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Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

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Re: Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

#61

Post by hopelite »

It seems the only thing that could break this is the off chance that the SCOTUS rules that the tariffs are illegal and/or Congress strips the Presidency of the power they gave it in utters incompetence many decades ago.

I’m thinking with sufficient pressure by all tech interested people it could become an issue in the midterms and even force Trump to sign agreements not to tariff RAM by Korean producers who could ramp up production.

Frankly, I wouldn’t even be surprised if we start seeing RAM smuggling. In not sure of drug prices, but would smuggling RAM not be at least just as profitable, especially without the high profile and risk?

Hey! … hey, you! You want to have some fun?

Re: Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

#62

Post by dragonwriter »

prmoustache wrote: post #43
adastra22 wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is because OpenAI bought 40% of the world’s production capacity overnight. RAM is like toilet paper during Covid now.

The toilet paper thing didn't really happen though because there is so much shit people can produce at a time and the demand never increased if you scaled it to a 2 weeks period. There was enough stock in warehouses that 3 days later every store had a full stock again and the prices never increased.

> The toilet paper thing didn't really happen [...]

Yes, it did.

> [...] because there is so much shit people can produce at a time and the demand never increased if you scaled it to a 2 weeks period. There was enough stock in warehouses that 3 days later every store had a full stock again and the prices never increased.

No, there wasn't in lots of places, and demand for the kind of toilet paper that fits on home dispensers did increase (and demand for the kind of big rolls used exclusively in institutional settings decreased, and shifting between those two for manufacturing is not quick), and there were extended supply issues in many places. (This was certainly true where I lived, but I would expect it had lots of regional variance, because supply chains are regional, the share of workers that were moved home because of either the practicality of remote work or workplaces being shutdown varied regionally because of both policy and industry differences, and because the share of workplaces that use industrial style TP vs TP compatible with home style dispensers probably also varies considerably.)

Re: Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

#63

Post by chairmansteve »

esafak wrote: post #21
insane_dreamer wrote: post #13

Thanks, Sam :<

Horde it, Sam. For old times' sake.

It reminds me of the AI paperclip problem. The AIs are eating all the memory chips and energy. And GPUs of course.

Except its caused by good old bubble capitalism.

Re: Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

#64

Post by cyanydeez »

hshdhdhj4444 wrote: post #45
CryptoBanker wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The state of things...meaning AI companies buying up the world's supply of RAM

Yes. AI companies will continue to buy up all the RAM so you and I have to pay the cost for it. They will also eat up all the energy so you and I have to pay more for energy. They will also then try and put you and I out of a job. And if they fail to do so, they will then get your and my tax dollars to bail them out. There should be real AI research and technology development, but the way it’s being done right now is…

Lets be honest: Most peoples computing needs have been satisfied in the last decade.

FOMO and Number goes up is the primary issue both with AI and most compute today.

There's so many made up numbers these days that does zero productive work, like FPS, refresh rates, 4k, 8k, 16k.

Bloat is everywhere.

Re: Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

#65

Post by klez »

acephal wrote: post #50
jordanb wrote: post #23

At some point it's going to make sense to buy a computer without ram once the lack of ram pushes demand down for all other components. Maybe this won't last that long given the RAM shortage is apparently a corner attempt by Sam Altman.

From what I've read, he's tied up RAM manufacturers through 2029. That's a lot of quartely earnings reports for many firms in the economy where they watch consumer spend come to a screeching halt.

One has to hope OpenAI goes bankrupt and they flood the market with used RAM sticks at bargain bin price.

Re: Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

#66

Post by chairmansteve »

mschuster91 wrote: post #22
dismalaf wrote: post #19

What's wild is OpenAI doubling down on hyperscaling when it's obvious that the gains from pre-training are coming to an end. They seem determined to just go out in flames...

The thing is, it seems like they are planning to force everyone else out of the market. Acquire all the RAM they can possibly get, leave none for the competition, pray to survive the entire mess. It's the inevitable peak of the venture capital pipeline, just this time it isn't individual industries (e.g. taxis with Uber, hotels with AirBnB) getting squeezed out by unsustainable pricing - it's the economy at large tha…

These gambits never work though. In 6 months you'll be able to get memory chips and GPUs for nothing.....

There's a few historical examples here....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornering_the_market

Re: Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

#67

Post by teeray »

klez wrote: post #65
acephal wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I've read, he's tied up RAM manufacturers through 2029. That's a lot of quartely earnings reports for many firms in the economy where they watch consumer spend come to a screeching halt.

One has to hope OpenAI goes bankrupt and they flood the market with used RAM sticks at bargain bin price.

Don’t worry, they’ve cozied up for a nice fat bailout if that happens.

Re: Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

#69

Post by Bayart »

ndiddy wrote: post #12
walterbell wrote: post #6

https://www.trendforce.com/news/2025/12/05/exclusive-memory-... > Lenovo has begun notifying clients of coming price hikes, with adjustments set to take effect in early 2026.. Dell is expected to raise prices by at least 15-20%, with the increase potentially taking effect as soon as mid-December.. Dell COO Jeff Clarke warned that he’s “never seen memory-chip costs rise this fast,” .. Lenovo [cited] two key factors: a…

Dell now charges more for RAM than Apple for some models: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-now-beats-dell-at...

The margins on memory for Apple were so absurd that they should have more ability to eat up the costs, if they wanted to. I'm assuming they would, to the extent that they're a device company more so than a service company yet.

Re: Framework Raises DDR5 Memory Prices by 50% for DIY Laptops

#70

Post by derektank »

acephal wrote: post #49

Altman should be jailed for this. Single-handedly crashing consumer spending in an entire sector of the economy. At the very least for the reason that that was supposed to happen _after_ they had the AI in hand to supplant majority white collar labor, not before.

We’re contemplating jailing people for buying manufactured goods at the market price now?
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