DRAM Prices are about to fall

Yes folks, it's true. I expect 16Mb to be costing less than £200 within a few weeks so hold on if you're planning on that Windows-95 inspired upgrade.

More rubbish is talked about RAM supply that most other aspects of the computer industry. On this price movement I've been told it was down to the Chinese New Year creating a world glut as all the far eastern clone makers close down for the holiday. Pull the other one!

For a start, I very much doubt that Far Eastern computer factories close down ever, and that if they do it won't be for the full two weeks of the New Year celebrations. This leaves the possibility that one of the many fire-damaged DRAM factories has been re-built leading to an over supply. Or how about the leader of those bandits who plunder the DRAM lorries has finally been nicked?

I think it is far more likely that the Japanese have come to the end of agreements they had with large American companies to buy up all of their production at set prices. This leaves them free to supply Europe directly (and Europe is a big market), and bypasses an 80% DRAM duty imposed by the American government which was designed to protect their own producers (whoever they might be).

© 1996 Frank J Leonhardt