Any news on the current global memory crisis probably seems like a stuck record right now, but SK hynix reckons it has some good news for us: Its plans for constructing new chip factories have managed to shave ten years off the projected completion date. The only problem is that it’s only brought it to 2034.
Talking to Nikkei Asia (via Computerbase), SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won explained that the construction of four new facilities had been originally expected to finish by 2045, but that it has now managed to bring that date closer to home, with the current target now being 2034.
However, Chey shot down any hopes you might have of it being done even sooner, saying, “There is currently no way to move faster than this.”
But to counter that disappointment, he also claimed that with everything all up and running, production levels would be even better. “Since we’re proceeding with the plan to expand as much as possible, our calculations show that our wafer capacity will double within five years. But honestly, once all these facilities are built, it won’t just double, it will triple by around 2034”.
There’s no denying that this is good news as far as the long-term is concerned, but it means absolutely nothing for the current memory crisis, where the demand for DRAM and NAND flash outweighs supply so much that memory prices have quadrupled since this time last year.
One could also argue that the construction and output update from SK hynix could make the present situation worse, because if the world’s second-largest memory chip manufacturer isn’t able to ramp up its output any time soon, the demands from AI companies are likely to take up even more of its limited production capacity.
Prices for DDR4/5 kits and SSDs have been relatively stable for the past month or so, but with vendors already warning of further increases, which strongly suggests that this is indeed what’s going to happen. All we can do is look after our hardware as best as possible, and hope it lasts long enough for a replacement or upgrade to become affordable again.
Either that or set up a second retirement fund, just for a 1 TB SSD.
