Why is RAM so expensive compared to SSD?

beany_bot · 1 Jan 2016 at 18:55

Think RAM is cheap? hmmm I though so but recently buying an SSD made me think again.

500GB SSD approx £100
16GB DDR3 approx £80

Aren't they the same thing? Fast, solid state "random access" writeable memory.

Why the vast storage and price difference?

spoffle · 1 Jan 2016 at 18:56

They're not the same thing no. RAM isn't storage, they are similar but largely quite different.

kayomani · 1 Jan 2016 at 18:58

That is like comparing an abacus to a calculator.

Intel's upcoming xpoint is going to blur the lines a bit non-volatile storage at RAM speeds and SSD sized storage.

beany_bot · 1 Jan 2016 at 20:59

spoffle said:
They're not the same thing no. RAM isn't storage, they are similar but largely quite different.

But surely the manufacture of them is quite similar. I've seen inside an SSD and it looks....well...just like a RAM chip. And similar technology.

TheVoice · 1 Jan 2016 at 21:08

beany_bot said:
But surely the manufacture of them is quite similar. I've seen inside an SSD and it looks....well...just like a RAM chip. And similar technology.

Not at all. One is volatile while the other is non-volatile, for a start. Just because they're both "chips" doesn't mean they're the same thing.

biuro74 · 2 Jan 2016 at 13:37

beany_bot said:
But surely the manufacture of them is quite similar. I've seen inside an SSD and it looks....well...just like a RAM chip. And similar technology.

Oh, mate

If it's quite similar, replace all RAMs with SSDs in your PC ;-)

What you saw it's JUST external CASING, you have no bright idea what's inside. The same way you can ask why the **** Ferrari 488 is much expensive than your lovely Nissan Micra, if they both have the same-looking things: wheels, seats, mirrors. Lol.