With DDR5 prices surging amid a global memory shortage, a Russian hardware enthusiast has taken an extreme, but ingenious route: building RAM modules from scratch.
The idea, shared on the PRO Hi-Tech Telegram channel and demonstrated by a modder known as “Vik-on,” involves sourcing bare DDR5 PCBs from Chinese marketplaces, buying individual memory chips, manually soldering them onto the board, and finally programming the SPD data so systems recognize the module correctly. The result is a fully functional DDR5 DIMM, built at home.
This is far from plug-and-play. The process requires advanced soldering skills, BGA rework equipment, and deep knowledge of memory layouts. Vik-on already performs GPU VRAM upgrades, making him unusually well-qualified for such work. For most users, this remains firmly in enthusiast territory.
According to the Telegram discussion, an empty DDR5 PCB can cost as little as $6.40, while assembling a 16GB DDR5 module with “average” specifications comes in at roughly 12,000 rubles ($152), about the same as retail pricing. A ZenTimings screenshot even shows CL28 timings, suggesting that high-end DDR5 is technically achievable, though not cost-effective.
Memory chips themselves are the real bottleneck. With manufacturers prioritizing AI clients, the spot market has dried up, pushing modders to hunt for Samsung and SK Hynix ICs on Chinese platforms, or to salvage chips from used desktop or laptop memory, reballing and reusing them on new boards.
DIY RAM won’t replace retail anytime soon, but it highlights how extreme market pressure is driving unconventional innovation. As DDR5 shortages persist and prices climb, today’s niche experiment may foreshadow more radical approaches to PC building tomorrow.
