As if the RAM prices aren't absurd enough... Thanks AI!

[Draco1962]

The RAM crisis is just getting started: Micron makes the 'difficult decision' to abandon the consumer memory business to focus on supplying AI data centers

[Draco1962]

PC Manufacturers are fighting for memory capacity. AI is not only impacting corporate jobs - it is also impacting console & PC makers and, small repair businesses.

I’ve struggled getting my repair and upgrade business off the ground before RAM and memory manufacturers shifted away from consumer production to focus on meeting the demands of AI data centers. Now, RAM upgrades, SSDs, and GPUs are getting priced out of reach, and analysts don’t expect any relief in demand or prices until 2027 or 2028.

I’m sticking with what I’ve started. Even with rising costs and the growing scarcity of some parts, it’s still more affordable than tossing out old hardware and buying new. I believe there’s still real value in promoting the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover for PCs.

• Reduce: Optimize hardware usage and software efficiency to minimize the need for new PCs. This can include upgrading to more energy-efficient components and using cloud services instead of local hardware.
• Reuse: Repurpose old PCs for different uses, such as upgrading to a more powerful processor or upgrading to a different operating system. This can extend the life of the hardware and reduce waste.
• Recycle: Participate in organized recycling programs to ensure that your old PC components are disposed of responsibly. Look for local recycling centers or programs that accept electronic devices.
• Recover: Invest in repair services or consider purchasing parts from authorized retailers to maintain your PC's functionality without contributing to waste. This can help keep valuable materials in circulation.

Many of us grew up watching our parents and grandparents, or even joining in, as they lived by these principles in different parts of life. Wearing hand-me-down clothes, scavenging parts to fix up a lawnmower or an old car, turning an old cooking pot into a planter for seedlings or cuttings – whatever it was, we did it!

We should keep moving forward despite the economy and the current costs and availability of these essential parts, perhaps just scaling back a bit where possible.

For example, I am refurbishing a donated laptop to give to my sister. It uses DDR3 RAM up to an 8GB single stick (presently it has 4GB). DDR3 and below are the least impacted, so I bought it. I was originally looking to replace the 512GB SATA HDD with a 1TB SATA SSD. Current SSD prices have increased 25-50%, depending upon the brand. Additionally, I have to replace the battery. So she will get a 512GB SATA SSD. Most of her activity is web surfing and social media, with some light bill management & banking online. I have a spare small external drive (made from a used but still viable 2.5" HDD and external enclosure) I'll throw in so she can save important pictures and documents.

[Draco1962]

GeForce RTX 5090 Prices To Soar To $5000 As NVIDIA & AMD Prep GPU Price Hikes in Q1 26

Destined to become the most expensive GPU to date. 

[tthurman]

Tax dollars incentivize these companies to build plants here then the consumer (tax payer) gets stiffed on the product so these companies can make huge profits.

 

I really hope Intel GPU’s become a strong market player and they don’t turn as round and jack up prices…..but they will.

[Draco1962]

ASRock’s Dual DDR5 & DDR4 Motherboard Makes Perfect Sense In The Current Memory Crisis

DDR4:is still going up but not as high as DDR5.

[tthurman]

Great option for anyone looking for a solid single thread build with existing DDR4 from an older system. 12th gen (12700) Intel makes a great CPU in single thread performance…..at least from what I have read. 

[Draco1962]

Micron says quitting the DIY memory industry will actually "help consumers"

🐮💩

[tthurman]

Yeah, help them empty their wallets!

[Draco1962]

And in other related news... Back To The 2010s: DDR3 Motherboards Are Seeing Significant Growth In Sales

The only thing that will curtail runaway DDR3 increases as seen with DDR4 & 5 is, at least potentially, Windows 11 compatibility issues.

[Draco1962]

Nvidia discontinues the GEFORCE RTX 5070TI because they are unable to fulfill memory demand...

Source: YouTube https://share.google/WuG1rErDlSzZHxTtv

[Draco1962]

Andy @SalemTechSperts sums it up, in his NSFW way, the horrible state of the PC repair & upgrade business due to AI gutting the consumer RAM and storage market.

Hopefully things will be different in a year or two. 

I am still available for repairs and upgrades, provided the customer purchases the RAM and or storage if part of their repair or upgrade.

I will not be refurbishing PCs & laptops for resale that involves replacing RAM and storage until such time that the market is not so hostile to DIY and small business.

 

 

[tthurman]

Glad I bought an extra 32 gigs of matching DDR4 and 1TB M2’s for my 6700k’s before all this, seems they’ll be around a bit longer.
 

[Draco1962]

In my Facebook group TECH BOOT CAMP, my general recommendation is, unless your hardware is genuinely broken, don't buy new shiny things!

Even with the increased prices, it is still more cost effective to repair or upgrade what you have (e.g., upgrade from HDD to SSD, adding or upgrading RAM, if the motherboard supports - go the next step up or two in CPU, etc.), and just good maintenance practices.

[tthurman]

A rare find for someone wanting a virtual pinball setup on a budget.

The memory isn’t the fastest and neither is the board (not feature rich but well up to the task), but it’s decent and the memory can be upgraded when the memory madness ends.

Motherboard combo:

Preferred:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails?ItemList=Combo.4849824
 

OR:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails?ItemList=Combo.4849820
 

12600KF (great single core performance making it ideal for VP setups)

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1667036-REG/intel_bx8071512600kf_core_i5_12600kf_3_7_ghz.html?ap=y&smp=Y&srsltid=AfmBOop7h3cDL6c8P9eDob-m_YzNkP1nY0E-WZUtw5Rh4YFDk3XU9fUerTY
 

Obviously not the latest greatest components, but paired with a decent existing GPU makes for a great setup on a budget. The board reviews well and is somewhat future proof being ddr5 and having a PCIe 5.0 GPU slot, making it more future proof than the ddr4 variants of this chipset. The memory is pretty average but should be enough to get the job done while until ddr5 pricing comes down to earth.
 

The 12600KF does away with the Intel graphics to save a few bucks and both it and the 12700 are consistently praised for their single core performance with virtual pinball and bring none of that unwanted 13th and 14th generation baggage.

 

[Draco1962]

@tthurmanwe've both seen some great hardware assembled over the years running GameEx and PinballX.

Some simpler builds with more modest components. Some over the top with power and bling to match.

Given the current economy and DIYers being denied access to components financially (too high priced) and physically (consumer grade components depleted by manufacturers closing down lines to focus on pursuit of enterprise AI bucks), perhaps simpler, more modest is the way to go for now until prices and availability level out or, hopefully, return to reasonable.

[Draco1962]

Scalpers are already raping the used DDR4 & DDR5 markets, stripping the RAM and GPUs for resale on Facebook Marketplace and eBay. 

Retro builds on DDR3 are even feeling the pinch.