- Purchases start from just 1 lb of eligible RAM-A (Gold Finger Desktop and Laptop RAM) material.
- RAM-A Grade includes standard desktop DIMMs and laptop SO-DIMMs with intact gold-plated edge contacts.
- Qualifying modules may include DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5 desktop and laptop memory.
- Classification and buying price are determined by the moduleโs physical construction, connector plating, installed components, completeness, cleanliness, and condition, not by brand, model, capacity, speed, DDR generation, or original purchase price alone.
- Different brands, capacities, and DDR generations may receive the same RAM-A Grade price when they meet all applicable Ohata classification requirements.
- Server or enterprise RAM, heat-spreader-covered modules, trimmed modules, damaged RAM, and blank boards may belong to different grades.
- Modules with severe fire damage, carbonization, hazardous contamination, or extensive fragmentation may be rejected after inspection.
RAM-A (Gold Finger Desktop and Laptop RAM) Grade buying scrap price
Key Buying Introduction
Key Buying Introduction
- Purchases start from just 1 lb of eligible RAM-A (Gold Finger Desktop and Laptop RAM) material.
- RAM-A Grade includes standard desktop DIMMs and laptop SO-DIMMs with intact gold-plated edge contacts.
- Qualifying modules may include DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5 desktop and laptop memory.
- Classification and buying price are determined by the moduleโs physical construction, connector plating, installed components, completeness, cleanliness, and condition, not by brand, model, capacity, speed, DDR generation, or original purchase price alone.
- Different brands, capacities, and DDR generations may receive the same RAM-A Grade price when they meet all applicable Ohata classification requirements.
- Server or enterprise RAM, heat-spreader-covered modules, trimmed modules, damaged RAM, and blank boards may belong to different grades.
- Modules with severe fire damage, carbonization, hazardous contamination, or extensive fragmentation may be rejected after inspection.
Buying Details of Conditions
Learn more about identifying and sorting RAM-A (Gold Finger Desktop and Laptop RAM) Grade in our Wiki: RAM-A Gold Finger Desktop & Laptop RAM Scrap Classification | Ohata Wiki
Learn more about: Ohata RAM Scrap Classification Guide | RAM-S, RAM-A, RAM-B, RAM-C & RAM-D
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 gold-plated contacts along the edge of a RAM module are commonly called โgold fingers.โ They provide a reliable, corrosion-resistant connection between the memory module and its socket. Gold-plated contacts are an important feature of RAM-A Grade, but they do not determine the grade by themselves. The module must also have the construction of standard desktop or laptop RAM and meet the applicable requirements for completeness, components, and condition.
Recoverable metals may include:
Gold from the plated edge contacts
Copper from the PCB tracks and internal conductive layers
Nickel beneath the plated contact surfaces
Tin and small quantities of silver from solder and conductive materials
Small quantities of gold, copper, or other metals within certain semiconductor packages
Trace quantities of palladium in some electronic components
The amount and concentration of these materials vary by module. Final classification and buying value consider the RAM type, component density, connector plating, completeness, contamination, physical condition, and required sorting or processing. Keeping RAM reasonably clean and separated by grade supports a more accurate evaluation.
Ohata RAM-A Grade Classification and Identification Guide
RAM-A Grade includes standard desktop and laptop memory modules with intact gold-plated edge contacts. Eligible modules may include DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5 memory in full-size DIMM or compact SO-DIMM formats.
A module does not need to function. Classification is based on its physical construction, installed components, material composition, completeness, and condition.
When evaluating a module, Ohata checks:
Whether the item is a genuine desktop DIMM or laptop SO-DIMM
Whether the edge contacts have intact gold plating
Whether the connector has been cut, trimmed, or heavily worn
Whether heat spreaders, shields, wires, sockets, or other attachments are present
Whether the circuit board is complete and free from severe damage or contamination
Whether the module has server or enterprise characteristics that may qualify it for RAM-S Grade
Whether its construction or condition places it in RAM-B, RAM-C, or RAM-D Grade instead
Brand, memory capacity, speed, and DDR generation do not determine the grade by themselves. Samsung, SK hynix, Micron, Kingston, Crucial, Elpida, Nanya, and other brands may qualify. For example, an 8 GB DDR4 module is not automatically assigned a higher recycling grade than a 1 GB DDR2 module. If both meet the same RAM-A construction and condition requirements, both belong to the RAM-A 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
Keep RAM modules dry and protected from water, corrosive substances, and unnecessary breakage. Use suitable containers that do not introduce loose metal or other unrelated material into the load. For larger quantities, separating modules by Ohata grade before delivery can support faster inspection and more accurate classification.
Modules with aluminum heat spreaders or removable shields are generally evaluated as RAM-B Grade unless the underlying construction can be safely inspected and confirmed to meet another grade. Customers do not need to remove these parts before delivery. Avoid burning, chemically treating, sanding, or grinding the gold-plated contacts because this may create hazardous contamination and prevent accurate classification.
Comparison and Ohata Classification
Ohata evaluates a RAM module by its application, physical construction, connector finish, installed components, attachments, completeness, and condition.
RAM-S Grade: Server or enterprise memory with gold-plated edge contacts, ECC or registered characteristics, and high component density.
RAM-A Grade: Standard desktop DIMMs and laptop SO-DIMMs with intact gold-plated edge contacts.
RAM-B Grade: Modules with aluminum heat spreaders or shields, silver- or tin-colored contacts, or trimmed edge connectors.
RAM-C Grade: Mixed, broken, dirty, contaminated, or attachment-bearing RAM that requires additional sorting or processing.
RAM-D Grade: Blank or nearly blank memory boards with no integrated circuits or very few components, including certain test or dummy modules.
Not classified as RAM: Material that cannot be identified as a genuine memory module or consists of unrelated electronic components.
A desktop DIMM or laptop SO-DIMM may qualify for RAM-A Grade when it has intact gold-plated edge contacts and meets the applicable construction, completeness, and condition requirements. DDR generation, brand, capacity, speed, and original purchase price do not determine the grade by themselves.
Final classification and buying value are confirmed according to the moduleโs physical construction, components, completeness, and condition.
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 todayโs price for RAM-A (Gold Finger Desktop and Laptop RAM) Grade buying?
- As of Sep 11,2026, Ohata Shoji America Inc., (Seattle, WA, United States) is purchasing RAM-A (Gold Finger 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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