RAM Prices Skyrocket: PC Hobbyists Feel the Pinch

The PC industry is experiencing significant price hikes in memory and storage in 2026, primarily driven by AI demand, with hobbyists facing the steepest increases. Larger companies like Apple have managed to mitigate these rising costs for their devices, but smaller manufacturers such as Framework have not been as fortunate.

Framework, recognized for its modular and upgradeable PC designs, has been heavily impacted. As of November 2025, the company stopped offering standalone RAM sticks and has consistently increased prices on its systems. This past week saw particularly steep rises for the Framework Desktop and DIY Edition laptops.

These price surges affect both individual SODIMM modules and the integrated LPDDR5X memory in the Framework Desktop. An 8GB RAM stick, which cost $40 in September, now commands $130. Similarly, a 96GB DDR5 kit has escalated from $480 to $1,340. This reflects the weighted average cost increases from suppliers.

The Framework Desktop and its motherboard variants with onboard RAM are now priced between 6% and 16% higher. The base 32GB LPDDR5X Desktop model starts at $1,209, an increase of $110. The fully configured 128GB desktop now costs $2,599, $600 more than its initial launch price.

While pre-built Framework Laptop models have maintained stable pricing for now, the company anticipates future increases. SSD pricing also remains steady but is expected to rise soon, with higher-capacity SSDs seeing more significant price pressures. Framework CEO Nirav Patel emphasized transparency regarding these industry-wide issues.

Due to its smaller purchasing power compared to giants like Apple or Dell, Framework is more susceptible to market price fluctuations. Patel suggested that purchasing RAM-less DIY Edition laptops and sourcing memory separately could be a partial solution for consumers. Framework is also running a giveaway for spare RAM sticks to alleviate the crisis for a few lucky individuals.