I found an 8GB DDR4 3200MHz stick for $44 CAD and it seems much cheaper than the alternatives. Is there an obvious catch, or could it be a pricing mistake?
I was hoping to build an AM5 PC, but DDR5 looks expensive, so I'm also considering a DDR4 build.
The specs are the main catch: it's one 8GB stick at 3200MHz with CL22 timings. That's slower latency than a 3200MHz CL16 kit, though it can still work fine in a compatible system.
At the prices you're seeing, cheaper capacity may matter more than getting tighter timings. Just make sure 8GB is enough for what you want to run.
One thing before you buy: AM5 uses DDR5, so this stick won't work in an AM5 motherboard. Going with DDR4 means choosing a different CPU and motherboard platform too.
$44 CAD for 8GB is about $5.50 per GB, so it does look cheap compared with the other prices you found. That alone doesn't tell us whether it's a mistake, though.
Check the seller, shipping cost, return terms and whether the listing is for desktop memory rather than a laptop stick. Also check that the motherboard supports the type and speed before ordering.
It's only one stick, which matters when comparing it with a 16GB kit. A compatible two-stick kit can provide dual-channel operation, while a single stick runs in single channel.
If you plan to add another stick later, check how much a matching one costs. A kit with two matched sticks is a cleaner comparison.
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side-B-at-last:
Good point. Compare the total CPU, motherboard and memory cost, not just the RAM price.