Electronics hobbyist converts $120 DDR5 SODIMM kit into ‘$1000’ desktop kit to fight RAM crisis
A hobbyist converted a SK hynix 2x 16GB DDR5-5600 SODIMM kit they got off Facebook Marketplace for $120 into a DDR5-7800 desktop kit.
Electronics enthusiast Blighted Agent recently managed to turn a $120 used DDR5 SODIMM kit into a high-performance DDR5 desktop kit, estimated to be worth around $1,000. The original DDR5-5600 SODIMMs were acquired from Facebook Marketplace and supplemented with blank DDR5 desktop memory PCBs and heatsinks from AliExpress. The total cost of materials amounted to $175.
The transformation process involved extracting the memory chips using a hot air station and applying fresh 0.45mm leaded solder balls using a DDR5 stencil, reballing jig, and hot air. Blank desktop DDR5 PCBs were then prepared with solder added to the BGA connectors. The memory chips were carefully mated to the PCBs, with the SPD and BIOS chips sourced from the original SODIMMs. After thorough testing, the converted DIMMs ran at DDR5-7800 CL38 and 1.40V without issues in an Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore motherboard.
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