Until quite recently, the gaming community held onto the hope that Chinese-manufactured memory would emerge as a viable, budget-friendly alternative to established brands.
Current pricing for DDR5 memory in China has effectively reached parity with global markets, debunking earlier expectations that domestic manufacturers would provide a more affordable refuge for gamers compared to major international suppliers.
Only a few weeks ago, the tech industry was buzzing with the narrative that Chinese memory producers, particularly CXMT, would act as a market stabilizer amid rising costs. However, recent retail listings demonstrate that this optimistic scenario has failed to gain traction.
A recent listing by KingBank on the JD.com platform reveals a 32GB DDR5 kit priced at 3,629 Yuan—roughly $530. This aligns almost perfectly with the pricing of equivalent hardware from Western manufacturers, signaling that the perceived competitive edge of Chinese-made RAM has essentially vanished.
KingBank, which integrates CXMT DDR5 modules into its retail products, was frequently highlighted during the peak of the “affordable Chinese memory” hype. Today, the reality is quite different; for instance, a 64GB DDR5-6000 kit from the same company now commands a price tag exceeding $1,000, effectively dashing any remaining hopes for significant consumer savings.
Industry analysts suggest that memory manufacturers are now recalibrating their focus toward the enterprise and AI sectors. The profitability of supplying data centers and AI developers vastly outweighs the returns from the mainstream consumer market, leaving traditional PC enthusiasts facing high prices for the foreseeable future.
Source: iXBT.games