- A Russian modder built his own 32 GB of DDR5 RAM using salvaged laptop SO-DIMM chips.
- The modder saved somewhere between $600 and $800 compared to the retail kits.
- The process involved advanced chip-level soldering and flashing skills, not viable for many of us.
Memory kits will continue to get rarer and more expensive for the next few years. Micron’s Crucial brand has already pulled out of the consumer market, and high-end RAM kits are also more costly than many consoles right now.
This crisis is inspiring modders to create their own DIY RAM projects for a much cheaper cost than market offerings.
A new report reveals that Russian modder VIK-on saved somewhere between $600 and $800 by creating his own 32 GB DDR5 UDIMM RAM using two salvaged laptop 16 GB SO-DIMM sticks.
Why it matters: The DIY project was much cheaper than market deals but also carried extreme risks and required advanced skills to pull off.
The report by VideoCardz covers VIK’s latest update about his DIY RAM project. The DDR5 SO-DIMMs cost 16,000 rubles together, which is about $205. A custom DDR5 PCB was priced at 600 rubles (~$8), and the modder found a basic heatsink from AliExpress for 415 rubles (~$5).
The overall build cost was approximately $218 for a single 32 GB DDR5 stick, which costs at least 1/3 of the market DDR5 RAM price in Russia, as per the report.
The modder flashed ADATA firmware onto the module, which enabled an XMP profile at DDR5-6400 CL32. It matches premium specs without the absurd premium pricing.
The DDR5 memory pricing has also been ridiculous in the West and will get even worse this year, making VIK’s milestone impressive worldwide. He reported stable performance in games, although no benchmarks were shared.
Building custom DDR5 RAM kits would require you to secure SO-DIMMs, specialized equipment, and advanced skills. Although the SO-DIMM chips are more readily available than desktop UDIMM kits, due to the latter’s high demand.
The modder also explored using 8 GB SO-DIMMs but ran into complications due to differences in chip packaging, which reportedly affect PCB compatibility. So it’s best to stick with 16 GB ones.
Do you think building custom RAM sticks is cheaper than buying ready-made kits, or is it too complex a task to be worth it for the majority? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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