- Framework has just raised the price of its desktop PCs, especially the top model
- The company said that “the memory outlook as we enter 2026 continues to worsen”
- It warned: “It is clear that this will be a challenging year and possibly even year for consumers”
Framework, which makes modular laptops along with do-it-yourself desktops – all offering a range of custom configuration options – has sounded a warning bell regarding RAM prices.
The PC maker explained that: “We put up with it as long as we could, but with LPDDR5x memory prices from our suppliers continuing to rise rapidly, we’ve had to update the prices of Framework Desktop systems and motherboards.”
In an update to a blog post about the current volatile memory market, Framework further noted that with its desktop PC: “The prices of 128Gbit parts (of which we use 8 to get to 128GB) have increased the most, affecting our very popular 128GB configuration.”
The price of all its desktops has increased, although Framework says any existing pre-orders will not have their asking price changed. The 32GB and 64GB PCs have been kept “closer to our original pricing”, but the 128GB computer has seen a big price increase.
The 128GB configuration of Framework Desktop is now 50% more expensive than the 64GB version (otherwise it has the same hardware specification). That means you’ll pay $820 (in the US) for the extra 64GB of system RAM, which adds up to a nasty price hike.
Most worryingly, Framework also wrote: “The memory outlook as we head into 2026 continues to worsen. From what we learned in meetings this week at CES with vendors, distributors and partners, it’s clear that this will be a challenging year and possibly even the year for consumers.”
Analysis: stormy seas ahead – but for how long?
That last quote is one of the more pessimistic predictions we’ve seen about how long the memory crisis might drag on. The use of the word ‘year’ is not comforting, suggesting that RAM supply and pricing issues may continue not just this year, but next year – and perhaps even beyond.
There have been suggestions in the past from some quarters that we might not see a return to normal for RAM costs until 2028, and this seems to support that view – although that’s still a possibility of the Framework, not a foregone conclusion by any means.
Ultimately, those well-placed in the industry are only giving their best educated guesses as to how long-lasting these component price increases may be, which go beyond RAM and into storage (which also uses memory chips), as well as GPUs (which have video RAM).
Of course, that puts PC manufacturers in a difficult position, and consumers trying to buy parts to build their own computer, too. For that reason, there’s a lot of gloom surrounding PC sales predictions for this year, and almost all we can do is hope to get 2026 out of the way and that a rebound might be in line for 2027.
But given the increasing momentum behind AI – which is a key factor in the RAM crisis, as tons of memory is being bought up for AI use (including copious amounts of VRAM in AI GPUs) – it’s easy enough to remain pessimistic. Especially since Framework’s point of view apparently comes from a wide range of conversations with all of its various suppliers and others along the distribution chain.
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