Is ECC DDR4 cheaper than non-ECC DDR4?

Yes, a 32GB stick of ECC DDR4 at the same speed is typically $10-20 cheaper due to a massive secondary market from decommissioned enterprise gear. Non-ECC has higher demand from gaming and consumer builds, keeping prices up. The catch is your motherboard and CPU must support ECC—usually Ryzen Pro, Intel Xeon, or Threadripper—or it won’t work. Double-check your platform first.