" All good things must come to an end ", as the saying goes, and this has never been truer than for DDR3.
Real name SDRAM-DDR3, this type of RAM launched in 2007 is about to bow out. Like every generation before - and after - it, DDR3 has been out of fashion for several years now. Supplanted by DDR4, itself recently overtaken by DDR5, DDR3 is increasingly difficult to find, as retailers have largely emptied their stocks and compatible motherboards are becoming rarer and rarer.
Evolution of DDR RAM generations © Yole
Things aren't likely to get any better in the coming weeks, however, as two of the leading manufacturers of RAM modules, South Korea's Samsung and SK Hynix, are preparing to switch their production lines to more modern generations. IT Home reports the news, citing Taiwanese media outlet Economic Daily. First of all, Samsung has announced to its own customers that it will no longer be possible to place orders for DDR3 modules by the end of the second quarter of 2024... so there are only a few weeks left for manufacturers of RAM modules to make their final purchases.
The sector's other major player, its compatriot SK Hynix, is reportedly no more ambitious for DDR3. In fact, it recently completed the conversion of its main DDR3 module production plant in Wuxi: a conversion that will enable it to produce new generations of memory - which ones, mystery - but not a single DDR3 chip in any case. There are still a few other companies producing this kind of module, but even the third major player, the American Micron, has indicated that its offer will be greatly reduced. At a time when DDR5 is beginning to be democratized, a page is being turned...
