DDR5 RAM will probably be pretty expensive for a while

It looks like supply will be constrained for most of 2022

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DDR5 RAMhas just started being available on mainstream computing platforms starting withAlder Lakeand the Z690 chipset. However, if you’ve been looking to upgrade to this platform you should be prepared to pay a bit more than expected.

According toSeeking Alpha,  memory manufacturer Micron has stated in an earnings call that supply on the components that go into making RAM kits is in short supply, which will mean a shortage of DDR5 RAM, which is in high demand now that it’s available on mainstream platforms.

And while the report doesn’t directly mention the price of the memory kits you’ll see in your local big box store, it’s the same kind of thing that’s happening with the best graphics cards, so you should expect to see prices go up until the situation improves.

Luckily, supply is expected to improve in the second half of 2022, hopefully beforeAMDlaunches a competitor to Alder Lake - whenever Team Red is ready to do so. And considering that DDR5 memory is only available on one desktop platform right now, we would expect the situation to get worse, especially as DDR5 starts to become available on laptops.

We haven’t heard any word of laptops using the new memory standard yet, but mobile chipsets are never far behind their desktop counterparts, so we suspect we’ll see some news on that front atCES 2022.

ViaKitGuru

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Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN. Previously, she was TechRadar’s US computing editor. She is fat, queer and extremely online. Computers are the devil, but she just happens to be a satanist. If you need to know anything about computing components, PC gaming or the best laptop on the market, don’t be afraid to drop her a line on Twitter or through email.

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