Stupid RAM pricing question

[TechLady]

Stupid question, but I know my client is going to ask, so...

Client's laptop needs more RAM bad. She's got 3GB of PC2-6400 currently. If you do a search--anywhere--for 2GB RAM modules, prices are in the $20 - $40 range. If you look for 4GB modules, that price suddenly triples. Wtf? Are 4GB modules for this kind of RAM that rare? I'd like to max out her RAM to 8GB but does anybody have any idea why on earth there would be a jump like that?

 

[TenYardFight]

Yeah, it's old RAM. Those 4gb were rare when it was new and even more rare now. RAM does not always go down. Eventually it goes up...

 

[jmitservices]

As TenYardFight said...

Older RAM, most manufacturers will be focusing on producing DDR3/4. So the older memory modules increase in price.

One of those memory modules here is anywhere from £80-90.

 

[phaZed]

What the others said, also, in the DDR2 days most motherboards (OEM or otherwise) only supported 4GB max.. hence 4GB single sticks were not very useful unless you had a "special" board or a board with only 1 RAM slot.

 

[kwest]

My guess is she has 32 bit operating system which only can see 3gb ram.

3gb ddr2 ram is enough. If it is ddr3 then upgrade

 

[TechLady]

No, she has 64-bit and runs a program that is fairly memory intensive at all times. Dang. Thanks for the responses.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Geez she can buy a dirt cheap $330 laptop and have more computing power then that POS. Time to upgrade and quit throwing good money after bad.

 

[wavey]

uk.crucial.com 4gb DDR2 PC-6400 £93.59

I try to rescue old RAM from old Laptops for cheap upgrades, but 4Gb DDR2 is rare.

 

[cypress]

Yup older RAM and since it not so common prices are hiked. Imagine trying to find RAMBUS Ram like I did even 5 years ago. Prices were insane.

 

[Metanis]

I see an 8GB kit on Ebay for $115. Historically that's still a reasonable price.

 

[brandonkick]

Geez she can buy a dirt cheap $330 laptop and have more computing power then that POS. Time to upgrade and quit throwing good money after bad.

That's just a tiny bit presumptuous. You don't know what type of laptop that is.

It's possible it could be a fairly decent machine, just doesn't have a lot of ram in it.

I'd take my Thinkpad T420 over any dirt cheap "$300" computer your going to get
today. She could have bought it second hand, and the reseller could have changed
the amount of memory in it. It's possible.

I normally recommend staying far away from "cheap" anythings when it comes to a computer,
laptop or desktop.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I'd take your T420 too. You're comparing 2 year old tech to Vista era tech? DDR2 NOT 3. I stand by my statement.

 

[seedubya]

Many (if not most) laptops that took DDR2 RAM won't take 4GB per slot anyway.