Elpida might exit RAM industry - the era of cheap RAM might be over soon

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

It might be worth following this:

http://www.techpowerup.com/160693/El...sequences.html

If they exit the RAM industry system RAM prices and the prices of products like graphics cards will probably go up. It also indicates how much RAM companies are struggling with the low prices.

I still remember,only five years ago that 4GB of DDR2 could easily cost £200.

[Biscuit]

Better make sure im stocked up on DDR3 then!

[StealMySoda1]

Better buy that 8GB of DDR3 that I was thinking of buying then?

[shaithis]

Scan even have the 2 x 4GB 1600MHz XMS3 on today only.....

[StealMySoda1]

Scan even have the 2 x 4GB 1600MHz XMS3 on today only.....

That's the one I'm looking at

[UseItNow]

I better hold onto my RAM then LOL.

[Unique]

but isn't there the possibility that someone else might buy the plant and keep it running?

[dave87]

but isn't there the possibility that someone else might buy the plant and keep it running?

If there is oversupply in the market forcing prices to be low and resulting on a low return on investment, then the only people likely to want to take it over are those who are struggling with their current factories/infrastructure as a cheap way of upgrading. Whether they are likely to be able to secure the capital to do so, however, is questionable.

Established players already have their processes sorted, so unless there is significant skill or recent investment, an unlikely takeover bid. Outside investment? Low returns would suggest that unlikely - especially if there is unlikely to be a swift turnaround (venture capitalists aren't likely to stay in long term).

So possible, but unlikely.

[Hicks12]

hmm do i grab another 8gb or dont i... that is the question!

[jim]

Meh. Supply and demand doing its job.

[Pob255]

It's strangely like this situation a couple of years back with ddr2 all over again.

If you remember back then DDR2 got so cheap that the whole sale chip prices actually dipped below the manufacturing cost.

That caused a major crash in the market and saw many of the smaller manufactures go out of business, the market recovered esp with the shift to DDR3 but now with fewer players on the market.

With the current situation I've sort of been half expecting this, at this rate we'll only have a couple of major manufactures left which is going to be less good in the long run.