DRAM, Samsung, these profits are on fire, NAND ain't that the truth

Korean tech titan Samsung has posted bumper annual results on the back of high memory chip demand, with yearly operating profit up 83 per cent to 53.7 trillion won (£35.4bn). Semiconductors were the main driver of growth, accounting for two-thirds of its operating profit of 35.2 trillion won, according to figures emitted on …

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Will Prices Reduce for PC DRAM ?

They're also developing a specific processor for crypto currency mining which should also help with graphics card prices - I would hope since I want a new one.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Will Prices Reduce for PC DRAM ?

There have been ASICs designed for bitcoin mining on the market for several years, but they are priced VERY high because of the low sales over which to amortize the design/mask costs. GPUs tend to provide better bang for the buck because the sales across which to amortize the costs are so much higher.

So until the bitcoin bubble bursts, I'm afraid you'll have to deal with inflated GPU prices. At some point a GPU becomes "junk" to a miner, where they will make more money by buying the latest GPU and selling off the old one. That's probably what you should buy, the market for "used" GPUs (say 18 months old or so?) should be pretty depressed because of all the miners dumping them when something new and shiny comes out.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Will Prices Reduce for PC DRAM ?

Not all the altcoins are "mined", and ASICs like the one Samsung is fabbing for one of their customers (probably Chinese) are designed specifically for bitcoin and won't work for these alternatives even if they are mined. GPUs are more general purpose and aren't specific to one type of cryptocoin.

[Charlie Clark]

Re: Will Prices Reduce for PC DRAM ?

Supply, meet demand.

[Charlie Clark]

Re: Will Prices Reduce for PC DRAM ?

Following indicates that prices are artificially high

Please define "artificially"? DRAM has traditionally been a great way for companies to lose money followed by price fixing. While price fixing is generally* illegal I do understand why companies might engage in it: these factories can be fantastically expensive to build.

* We tolerate it with oil even though it is far more fungible but that's only realy because the only way to enforce it would be war.