Overview
- TrendForce reports the average spot price for mainstream DDR4 chips rose 9.64% in one week, climbing from US$25.407 on Jan. 7 to US$27.857 on Jan. 14.
- Domestic reports from China indicate DDR3 motherboard volumes are roughly two to three times higher than before the shortage, with bundles pairing boards to Intel 6th–9th gen CPUs selling well.
- Many buyers are turning to older Intel X99 and X79 workstation platforms to achieve high memory capacities using inexpensive, used DDR3 modules.
- Some DIY builders are using SODIMM-to-DIMM adapters to run lower-cost laptop RAM in desktop systems as a stopgap.
- Vendors are signaling increased availability for older DDR4 platforms such as AM4, yet kit prices remain elevated, with some coverage attributing the strain to AI and data-center demand priorities.