Memory has become really expensive. Some users are now going as far as to buy hardware that is 18 years old: DDR3 RAM and compatible processors are significantly cheaper. Dealers report that sales of old hardware have skyrocketed.
The prices for memory have been rising for months. However, it is no longer just DDR5 that is affected, but also DDR4. Many users are resorting to the older, yet still current standard. Other users build their own memory to save money.
In China, some users are now even going so far as to find another solution to save money: they buy motherboards and processors with DDR3 support.
Sources report that sales of DDR3 motherboards are said to have skyrocketed
The English-language magazine Videocardz reports that retailers and manufacturers in China are currently experiencing a massive increase in sales of old hardware. Specifically, it concerns motherboards and processors that support the outdated DDR3 RAM. In particular, bundles with Intel processors from the 6th to 9th generation are said to be selling particularly well.
The absurdity of it all: The 6th generation of Intel (Skylake) dates back to August 2015 and is therefore already 10 years old. DDR3 is fundamentally even older, dating back to 2007, before it was eventually replaced by DDR4 in 2014.
Important trend: Sales of DDR3 motherboards are rising rapidly.
There is an important trend that needs to be observed: Sales of DDR3 motherboards are rising rapidly. This could be due to a renewed demand for more affordable models. Bundles that combine DDR3 motherboards with CPUs from the 6th to 9th generation are selling well. Based on current information from domestic motherboard brands, sales of DDR3 motherboards are rapidly increasing and showing a rapid growth trend of about two to three times or more.
DDR3 RAM will still work in 2025, but the old hardware only partially supports Windows 11
But is it even worth it? Basically, the hardware is considered outdated, but usually still works just fine.
It only becomes difficult when you want to install Windows 11. Officially, Windows 11 no longer supports the 6th and 7th generations of Intel. Starting from the 8th generation, Intel switched to DDR4 RAM. Windows 11 does support DDR3 RAM, but not the outdated processors.
With unofficial tools, such as Rufus, you can bypass these restrictions, but it may lead to problems later when updating the system.
However, you would have no problems if you prefer to install a Linux operating system. The restrictions regarding hardware are significantly lower here.
A user purchased 1 TB of RAM for around $1,400. A few months later, to his surprise, the hardware is worth $10,000. He had wanted to sell the items much earlier, but simply forgot: A user bought 1 TB of RAM and 20 TB of storage for 1,200 euros a few months ago: Today, the hardware is worth more than 8,500 euros.
