Framework raises DDR5 RAM upgrade prices by 50% amid DRAM shortage — only for Laptop DIY edition, says prices will likely rise again

The computer manufacturer Framework has announced price increases of up to 50% for DDR5 memory upgrades on the company's Framework Laptop DIY Edition—the price adjustment results from the ongoing memory shortage and the escalating costs from suppliers and distributors.

Although no one likes price hikes, it is important to note that the price increase applies only to DDR5 SO-DIMM configurations on the Framework Laptop DIY Edition. The company is respecting the pricing on existing pre-orders and will not raise pricing on pre-built laptops or the Framework Desktop. However, given the direction things are going, it's inevitable that Framework will ultimately have to increase the prices of all its products that use any memory, whether it's DDR5, LPDDR5X, or GDDR.

The Framework Laptop DIY Edition provides memory options ranging from 8GB to an impressive 96GB (2x48GB). Nevertheless, it is possible to acquire the device without any memory modules. Despite a 50% price increase, Framework's pricing remains consistent with prevailing spot market prices and, at times, may even be cheaper. Therefore, unless you have spare DDR5 SO-DIMM memory modules or encounter an exceptional memory deal, purchasing directly from Framework isn't a bad deal.

Framework charges $60 for a single DDR5-5600 8GB SO-DIMM memory module. A comparable memory module with similar specifications retails at $60.99. Meanwhile, a 16GB memory module will cost $120 if purchased from Framework. The most affordable available option retails at $117.99, but it is currently out of stock. Therefore, the next available offering is a DDR5-4800 16GB SO-DIMM memory module priced at $151.74. Consequently, you are paying 26% more for a lower-performance memory module.

Framework DDR5 Memory Pricing

The company emphasized that the price increase is solely intended to cover costs and not an effort to capitalize on the current market conditions. Recently, it criticized Dell for charging $150 to upgrade from 16GB to 32GB of LPDDR5X-8448 on its XPS 13 Laptop, and Apple for charging $400 for a similar upgrade. However, the company warned that costs "will continue to increase and we will need to make further price updates in the next weeks and months," hinting that more price hikes are likely inevitable.

Framework maintains a tight partnership with Micron, one of the top three DRAM manufacturers, and Adata. This relationship enables the company to source memory efficiently, maintain a healthy inventory, and keep prices highly competitive. This has likely previously prompted RAM scalpers to purchase standalone memory from Framework for resale at a profit. However, the company identified this activity promptly and subsequently discontinued selling standalone memory to consumers.

It appears that Framework has comprehensively addressed the issue of scalping. The company has amended its return policy to prevent scalpers from independently buying DIY Edition laptops with memory and subsequently returning them while keeping the memory. Moving forward, customers will be required to return the memory along with the product.

Server products have historically been more profitable than their consumer counterparts; therefore, it is not surprising that manufacturers such as Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron have adjusted their production capacities to meet the demand for AI and data center equipment. Micron has even discontinued its consumer Crucial brand to concentrate more on feeding the AI beast.

To quantify the disparity between servers and consumers, the Framework provides an example of a single Nvidia GB300 Blackwell rack, which contains 20TB of HBM3E and 17TB of LPDDR5X. This amount of LPDDR5X memory is sufficient to power thousands of laptops. A data center focused on AI typically comprises thousands of such racks, which helps explain why the consumer market plays the second fiddle.

Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.