DDR4 makes a comeback as component costs rise, while Linux offers an escape from forced upgrades

Old memory standards return to new motherboards

Gigabyte has announced new motherboards that use DDR4 RAM, a standard that launched in 2014. For AMD's AM4 platform the company now offers the B450M H ARGB with two DDR4 slots and the B550 X-Eagle with four. Intel buyers can choose the B760M Aorus Elite.

AMD marked ten years of AM4 with a Ryzen 7 5800X3D anniversary edition. DDR5, the standard agreed in 2020 and adopted by mainstream PCs in 2021, offers higher transfer rates but has not ended demand for older memory.

DDR3 boards for 15-year-old server CPUs

In China, several vendors sell brand new DDR3 motherboards for 15-year-old server CPUs, including Huananzhi's X79-4D and X79 Supreme and the Machinist X79 V2.82H. All use Intel's LGA-2011 socket, which launched in 2011. A Chinese SMZDM community discussion has debated whether the circa 15-year-old Xeon E5 is still worth buying.

AI demand pushes component prices up

The current price rises and component shortages are linked to large-scale, cloud-based LLMs. Training open-weight models requires giant datacenters packed with GPUs, adding pressure to component supplies and making older hardware more economically attractive.

Linux gives older kit a second life

Once a commercial operating system is removed from an older machine, two things become clear: the latest hardware is often unnecessary, and older PCs and Macs are more likely to work well with Linux and other FOSS operating systems. Current and recent hardware is the most problematic for open source developers, because manufacturers prioritize Windows testing and restricted documentation plus proprietary drivers complicate support for new devices.

Second-hand ex-corporate kit is widely available from vendors such as Morgan Computers, Tier1 Online, Bargain Hardware and GigaComputer, while LowCostMiniPCs.com searches multiple sales sites for bargains. For users who cannot do without Windows-only apps, desktop VMware is now free and projects such as WinApps and WinBoat provide desktop integration.

Microsoft cites security benefits for Windows 11's hardware requirements, but the End of 10 campaign argues those requirements exclude an entire generation of otherwise capable machines. Keeping older hardware in service also gives organizations another reason to consider open source alternatives and digital sovereignty.

Sources: The Register