

Thats weird, I would have thought it would be the other way round.

 

[CougTek]

Tomorrow I'll be going to my weekly visit at my RAM supplier and I'm gonna ask my representant when she'll start giving 1GB DDR2 modules as presence price to her visiting customers.

No, seriously I won't ask. I already did a month ago.

 

[ddrueding]

Anyone want some Geil, G. Skill, Crucial or Mushkin 1 or 2GB DIMMs?

Ugh...too bad that package went out already...

 

[Chewy509]

Reg ECC DDR hasn't seen much of a price shift recently, particularly 1GB or 2GB DDR400 Reg ECC Single Rank DIMMS (roughly ~AU$200 for 1GB or ~AU$550 for 2GB per DIMM for Kingston Value RAM).

 

[Sol]

Actually, I've been pretty frustrated with the quality of the modules I've been getting. I have eight different high-end 2GB DDR2 modules that seemingly can't be used on any LGA775 system I own, though they work fine on AM2 systems.

I'm guessing you've already considered this but could it be the stock voltage for those DIMMS being too high that's causing the problem?

I know the OC-Z memory I got for my Core2 system expects a voltage .3v higher than the stock, but I only know because I checked their web site, none of the packaging that came with the DIMMs makes any mention of the fact. I'm just lucky that the default settings for my CPU/board mean the memory starts up underclocked and with relaxed timings so the board posts even with the lower voltage and I can increase it before I try to run the RAM at it's rated speed...

 

[MaxBurn]

I'm guessing you've already considered this but could it be the stock voltage for those DIMMS being too high that's causing the problem?

I know the OC-Z memory I got for my Core2 system expects a voltage .3v higher than the stock, but I only know because I checked their web site, none of the packaging that came with the DIMMs makes any mention of the fact. I'm just lucky that the default settings for my CPU/board mean the memory starts up underclocked and with relaxed timings so the board posts even with the lower voltage and I can increase it before I try to run the RAM at it's rated speed...

This has caught me a couple times now, really should be on the memory's package, I agree.

Plus then there are "some" mobo's out there that don't give you a clear idea of what voltages are set to like normal, high, ultra etc.

 

[Mercutio]

I only buy RAM that supports the standard 1.8V spec.
I'm under the impression that Intel-based chipsets are just pickier about RAM.

Most of those weirdo modules will work on my Gigabyte and Intel-brand boards, if I mess around with the memory voltage or in some cases just save the BIOS settings after booting up with other memory, but that's unacceptable since it's possible that I could send a system out into the field and have it lose its BIOS settings somehow. I should not need to keep other memory handy to make a computer work again. That's just scary.

Anyway, as I said, the AMD-based boards I've used will handle those modules without difficulty.

 

[jtr1962]

Reg ECC DDR hasn't seen much of a price shift recently, particularly 1GB or 2GB DDR400 Reg ECC Single Rank DIMMS (roughly ~AU$200 for 1GB or ~AU$550 for 2GB per DIMM for Kingston Value RAM).

I've noticed the same thing. I went to Newegg to buy another 1GB for my mom's machine. The cheapest DDR400 1GB sticks are in the $63.99 area but DDR2 1GB is going for as little as $33.99. If someone has a machine capable of using DDR2 now is obviously a great time to add RAM. I guess it's still not bad even if you use DDR. A 1GB stick was as high as $109 only a few months ago.