Micron Confirms Lack of DDR5 Modules due to PMIC and VRM Shortage

[TheLostSwede]

During its quarterly earnings call, Micron confirmed that the lack of DDR5 memory in retail is not due to a shortage of DDR5 memory ICs, but rather due to a shortage of PMIC and VRM components. Micron said that "demand for DDR5 products is significantly exceeding supply due to non-memory component shortages impacting memory suppliers' ability to build DDR5 modules."

It would appear that demand ended up being higher than expected, due to the popularity of Intel's Alder Lake CPUs, with the DRAM module makers not having prepared enough stock of the new components that are required to make DDR5 DIMMs, which has resulted in the current lack of DDR5 modules in retail. Micron is working on its end to resolve this issue and has entered what it calls "strategic agreements to secure supply of certain components" and is expecting supply of said components to improve slowly in 2022. It seems like some of these components are also related to other products made by Micron, such as SSDs.



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[Ravenmaster]

That's funny, I don't remember any shortage of PMICs back when they used to be built straight onto motherboards. Can we say 'Artificial Supply Constraints?' That's one way for manufacturers to push up RAM prices right?

 

[TheLostSwede]

That's funny, I don't remember any shortage of PMICs back when they used to be built straight onto motherboards. Can we say 'Artificial Supply Constraints?' That's one way for manufacturers to push up RAM prices right?

Nothing artificial as such, there's an industry wide shortage of PMICs right now.

 

[noel_fs]

each day we are closer to "substrate shortage" which is just plastic and it will be quite funny

 

[TheLostSwede]

each day we are closer to "substrate shortage" which is just plastic and it will be quite funny

Doesn't seem to be any reports of plastic shortages, so you don't have to worry quite yet.

 

[Wirko]

At least in Europe (Germany, Austria), the availability has improved a bit in the last couple days. Prices still out of the orbit.

 

[b4psm4m]

It is definitely true that manufacturers are struggling to get hold of simple electronic parts. I work in certification where every critical part is strictly controlled. Lots of manufacturers are having to pay to update certificates to be able to use alternative parts, as they cannot get the currently approved parts anymore that they have been using for years. I doubt they are doing this for fun.

 

[Ravenmaster]

Nothing artificial as such, there's an industry wide shortage of PMICs right now.

Sure, when you hoard them all to make it look that way then release them in very small quantities at a time.

 

[Static~Charge]

Sure, when you hoard them all to make it look that way then release them in very small quantities at a time.

Where's the tin foil? I need a new hat.

 

[R-T-B]

Nothing artificial as such, there's an industry wide shortage of PMICs right now.

Don't let that ruin a good conspiracy...

each day we are closer to "substrate shortage" which is just plastic and it will be quite funny

We're already at cardboard shortage so not far off...

 

[Zmon]

Where's the tin foil? I need a new hat.

To be fair, Micron, along with all the other DRAM manufacturers, has been caught multiple times price fixing. I wouldn't exactly rule it out, but I also wouldn't rule them out actually being truthful.

 

[TheLostSwede]

To be fair, Micron, along with all the other DRAM manufacturers, has been caught multiple times price fixing. I wouldn't exactly rule it out, but I also wouldn't rule them out actually being truthful.

From what I was told by someone working at a DRAM module maker, the DRAM manufacturers have plenty of DDR5 DRAM dies ready, but beyond the component shortage, due to the pandemic, there's also a an issue with the actual packaging of the DRAM chips. This is most likely due to staff related issues, since this is something most companies are experiencing, if they're not doing their chip packaging in Taiwan.

 

[stimpy88]

DDR4 is still a better choice. For now.

 

[TheLostSwede]

DDR4 is still a better choice. For now.

Price wise, for sure. There seem to be some performance advantages of DDR5 in some real world applications that are memory bandwidth heavy or that likes really high memory clocks, but for most of us, none of it is very relevant.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Price wise, for sure. There seem to be some performance advantages of DDR5 in some real world applications that are memory bandwidth heavy or that likes really high memory clocks, but for most of us, none of it is very relevant.

I guess until their latency goes down significantly, there will be no performance improvements, especially in games.

 

[stimpy88]

Price wise, for sure. There seem to be some performance advantages of DDR5 in some real world applications that are memory bandwidth heavy or that likes really high memory clocks, but for most of us, none of it is very relevant.

Yeah, I have no doubt that in two or three years, we will all be getting the best scores and performance by a long way with DDR5, but for me, it's hard to justify a 5% perf improvement for tripple or quadruple the cost of a well tuned DDR4 3200C14 B-Die kit.

 

[semitope]

So it really is due to poor planning. Rather stupid I think. Even if they had excess DDR5, it would eventually sell throughout 2022. But they should have expected more demand. Which ever company had the foresight to make enough now would be making bank.

Where's the tin foil? I need a new hat.

its not necessarily a conspiracy theory. IIRC TSMC was complaining about customers hoarding chips.
I do doubt some company is doing this for these particular components unless they want to charge more and calculated it would benefit them.