Samsung whacks DDR3 SDRAM with 36nm stick, knocks 30% off the cost. Elpida and Micron also announce shrinks.

Samsung just announced that it is readying 4Q volume production of 2Gbit DDR3 chips using a 36nm process technology, down from the present 46nm. The shrink will cut the cost 30% and should result in a $1 production cost for a 2Gbit device according to Digitimes.com. In related news, Elpida has announced that it’s readying the transition from 63nm to 45nm SDRAM production and Micron announced a shift from 50nm to 42nm. It looks like we’re starting to see the effects of all that capex investment spurred by the surge in SDRAM sales earlier this year. Here come the DRAM price wars...again.