Price trends on PC2-5300 laptop RAM

Did it feel like laptop RAM prices were going up, not down, this summer? We took a look at a year's worth of monthly price-lows on sticks of PC2-5300 laptop memory SO-DIMMs and found something interesting. Both 1GB and 2GB single sticks (not kits), both with rebates and without, were following a normal, steady decline in price. That is, until June.

Before June, prices on 1GB DIMMs (with no rebates attached) fell 71% from October 2006. With rebates, the price of a 1GB stick fell 81% in the same period.

A single 2GB DIMM stick without rebates saw prices fall 52% since August 2006. With rebates, this memory fell 50% in the same time period.

In June 2007, most prices started an upward price trend. The cost of a 2GB stick, without rebates, went up 54%. With rebates, it was only a 24% increase. Similarly, 1GB DIMM prices, without rebates, increased 25%.

After several months of price increases, however, September-to-date saw the return of a downward trend in pricing for this RAM. The price for 1GB sticks, without rebate, fell to $36; a 10% drop from the previous month. Similarly, 2GB DIMMs, also without rebates, dropped to $95; a 5% decrease.

This current decrease puts this RAM back to where prices were in April. If this new downward trend in cost continues, as it should, we should be seeing RAM prices match their June lows by November or possibly late October.

We'll continue to monitor this memory, closely, and we'll let you know when it hits that point. Until then, you can be sure that we'll be listing only the lowest prices available.

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• If you need it now, see dealram for everyday price comparison of laptop RAM.

Jeff Somogyi is a dealnews Senior Staffwriter.