Chip Prices May Drop

[Capper]

The global chip market is suffering from falling prices in microprocessors and memory chips, bad news for companies but great for users.
Steep declines in DRAM (dynamic RAM) for PCs and NAND flash memory, used in a variety of gadgets including digital cameras and iPods, as well as microprocessors prompted the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) to slash its global sales forecast for this year to $252 billion, just 1.8 percent growth compared to last year. The previous estimate called for sales growth of 10 percent this year.
Sales of gadgets themselves are on track to meet forecasts, however, SIA said. Chip shipments overall remain healthy, as does end-user demand. But prices continue to fall for a variety of reasons, including a glut in the memory market and a price war between Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. in microprocessors.
"End markets continue to be strong, with consumers realizing major benefits from lower chip prices coupled with ever-increasing performance and functionality from advances in chip technology. Despite a forecast of slower growth, we expect that global sales of microchips will surpass last year s record level," the SIA said in a statement on Wednesday.
Intel and AMD have been battling each other through price reductions for over a year now, and reports indicate that Intel will cut prices on some microprocessors again in late July. The price war has been good to consumers, delivering more technically advanced microprocessors at a lower cost. Microprocessors are generally the most expensive chip inside a PC.
The DRAM market has been hit the worst. The price of mainstream 512M-bit second-generation double data rate (DDR2) DRAM that runs at 667MHz has plunged 72 percent so far this year to $1.79 per chip, according to DRAMeXchange Technology Inc., a Taiwanese clearinghouse for the chips. The market research division of the company has noted that the chips appear to be bottoming out, and that prices could tick up a bit later this month. DRAM price reductions for users normally come a few weeks or a month after the spot DRAM market falls.

PC World - Chip Prices May Drop

thank you Captain Obvious!!!!!

[othman11]

I just hope prices stay down till after I get mine ordered.

Now to decide which brand and how much....hmmmmm.

[robodude666]

I wish Video card prices would drop more often... I wonder how much the HD 2950 XT would be T_T and how long before its $200...

[Capper]

I'd hold off on buying a processor until after July 22....thats the next price chop day.

AS to GPUs.......not a chance, at least until we get closer to the next release.

[qazwsx]

another cpu price cut? is that intels core 2's included?

[robodude666]

I bought a X2 3800+ for $90 and I am happy :) My next upgrade won't be until december when AM2+ is out.

[RangerXLT8]

Intel has decent price cuts forecasted for July 22nd.

[wtcnbrwndo4u]

Enough to be in line with the price of an X2 3600+? That's what I'm planning to drop in my brother's PC. If a E6320 is the same price, I may just have him wait (though he really wants it like now... he wouldn't use a C2D anyways).

[othman11]

The rumor is the Q6600 will be dropped to the cost of the E6600. Thats what I'm hoping for.

[Panda Man]

Originally Posted by othman11

The rumor is the Q6600 will be dropped to the cost of the E6600. Thats what I'm hoping for.

If that happens I would freak out. What would the E6600 be?