Improving Intel chipset supplies to push up DDR 2 prices

Taiwanese DRAM makers have pointed to rising supplies of Intel's 945-class chipsets as another factor driving up DDR 2 SDRAM prices.

According to sources among Taiwan's memory-maker community, cited by DigiTimes, 945-based motherboards now account for more than 15 per cent of second- and lower-tier PCs - well up on Q4's percentage, they say - which is, in turn, driving up DDR 2 demand.

Yesterday, Taiwanese memory-market watcher DRAMeXchange warned that DDR 2 prices will rise during the second half of January as demand outstrips supply, in part thanks to major memory-makers such as Samsung shifting production to NAND Flash chips.

However, it suggested the effects may be mitigated by an overall decline in demand for new PCs in the traditionally quiet post-Christmas quarter. The comments from Taiwan's memory-makers suggest that what demand there is is shifting toward DDR 2-based platforms. ®