In summary:
- PCWorld reports that V-Color introduces ‘1+1’ DDR5 memory kits combining one functional RAM stick with one dummy plastic module for aesthetic appeal.
- Rising RAM prices, exemplified by a $440 cost for 32GB DDR5, make these kits an accessible alternative for budget-conscious gamers.
- The dummy modules feature RGB lighting to fill empty motherboard slots, providing visual completeness without additional memory capability or expense.
RAM is insanely expensive right now, and it’s likely to get more so in the coming months. In the face of hundreds of dollars needed to outfit memory for a decent gaming system, at least one supplier is turning to an older idea: dummy RAM. It’s the hardware equivalent of cosmetic surgery, a stuffed bra, or a sock down your trousers.
These modules are plastic with a bit of RGB lighting, made to fill open DIMM slots on a motherboard for purely aesthetic reasons, adding zero capability to the hardware. But unless you’ve won the lottery recently, they might be the only thing you can get. Memory supplier V-Color has announced that it’s selling what it calls “1+1” memory kits, with just one stick of 16GB or 24GB DDR5 plus a dummy “filler” module.
“The goal of this 1+1 DDR5 solution is to give gamers a more flexible and accessible way to start their DDR5 build without sacrificing appearance or future upgrade potential,” reads the press release. DDR RAM stands for Double Data Rate and it’s meant to be used in pairs to boost performance. But V-Color highlights that “single-module DDR5 configurations paired with the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D have shown more than 30% stronger gaming performance in certain scenarios compared with older DDR4 dual-channel-based gaming builds.”
“Accessible” is PR speak for “affordable.” Exactly how affordable these packs will be, I couldn’t guess. Though the press release says they’ll be available on Newegg, I can’t find them on the US store as of this writing. If you’re wondering, a 32GB (2x16GB) pack of basic DDR5 V-Color desktop RAM is selling for an eye-watering $440 on Newegg at the moment (including a $90 “discount”), so presumably a 1x16GB package with a dummy unit would be about half that.
Assuming the company can get the package out before the price doubles again, of course. That same 32GB (2x16GB) package was only $170 six months ago (via Price Tracker).
Dummy RAM isn’t new and it’s hardly surprising, considering how much importance some gamers put on blinging out their PC’s internals and gazing lovingly at it through tempered glass. But it might get a lot more popular if memory continues to be a literally rare coin, as the industry prioritizes production for far-more-profitable data centers over regular consumers and even PC manufacturers like Lenovo and Dell.
V-Color
V-Color’s promotional post shows an illustration of a single genuine RAM module with three filler sticks, though it doesn’t appear to be selling a “1+3” package at the moment. The image might just be to show that you can put the dummy stick in any of the three empty slots. Or it might be a harbinger of the way desktop RAM will be sold in the future.
Personally, I’d rather just build a desktop without a window, showing off the sad state of PC gaming for anyone on a budget.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 15-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.