- We buy RAM-D(mix and damaged RAM) Grade from a minimum quantity of 1 lb.
- Ohata RAM A Grade covers complete desktop and laptop memory modules with intact gold-plated edge connectors.
- Qualifying products include DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5 DIMM and SO-DIMM modules.
- The grade is determined by physical construction, recoverable materials, cleanliness, and condition—not by brand, capacity, or model.
- All memory modules that meet the official RAM A Grade standard are valued and purchased at the applicable A Grade recycling price.
RAM-A(Gold finer desktop and laptop RAM) Grade buying scrap price
Key Buying Introduction
Key Buying Introduction
- We buy RAM-D(mix and damaged RAM) Grade from a minimum quantity of 1 lb.
- Ohata RAM A Grade covers complete desktop and laptop memory modules with intact gold-plated edge connectors.
- Qualifying products include DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5 DIMM and SO-DIMM modules.
- The grade is determined by physical construction, recoverable materials, cleanliness, and condition—not by brand, capacity, or model.
- All memory modules that meet the official RAM A Grade standard are valued and purchased at the applicable A Grade recycling price.
Buying Details of Conditions
Introduction, Construction, Components, and Recycling Value
RAM modules are built on narrow printed circuit boards containing memory ICs, passive components, identification chips, solder, copper circuitry, and plated edge connectors. Full-size DIMMs are generally used in desktop computers and workstations, while shorter SO-DIMMs are commonly installed in laptops, mini PCs, and compact systems.
The visible gold-plated edge connector—often called the “gold finger”—is one of the most important identification features of RAM A Grade. It provides a corrosion-resistant electrical connection between the module and the memory socket. However, gold fingers alone do not automatically make a module A Grade. The module must also have the normal physical construction of desktop or laptop RAM and must not possess characteristics that place it in a higher or lower Ohata category.
The recycling value of RAM comes from several materials:
Gold plating on the edge contacts
Copper in the internal PCB tracks and layers
Gold or copper bonding materials inside certain IC packages
Silver-bearing solder and other conductive materials
Palladium-bearing multilayer ceramic capacitors
Nickel barrier layers beneath plated contacts
Recoverable fiberglass, resin, and base-metal fractions
The final recycling value depends on the module’s type, component density, connector plating, contamination level, physical condition, and the labor required for sorting and processing. Clean, correctly separated RAM produces a more predictable recycling lot and normally receives a better classification than damaged or mixed material.
Ohata RAM A Grade Classification and Identification Guide
Under the uploaded Ohata inspection standard, RAM A Grade is defined as:
Gold Finger Desktop & Laptop RAM
Qualifying modules include:
DDR desktop and laptop RAM
DDR2 desktop and laptop RAM
DDR3 desktop and laptop RAM
DDR4 desktop and laptop RAM
DDR5 desktop and laptop RAM
Full-size DIMM modules
Compact SO-DIMM modules
Modules with gold-plated edge connectors
A module does not need to be operational to qualify as recyclable RAM A Grade. Recycling classification primarily concerns its construction, material composition, completeness, and processing condition. Nevertheless, the module should remain reasonably complete, identifiable, and free from serious damage or contamination.
The recommended identification procedure is:
Confirm that the item is a genuine RAM module rather than an unrelated expansion board, adapter, test strip, or broken electronic component.
Identify whether it is a full-size desktop DIMM or a laptop-sized SO-DIMM.
Inspect the edge connector and confirm that the contacts are gold-plated.
Check whether the connector has been trimmed, cut, heavily worn, or replaced by silver- or tin-colored contacts.
Inspect the module for heat spreaders, shields, clips, batteries, wires, sockets, or other attachments.
Examine the PCB for cracks, missing sections, burned areas, heavy dirt, corrosion, oil, or moisture damage.
Determine whether it is enterprise/server RAM with ECC or registered construction and high IC density, which may qualify as RAM S Grade.
Compare the module against the lower grades to ensure that it has not been overclassified.
Perform a final reverse check from the lowest grade back toward the highest grade, as required by the Ohata classification method.
Brand names, memory capacities, and speed ratings do not independently decide the recycling grade. Samsung, SK hynix, Micron, Kingston, Crucial, Elpida, Nanya, and other brands may all qualify. Likewise, an 8 GB DDR4 module is not automatically graded higher than a 1 GB DDR2 module. If both satisfy the RAM A construction and condition standards, both belong to the same RAM A purchasing category.
Recoverable Materials, Buying Standards, and Handling
Ohata purchases RAM A Grade according to the physical recycling category, not according to the resale performance of an individual model. A shipment may contain different brands, capacities, speeds, and DDR generations, provided that every module meets the RAM A Grade requirements.
For the most accurate inspection and settlement, suppliers should keep RAM A Grade separated from server RAM, shielded RAM, trimmed modules, damaged modules, and blank boards. Mixing grades increases the time required for sorting and can cause the lot to be downgraded or settled according to its lower-value contents.
Preferred RAM A material should be:
Genuine desktop DIMM or laptop SO-DIMM memory
Equipped with intact gold-plated edge contacts
Reasonably complete and identifiable
Free from aluminum heat spreaders or heavy shielding
Free from wires, batteries, brackets, sockets, or unrelated attachments
Free from severe dirt, oil, mud, oxidation, or chemical contamination
Not broken, burned, crushed, or deliberately trimmed
Separated from server ECC/registered RAM and lower-grade modules
Modules should be stored in dry containers and protected from water, corrosive chemicals, and unnecessary breakage. Heavy steel packaging should be avoided because it adds non-RAM weight and makes inspection more difficult. Large lots should be grouped by Ohata recycling grade before weighing.
Aluminum heat spreaders and removable shields should be removed when practical. If they remain attached, the modules may fall under RAM B Grade because extra processing is required. Suppliers should never burn, chemically strip, or manually grind the gold fingers. Such treatment can create hazardous contamination, reduce recoverable value, and make reliable classification impossible.
Comparison, and Official Ohata Classification
The clearest way to distinguish RAM A Grade from the other Ohata categories is to examine the module’s application, connector finish, attachments, component density, and physical condition.
RAM S Grade is the higher category for gold-finger server or enterprise memory. Typical identifying features include ECC or registered construction and high IC density. Server RAM that satisfies the RAM S requirements should not be mixed into RAM A lots.
RAM A Grade consists of standard gold-finger desktop DIMMs and laptop SO-DIMMs, including DDR through DDR5. These modules should have intact gold-plated contacts and normal desktop or laptop memory construction.
RAM B Grade includes modules with aluminum heat spreaders or shields, silver- or tin-colored edge contacts, or trimmed connectors. Removable shields should be taken off when possible before evaluation.
RAM C Grade includes mixed or damaged RAM requiring additional sorting. Broken, dirty, contaminated, or attachment-bearing modules may be placed in this category.
RAM D Grade covers blank or nearly blank RAM boards with no ICs or very few ICs. Test boards and dummy modules normally have the lowest RAM-board recycling value.
NONE applies when the material is not genuine memory or is an unrelated or unclassifiable broken electronic component.
The official Ohata conclusion is therefore:
A complete desktop DIMM or laptop SO-DIMM from the DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, or DDR5 generation, equipped with gold-plated edge connectors and free from higher- or lower-grade characteristics, is classified as Ohata RAM A Grade.
This classification applies to every module that satisfies the standard—not merely to a particular brand, capacity, generation, or model. All qualifying material is evaluated and purchased according to the RAM A Grade category and its applicable RAM A recycling price.
Learn more about Ohata's RAM recycling classifications
RAM-S(Gold finer server RAM) Grade
RAM-A(Gold finer desktop and laptop RAM) Grade
RAM-B(shelded/silver edge/trimmed RAM) Grade
FAQ
- 1. What is today’s price for RAM-A(Gold finer desktop and laptop RAM) Grade buying?
- As of Aug 06,2026, Ohata Shoji America Inc., (Seattle, WA, United States) is purchasing RAM-A(Gold finer desktop and laptop RAM) Grade buying at 20.00 (USD/lb). We provide competitive scrap prices in Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Tukwila, Kent, SeaTac, Tacoma, Everett, and surrounding communities.
- 2. What is Ohata RAM A Grade?
- Ohata RAM A Grade includes standard desktop DIMMs and laptop SO-DIMMs with intact gold-plated edge connectors. Eligible generations include DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5.
- 3. Is RAM A Grade limited to specific brands or models?
- No. Classification is not limited to a particular brand, model, capacity, or speed. Any module that meets the official RAM A Grade standard is purchased at the applicable A Grade price.
- 4. What is the difference between RAM S Grade and RAM A Grade?
- RAM S Grade mainly covers server or enterprise memory with gold fingers, ECC or registered construction, and high IC density. RAM A Grade covers standard desktop and laptop memory modules.
- 5. Can RAM with an aluminum heat spreader qualify as A Grade?
- Normally, shielded modules or RAM with aluminum heat spreaders are classified as RAM B Grade. Remove detachable heat spreaders when practical before submitting the material for inspection.
- 6. Does damaged or dirty RAM qualify as A Grade?
- Generally, no. Broken, heavily dirty, contaminated, burned, corroded, or attachment-bearing modules may be downgraded to RAM C Grade because they require additional sorting and processing.
- 7. Must RAM be functional to receive an A Grade classification?
- Not necessarily. Recycling classification focuses primarily on construction, completeness, gold-plated contacts, and physical condition. However, the module must remain identifiable and free from serious damage or contamination.
- 8. Why should different RAM grades be separated before delivery?
- Separating grades reduces inspection and processing time and helps ensure accurate valuation. Mixed shipments containing lower-grade or damaged modules may require additional sorting and could be downgraded.
- 9. Do you purchase high-performance AI hardware?
- Yes, we specialize in the online procurement and data-secure decommissioning of complex AI servers, GPUs, and high-capacity storage.
- 10. What is your minimum quantity policy for online sellers?
- True to our core philosophy, our digital system welcomes recycling projects starting from just 1 lb or a single device.
- 11. How does Ohata Shoji America Inc. maintain its industry standards?
- We combine 25+ years of Japanese precision recycling expertise from our parent company, Ohata Shoji Inc., with modern American e-commerce logistics.
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