According to Chosun Biz statistics, the export value of Korean-made DRAM chips increased 12.5 times in three years and seven months. Today, one kilogram of this memory costs the equivalent of 620 grams of gold, which is almost 42 times more expensive than one kilogram of silver.
Image source: SK hynix
how explain TrendForce pointed out that judging from the increase in DRAM prices during this period, even gold is significantly ahead: the cost of Korean memory has increased by 12.5 times, while the price of precious metals has only increased by 2.4 times. South Korea’s average export of DRAM wafers per kilogram now reaches US$92,183, an increase of 401% in the first three years of August. During the same period, South Korea’s DRAM export revenue increased by 504.8% compared with the same period last year to US$9.8 billion.
Part of this dynamic is due to the increasing volume of manufacturing microcircuits: the more memory each wafer contains, the higher its cost. The average capacity of DRAM chips exported from South Korea has doubled in the past year, from 1GB to 2GB. However, this factor alone cannot explain such a rapid rise in prices.
According to TrendForce statistics, server DRAM contract prices increased by 64% in the second half of last year, and the increase is expected to reach 270% by the end of this year. Memory prices rose particularly sharply in the second quarter, with contract prices rising 53-58% from the previous quarter. It is expected to grow another 13-18% in the third quarter and 3-8% in the fourth quarter.
The retail market is moving in the same direction. Sources pointed out that in Germany, the average cost of DDR5 modules has increased 4.86 times since July last year. Prices in the United States and Japan have also increased severalfold. At the same time, even if the price increases, memory is not always easy to find on sale: specialized bots are actually constantly looking for it, which often leaves ordinary buyers without the opportunity to buy the required mod at an affordable price.
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