Not so long ago, gamers hoped that Chinese memory would become a good alternative for reasonable money.
Prices for DDR5 RAM in China have practically equalized with global prices, despite recent expectations that local manufacturers would be able to offer gamers a more affordable alternative to major suppliers.
A few weeks ago, the industry actively discussed the idea that Chinese memory manufacturers, in particular CXMT, could become a kind of "salvation" for consumers against the backdrop of rising prices. However, a fresh example from the retail market shows that this scenario did not materialize.
According to a recent listing by KingBank, a 32 GB DDR5 kit costs 3629 yuan — about $530 — on the Chinese platform JD.com. This is comparable to prices for similar solutions from Western brands. Thus, the advantage of Chinese memory in cost has virtually disappeared.
KingBank is known for using DDR5 modules from CXMT in its consumer products. The brand was actively mentioned in the media at the time when the version of "cheap Chinese memory" was spreading. However, now, for example, a 64 GB DDR5-6000 kit from the company costs more than $1000, which finally dispels hopes for significant savings for gamers.
Experts note that memory manufacturers today are primarily focused on the corporate segment and the AI market. The profitability of supplies for data centers and developers of solutions in the field of artificial intelligence is significantly higher than for the mass consumer market.
