8GB RAM Barrier...

[theTOman]

Just looking at the different models - while I'm waiting for my Sable Performance...

And I noticed, on a few products (did not investigate further), that the prices for RAM are quite good, but they literally go out of proportion as soon as we hit 8GB... An example (Pangolin Performance):

2 GB - DDR2 800 MHZ x 1 DIMM
3 GB - DDR2 800 MHz - 2 DIMMs ( +$27.00 )
4 GB - DDR2 800 MHz - 2 DIMMs ( +$50.00 )
8 GB – DDR2 800 MHZ - 2 DIMMs ( +$765.00 )

And a second one (Serval Professional):

2 GB - DDR3 1066 MHz 1 DIMM
3 GB - DDR3 1066 MHz x 2 DIMMs ( +$35.00 )
4 GB - DDR3 1066 MHZ - 2 DIMMs ( +$55.00 )
8 GB – DDR3 1066 MHz x 2 DIMMs ( +$1,095.00 )

Now... What's the rationale behind such a difference? (55$ for 4G; 1,095 for 8G!!?!??!?!???!?)

Thanks for enlightening me! ;)

[freakbofo]

im not really sure,but my thinking would be that to fit double the ram in the same sized stick,especially that much,would have to be done by a much more technical way.And maybe different method?Maybe they think if u want that much ram u are gonna pay that much.I couldnt probably even afford a machine that would run that kinda size memory,so maybe thats the rationing???If ur going to pay that,that's what they're gonna charge i suppose.??????????

[celthunder]

Once you get to 8gb/stick it's assumed you are putting them in a server so you either have money or need it. Check the prices of ecc ram at 8gb/stick and its cheaper (which is what should be in your servers in the first place). Make sure your motherboard supports 8gb sticks if you do buy them, most prebuilt machines wont support them (dell/hp/whatever).

[thomasaaron]

The above answer has got to be at least partially on track. I can't imagine it takes the actual memory manufacturers *that* much money to make them.

However, advances in technology were required to put 4GB on a laptop memory card. 4GB laptop memory hasn't been around all that long.

My guess is that, as the market gets flooded with them, as manufacturing processes are improved (i.e. made cheaper), and as competitors start doing it better and cheaper, the price will come down quite a bit. But who knows when that will be.

[Odemia]

I would say there are 3 main reasons, in no particular order:

1) Memory sticks have limited physical size, limiting the number of memory chips that can be on each board. There is a point where you cannot add more chips and instead have to get better chips (better = more expensive).

2) To put more memory onto a chip generally means that the process for producing the chips becomes less reliable (more silicon gets thrown out becasue they don't work, but they are still payed for by those who buy the ones that do work). Techniques used to increase memory capacity include: making transistors smaller and making the die area larger. There is also the complicated issue of maintaining speed and latency as the memory size increases.

3) There is also a bit of supply and demand. People who want/need 8GB memory sticks (that would mean the computer is going to have 16 or 32 GB of ram, perhaps more in servers) are in a very small minority therefore the chips and sticks are produced in smaller scale.

PS If you want to know more look for a book or webpage on VLSI or memory design.

[3Miro]

As far as I can read the manufacturer specs for the motherboards they rarely support more then 4GB. I think for the pangolin laptop in particular, the mobo (according to NVIDIA) does not support more than 4GB. I assumed the difference in price is for a different motherboard.

[Odemia]

As far as I can read the manufacturer specs for the motherboards they rarely support more then 4GB. I think for the pangolin laptop in particular, the mobo (according to NVIDIA) does not support more than 4GB. I assumed the difference in price is for a different motherboard.

Good point. Motherboard may be involved.

But look at ram prices (tiger direct for example http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=4153&name=DDR3---Laptop-Memory&):
1x4GB DDR3 PC8500 200pin = $551.99
1X2GB DDR3 PC8500 200pin = $55.99
I also found similar price discrepancy with ddr3 laptop memory at newegg.com.

Based on the ~$300USD (~$500CAD) difference in ram prices I am still strongly inclined to believe that the ram is probably the dominant force.

[soleblaze]

It's mostly due to the manufacturing costs involved in making ram modules that dense. In a Desktop, you can just double the size of the RAM modules and stick more memory chips on it. Unfortunately you're a lot more limited in space with laptop memory. It took about one and half years for 2GB Dimms to drop from $300-400 to $100-150... Probably will take a bit longer for 4GB to become affordable.