Oh yeah, thinking about DDR4 RAM prices, I'm still wondering why it's cheaper to buy 4 x 8Gb sticks than it is to buy 2 x 16Gb sticks.  Just about every online store I've checked here in Oz is selling the 2 x 16Gb for anything up to 60 - 70 bucks more than the 4 x 8Gb option.... same brand, same clock speeds, same values.  Like why?  Is it because 16Gb sticks are new and 8Gb sticks are now 'old hat'?

I would have preferred the 2 x 16Gb option because I could have added another 2 sticks further down the track to upgrade to 64GB, but the additional cost overall was going to be in the vicinity of $150, and I'd already gone over budget.  Oh, and the Aussie taxman certainly knows how to get in for his chop and then some.  Bloke at my local PC store told me that we're paying up to 45% tax on some electronics and PC components.

Perhaps that's another reason why I'm stopping building computers.... I'm tired of paying big bucks to the greedy taxman for the privilege.

Oh, and Jim, that's a nice looking case you're sporting there for your Ryzen Build.  Looks as if it has plenty of room for components and some left over for expansion.... PCIe and etc.  I have quite a few PCIe expansion cards to go into this new build, but with only 6 PCIe slots on the mobo, I've invested in some PCIe riser cards to add several more slots. 

The trick will be placing them in the case to be neat, tidy and efficient.  The case has 10 expansion slots all up, but not all cards will need external access, and those will be placed on a metal plate I'll make up to stop them moving around inside when everything's closed up.

4x8 typically maxes out a mobo....2x16 leaves 2 more banks [typically]...so there's a premium driven by upgrade potential...

Funny thing is, I just talked to my local PC shop owner yesterday, and it seems it's cheaper to buy an 8 Gig stick of DDR4, than to buy 2x4 GB sticks. Therefore, he only carries 8 GB sticks.

The mobo I'm about to build on has 8 slots, 4 on either side of the cpu socket. Don't guess I need to use them all.

It'll handle 16 GB sticks x 8. I don't think I'll need 128 GB of ram.

That may be so, but for mine it's still slimy and dishonest.  Sadly, there's little to no honesty or transparency in business anymore, just dirty tricks, with respect for consumers seriously on the decline.

Now the opposite is true here:  where 4 x4Gb typically maxes out a board and 2 x 8Gb typically populates only 2 slots.  No wonder consumer confidence/trust in business is on the decline.  It's a tipsy topsy world, price-wise and businesses seem to charge what they want when they want, which is why I blacklist those companies I feel are profiteering through artificial inflation, etc.

It's like the company I ordered the first set of RAM from.  It's not that it could not provide the product I ordered.  No, some twit put the wrong price on it and the product was temporarily removed from sale so it could be relisted at a higher price.  Australian consumer law states that a company must sell its products at the advertised price, whether it be correct or not.  That is not the consumer's responsibility. 

Anyway, because the company blatantly removed the item after I placed and paid for my order at the advertised price, then reposted later it at a higher price,  I made a formal complaint with Australia's consumer watchdog, which has responded positively to my complaint and it appears action will be taken because the company acted unlawfully.  So now this company is looking at the prospect of thousands in fines because it tried to save a couple of hundred bucks illegally  

Suck eggs mothers.....   Don't fech with me cos I fech back.  

Ram pricing is one of those particularly seasonal fluctuation things....like petrol.

Just one earthquake in Taiwan and all hell breaks loose.

I remember paying $256 for a 256 meg stick and having the shop ask me if they could have it back for another build...and I'd get it a new one in a few weeks time...and they'd pay $500....but I needed it then, not later...

Yes, that was like the hard drive market after the Thailand floods a few years back.  That I can understand.  What I don't like and can not tolerate is when prices are inflated artificially simply to profiteer.... and charging $70 - $80 extra for 2 less units of RAM but the exact same brand and values is artificial and daylight fechen robbery.  In essence, except for the actual chips, there's less material used to make up 2 x16Gb sticks... hence they should be priced to reflect that, but no, we're only buying 2 sticks [not 4 x 8Gb] so we're going to pay for it.

Like I said, consumers are losing confidence and respect in [online and bricks n' mortar] retailers over these slimy practices, yet they continue because that's how business is 'done' nowadays.  If I believe a business has artificially inflated a product to maximise profits, then I will boycott that product and business.... and I'm not the only one.

You'd think big businesses would learn from the age old principle that it is easier to get a dollar from a million people than it is to get a million dollars from just a few.... but again no, the drive to so-say maintain high profits remains, regardless of how many consumers leave those over-inflated products on the shelf out of principle and disgust. 

Sadly, people with more money than sense, absolutely no indignation or anger over slimy retail tactics, keep these businesses going through continuing to purchase products at artificially induced prices.  Things would be a whole lot better on the retail landscape if people refused to buy these products.  Yet again no!  It's too hard to stand up for something and be counted.  'They're too powerful and it's too hard", so instead too many consumers cop it sweet and lay down to get mounted..  Yup big business, particularly people like Jerry Harvey of Harvey Norman, has effectively developed strategies to 'mount' consumers over the last century or so, which goes to show just how pathetic much of the buying public is.... rolling over and just taking it.

*RANT off* .... for now.      

Not happy.... AGAIN!!!!

My order for the mobo, CPU and graphics card has been help up for two weeks now, and no word as to why until I messaged the seller today.  After my third query I was advised that the graphics card is on a long back-order and will not become available until late January 2018.

I have since modified my order to purchase another ASUS graphics card with similar specs for 40 bucks more.  With a bit of luck there will be no further delay and I'll get my components by Monday next week at the latest.

For the third time now I've had to reorder RAM because sellers just aren't getting it right to meet customer needs.  Twice I had a seller under two different names pull my order because they had advertised incorrectly below price, and now I have a seller who informs me that the item I ordered has to come from a supplier and there is no ETA on the part.

I trawled through the website looking for a replacement within my budget, but there was little to choose from.   About 80% of the advertised RAM in my price range was 'order in', meaning an extra week's delay before it these items were in stock.  Add to that the 1 - 5 day turnaround for payment processing and packing, etc, then shipping time,, it meant that I'd not see my RAM until the new year.

In the end I lost patience and bit the bullet with a more expensive 32GB kit... as Corsair Vengeance LPX Black Series @ 2666GHz.  It's costing about $75.00 more, but the reviews and ratings suggest it was a better choice than my next option, which was 32GB (2x16) Team @ 3000MHz.  According to Canuk Hardware and others, the Corsair kit is more durable and not too different in performance, etc.

Oh well, they say it's 3rd time lucky.  

Probably shouldve waited untill after christmas couldve found overstock, and used deals.

Nah, I don't think it would've made a difference.  According to the bloke I spoke with at the current seller, DDR4 RAM, particularly in the lower-end MHz's, is in short supply across Australia, which is driving prices up and causing long delays with order placing and shipping.  So no, I don't think there will be too many overstocks with DDR4, and I certainly won't be putting used anything in this build.... unless I used it.

Apparently there are overstocks of DDR3 RAM, but that's no good to me.  I have all I need of that... 32GB in each of two machines.  Anyway, it is what it is, and I'll be happy when it arrives.

DDR4 ram is expensive here in the US as well.

Yeah, it's in short supply worldwide, apparently.  However, here in Australia, PC builders are slugged to the hilt with import duties, sales tax AND GST [Goods and Services Tax].  In some cases, as much as 60% goes to the taxman.

And it's no good shopping overseas because our resident billionaire, Jerry Harvey, a self-serving bastard retailer, lobbied our government for years to impose taxes on previously non-taxed items from overseas sellers... and recently won.  Now everything we buy from overseas is taxed twice... once by the country of origin, then by Australia on the way in.... all because some bastard billionaire thought he was losing retail dollars.  Can't stand whiny-ass pricks like him, and on principle I refuse to even walk into one of his stores, much less purchase anything from one.

*Rant off*  Again!!!!  

On a happier note, I got an email to say that my RAM has been shipped by Australia Post and could arrive here by tomorrow.  We normally don't get mail on Saturdays, but due to the Christmas period we are getting weekend deliveries until Christmas eve, meaning I may not have to wait until after Xmas.

Have a Merry RAM-filled Christmas!

Thank you,  Same to you, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.