RAMageddon Raising Computer Prices

Computer prices are skyrocketing. Sony has postponed its new PlayStation 6 to 2029. Why? RAM chips are sold out for the year. We are facing RAMageddon, a term coined by Jason England at Tom’s Guide. If you’re thinking about new computers and/or servers, now is the time to act.

This will be a snooze-you-lose proposition because businesses are turning more and more to cloud-based applications that are driven by AI. If you don’t have computers and servers capable of handling massive amounts of data at lightning-fast speeds, you won’t be able to work at maximum productivity.

The problem is that you and those big AI data centers are looking for the same DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) chips and SSD memory chip storage. RAM chips prices are up 500 percent according to some reports, and SSD memory chips are up 100 percent. Our computer suppliers tell us they’re working off current inventories and will be able to hold the line on pricing until those inventories are exhausted. Then, it will be a matter of finding whatever they can for whatever the market will bear.

The way we see it, computer and server supplies and prices will make the shortages and prices of the COVID era look like bargain-basement shopping. The computer industry doesn’t expect any relief until 2028.

A lot of industry observers say you should buy now and buy as much preinstalled RAM as you can afford for laptops. Most laptops have soldered RAM that you can’t upgrade after purchase, so this is a good general rule of thumb at any point when buying a laptop. But it is even better advice now with prices set to take off. If you can pack 32GB or even 64GB of RAM into that laptop you’re eyeing, go for it.

The same is true for storage. Get the largest hard drive you can. Even though you may do most of your computing in the cloud, your computer’s speed will depend on the combination of RAM and storage to bring in data and work with it before you send finished work back to the cloud.

We’re ready to help. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss your computer and server needs. We can help you shop for the hardware that best meets your needs and then help you get everything installed and configured.

Cellular Wi-Fi? Look Before You Leap

A residential client cut the internet cord in favor of Wi-Fi from their cellular provider. They made the switch abruptly and didn’t get everything they thought they would. If you’re thinking about going cellular for your internet service, you need to have a plan. It’s not a matter of just pulling the plug on one system and plugging in another.

Yes, cellular internet can be cheaper – although the cable internet providers always seem to have a special offer going. You don’t need to bundle services like you used to. The key to cellular is to look at coverage. If you don’t always get a strong cellular signal on your phone at the place you want to put your cellar receiver, you won’t be able to install a good Wi-Fi network.

When you get right down to it, if you have a lot of devices running your Wi-Fi network – phones/tablets, TVs, computers, smart devices, etc. you need 5G ultrawide cellular service – or whatever your carrier calls it – to make it all work. 5G service essentially comes in three bandwidths:

  • Low Band, which has a frequency rate below 1GHz and provides slower speeds (up to 50 Mbps). However, it’s good for building penetration.
  • Mid Band, which has a frequency range of 1 to 6 GHz and balances coverage in urban areas with speeds from 100 to 900 Mbps. It’s commonly used in urban areas.
  • High Band, which has a frequency range up to 24 GHz, provides very high speeds (up to 10 Gbps) but has limited coverage. It’s best for dense urban environments.

The service you get will depend on how your carrier’s network is configured for your location.

While the information above is for urban areas, we believe 5G service is probably better for rural areas, where it’s either impossible or prohibitively expense to run wires. Cable delivers faster, more stable internet service, and that can be important for businesses and homes that offices and lots of devices.

Aside from technical factors, you also need to look at the logistics of your email. If you leave your cable internet provider, you’ll need to migrate to a new email platform. That’s because email from a phone or cable company is essentially a loss-leader service, and the providers have found it’s a costly loss.

We strongly advise against simply cutting one service and starting with a new one. You should take whatever time you need to let people and organizations know your new address, and you should transfer all your messages to your new platform. Your old cable or phone email provider has no obligation to keep your old messages for an extended time once you disconnect from their service.

If you’re considering a move to a cellular internet provider, call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss it. Let’s look at your Wi-Fi needs and make sure your internet provider can handle everything on your network, and let’s look at your email platform options and plan an orderly migration process.

Yeah, Tablets Are That Good

We stopped by the home of a client we hadn’t seen in person for a while to pick up a couple of old Macs for disposal. They had been in the habit of bringing along a computer when traveling, but when I showed them my iPad with a mouse and keyboard, it started a whole new conversation.

As most of you know, we’ve been traveling a lot lately, and in addition to my phone and computer, I’ve brought along my DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera for fine photography. The computer has been a necessity for complex remote service for our clients’ tech problems and for downloading our photos as we go from place to place.

However, I’ve been able to add a keyboard and mouse to my iPad, and that’s mostly made my computer unnecessary. The display clarity on my iPad is nothing short of remarkable, and the screen is big enough to give me all the information I need for work and play. I can access clients’ computers remotely and see their screens as well as I can with a computer.

For a short time or maybe longer, you might find a tablet more to your liking than your laptop, especially if you travel a lot or are mostly mobile. Many of the apps we use, such as Microsoft 365 with Word, Excel and PowerPoint, have mobile apps for Apple and Android phones and tablets. You can also find mobile versions for apps like Photoshop or use the phot editing capabilities in iCloud or Google Photos. All of them take advantage of the cloud, and they work well on tablet screens.

And while we’re on the subject of phones, we’re increasingly inclined to leave our large cameras in our hotel rooms or ship cabins – or even at home – because the lenses in our phones’ cameras are getting better. We can tout the benefits of the latest iPhone Pro models. They’re small enough to put in our pocket but have the capabilities of any point-and-shoot camera and a wider angle lens on a DSLR. They are also very good in low-light environments. The only area where the DSLR and a high-quality lens are better is a long-distance closeup.

And, of course, when you upload your pictures to the cloud – from both your phone or your DSLR – you can see a large, crisp display of each photo on your tablet screen and make some quick edits, such as cropping and color/light adjustments.

Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to talk about finding more ways to use your tablet instead of your computer and to see what tablet may best suit your needs. And we might even be able to help you find a photography club, too.