Samsung, one of the biggest manufacturers of PC RAM modules, will soon be ending production of DDR4 RAM modules. Instead, the company will turn its focus to newer memory technologies. If you need to build a PC on a budget, the AMD AM4 platform is still a tempting choice. The latest decision by Samsung might make things more difficult for budget PC builders in the future, however, as supplies of DDR4 RAM start to dry up.

AMD's older AM4 platform uses DDR4 RAM. It has long been considered a good choice for budget builds, since AM4 motherboards are relatively inexpensive and offer an easy upgrade route for CPUs. Likewise, DDR4 RAM is quite cheap at the moment, especially when compared to DDR5, making it easy to max out your motherboard with memory for better performance.

Samsung is ending DDR4 production

According to Tom’s Hardware, Samsung is planning to end production of DDR4 memory chips as of early June 2025. This is to free up manufacturing capacity for other technologies, such as DDR5, LPDDR5, and HBM. These new memory technologies, including High Bandwidth Memory, are planned for applications such as AI systems and high-end GPUs and will be far more lucrative than the older DDR4 modules.

Despite Samsung leaving the market, don't expect the supply of DDR4 to run out any time soon. Chinese manufacturers such as CXMT and Fujian Jinhua have been producing modules in bulk and undercutting better-known companies such as SK Hynix, Micron, and Samsung by up to 50%. This level of competition makes it difficult for Samsung to compete.

AM4 was first introduced back in 2016 and has enjoyed an incredibly long lifespan, and it’s still going strong in the budget market as we’ve discussed. AM5 was introduced in 2022, and AMD plans to make the socket’s longevity just as good.

As mainstream manufacturers pull out and smaller Chinese companies try to fill the gap in the market, there might be some fluctuation in price, especially when combined with the uncertainty around the US trade tariffs. However, budget PC builders don't need to panic buy just yet, but we are one step closer.

About the Author

Rebecca Hills-Duty

Writing and journalism experience at VRFocus, UploadVR, The Escapist, HTC, PC Gamer, Tech Radar+ and Dexerto. Can sometimes be found playing with retro tech.