GPU prices keep surging

[Pete Dero]

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/in-a-troubling-sign-nvidia-rtx-50-series-prices-jump-up-to-30-percent-in-south-korea-tsmc-wafer-hikes-and-usd20-gddr7-modules-push-rtx-5090-past-usd5-100

GPU prices are set to increase in South Korea starting this month, specifically Nvidia's desktop GeForce RTX 50 series. According to a recent report, the price increase is primarily due to the recent increase in price for advanced process wafers from TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), along with the rising price for GDDR7 memory. Perhaps most troubling is that, due to global market dynamics, pricing doesn't exist in a vacuum for any single region, suggesting that price hikes could be in store for other areas in the future.

High-end graphics cards with larger GDDR7 memory configurations are expected to see the biggest increase in production costs, leading to higher retail prices.

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/gpu-prices-for-current-gen-nvidia-and-amd-price-increases-why-have-the-prices-not-dropped-and-can-you-still-buy-a-cheap-gpu

We can see that, in general, the lowest-ever prices seen are barely below the launch MSRP prices, if at all. With cards such as Nvidia's flagship GeForce RTX 5090 never dropping below its initial release price. In the case of the RTX 5090, the price of the top-tier GPU that features 32GB of precious VRAM has only ever increased, rising from $1,999 to $4,288, a staggering $2,289 (114.5%) difference.

[Jarhead0331]

Have you guys seen the prices of SSDs lately? Not good. Not good at all.

[Pete Dero]

Have you guys seen the prices of SSDs lately? Not good. Not good at all.

One year ago I bought a SSD for 320 €.  Today the same disk would cost me 510 €.

[W8taminute]

Have you guys seen the prices of SSDs lately? Not good. Not good at all.

I have.  Was looking to upgrade my existing 500GB drive for a 2TB but was astonished at the prices. 

[al_infierno]

I understand AI datacenters are largely to blame for the surging prices of RAM. This financial bubble truly cannot pop fast enough, and once it does I'm guessing there's going to be a LOT of empty datacenters gathering dust, and a total decimation of these little AI startups with nonsense names like ScalerSoft or ZapadooAI. But I am pretty worried about how things will go down once all these investors realize they're never going to make back the billions they burned on these companies...

I honestly don't understand why investors would risk it at this point. IMO there are some pretty clear leaders in the space now between ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and maybe even Grok. There's no way all these new dime-a-dozen startups can catch up, even with a team of the most brilliant engineers working around the clock.

Oh well. I guess the real race now is to see who survives long enough to bring SHODAN to life and Harlan Ellison the whole world. 

(On a funny note, I keep seeing a billboard for one of these companies near my work with the words AI INFERENCE slapped across it, and thinking I'm seeing my username...)

[Pete Dero]

I understand AI datacenters are largely to blame for the surging prices of RAM.

https://www.ign.com/articles/ramageddon-continues-another-year-as-2027-memory-capacity-is-reportedly-sold-out

According to a report from Digitimes and spotted by TweakTown, all DRAM and HBM capacity has been sold through for 2027, with no further supply planned. (The companies themselves have not yet confirmed this to be the case.) Of course, that only means that retail prices are going to go up even further in the near future.

[al_infierno]

I understand AI datacenters are largely to blame for the surging prices of RAM.

https://www.ign.com/articles/ramageddon-continues-another-year-as-2027-memory-capacity-is-reportedly-sold-out

According to a report from Digitimes and spotted by TweakTown, all DRAM and HBM capacity has been sold through for 2027, with no further supply planned. (The companies themselves have not yet confirmed this to be the case.) Of course, that only means that retail prices are going to go up even further in the near future.

Wow - that's even worse than I thought.

[bobarossa]

I had been thinking of building a new PC this fall when the Win10 security updates ended.  I wonder if the extension of updates for another year has anything to do with people not being able to afford a new PC for Win11?  Hah, who am I kidding!