Russian enthusiasts are planning to build their own DDR5 RAM amidst the worldwide shortage — do-it-yourself RAM is as ‘easy’ as sourcing your own memory modules and soldering them on empty PCBs

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/ddr5/russian-enthusiasts-are-building-their-own-ddr5-ram-amidst-the-worldwide-shortage-as-easy-as-sourcing-your-own-memory-modules-and-soldering-them-on-empty-pcbs

34 Comments

  1. Yeah, that’s the issue.

    I doubt any of the companies that manufacture completed ram have a hard time getting pcb’s, diodes, controller chips etc all those other parts.

    The shortage is the actual RAM modules. Those are being snatched up.

  2. “it would cost roughly 12,000 Russian Rubles ($152) to build a 16 GB stick with “average” specs, which is about the same as a retail 16 GB kit”

    Nevermind

  3. I’ve soldered 0201 components by hand before. It ain’t that easy. Overheating and fucking up a chip is a difference of about 100msec of heat.

  4. jared_number_two on

    I’m going to use low temperature solder so I know right away if my computer is getting too hot.

  5. Chinese vendors have been doing this since forever and it’s not just limited to RAM, but SSDs too.

    They take chips from broken/decommissioned electronics and put them on new PCBs.

    Doing this in Russia is nothing new or complicated in the technical sense, but sourcing parts is a bitch. There are a few big-ish PCB manufacturers/assembly factories now being propped up by wartime economy, it’s only reasonable to extend the competence.

  6. takeyouraxeandhack on

    Thinking quickly, Ivan constructs a home made RAM using only some string, a squirrel and RAM

  7. Present-Weakness-213 on

    I truly believe we are moving towards computing being a subscription service. It isn’t a conspiracy, it’s a business plan. This kind of thing may be the norm for enthusiasts in the near future.

  8. so theoretically you could take old ram sticks and build new ram out of it with the right “tools” ig ?

    edit:

    forgot to mention im no tech nerd i really have no clue if that would work. i have some old ddr3 and 2 ram sticks lying around so thats where my question comes from

    english grammar not best sorry

  9. Diligent_Appeal_3305 on

    the problem u need to source dram chips anyway at low cost to justify doing DIY thing

  10. Eh, what’s the worst that could happen? So you make a mistake and short-circuit your whole computer, frying all of your other hardware too. That’s not the worst thing in your life when you are already stuck in Russia.

  11. You mean they are building their own DIMMs as most companies are struggling to secure SDRAM ICs and the solution is to just buy SDRAM ICs?

  12. There’s very little added cost in RAM except for silly RGB, heatspreaders etc.

    You can absolutely buy ICs and figure out a PCB but the savings are going to be minimal since the ICs are 95+% of the finished price of a stick.

  13. > According to Vik-on, empty RAM PCBs can be sourced from China for as little as $6.40 per DIMM. **The memory chips themselves, though, that’s a different challenge.**

    lol no shit

  14. Practical_Smell_4244 on

    Now why would I trouble my self to build one if i can just buy one from the store Ugh