[News] DDR4 Kits Reportedly See Nearly 50% Discount in Promotional Sale in Japan, Hit Lowest Level Since Late 2025

Amid continued upward pressure from strong demand and tight supply conditions, the memory spot market is still experiencing sharp volatility. According to Japanese media outlet AKIBA PC Hotline!, desktop DDR4 DIMM modules saw aggressive price cuts at select retailers in late June, with some models reportedly sold at discounts approaching 50%.

The report highlights Crucial’s DDR4-3200 kits as a key example of the downturn. The 32GB×2 configuration was priced at ¥32,980 in late June, down ¥32,000 or 49.2%, while the 16GB×2 kit has fallen to ¥19,980, a reduction of ¥8,820 or 30.6%.

Notably, this marks the first time since December last year that 32GB×2 kits have slipped below the ¥40,000 threshold, while 16GB×2 kits have dropped under ¥20,000—underscoring a sharp reversal in short-term pricing despite the broader market’s tight supply environment, the report adds.

Meanwhile, the report notes that DDR5 memory is showing mixed price movements across different capacity tiers. On the downside, Crucial’s DDR5-5600 32GB×2 kit was discounted by ¥10,000 to ¥79,980.

In contrast, other DDR5-5600 configurations moved higher, with the 48GB×2 kit from Crucial rising by ¥12,000 to ¥161,800, and the 24GB×2 kit increasing by ¥2,000 to ¥71,980, according to AKIBA PC Hotline!.

Short-Term Volatility, Long-Term Uptrend Intact

Nonetheless, as noted by PC Games Hardware, the overall price increases across both DDR4 and DDR5 remain striking, with memory costs rising roughly three- to five-fold since June 2025.

The report highlights that in June 2025, DDR4-3200 kits were priced at around €30 for 16GB modules and €50–€55 for 32GB kits. Since then, prices have reportedly surged sharply, with 16GB kits climbing to at least €115—an increase of more than €80, or nearly four times higher than a year ago.

For 32GB DDR4-3200 kits, prices have also risen to around €190 from roughly €60, marking an increase of €130, or about 3.2×, the report notes.

More broadly, the report underscores that DDR5 inflation has been even more severe than DDR4, with 16GB DDR5 kits carrying a premium of over €120 versus DDR4, and 32GB configurations showing a gap of around €160, or roughly +84%.

Read more

• [News] Motherboard and Module Makers Reportedly Expand DDR4 Platforms Amid Rising DDR5 Costs
• [Insights] Memory Spot Price Update: DDR5 Spot Price Gains Narrow Amid Sluggish Trading; DDR4 Rebounds

(Photo credit: Micron)