Upgradable RAM is a relic of the past. A product of a bygone era now dominated by AI data centers and agentic workflows, powered by one of the most easily upgradable PC components: random access memory.
You'd typically buy or build a PC with the knowledge and security that you could upgrade your hardware down the line. But that's simply not the case in 2026, and it probably won't be the case in 2027, either. 2028 is in the mix.
The reality is that the classic, tried-and-tested "upgrade the RAM yourself later" plan is a much, much harder sell these days, and finding a real bargain is nigh-impossible.
This is hardly breaking news, but RAM is really expensive. RAMageddon sent memory prices soaring in mid-2025, and some 18 months later, they're still stratospheric. Take PC Part Picker's memory charts as a prime example, illustrating the painful price rises across most DDR5 RAM categories.
The chart above shows increases of 400+ percent across every segment, with 64GB DDR5-6000 rising 650 percent.
If you want some shiny new high-quality, high-capacity memory, you're shelling out at least $1,000 bucks for 64GB, with prices for 32GB memory bundles consistently shipping for more than $600. RAM is now so expensive that some manufacturers are putting used parts in new devices.
Manufacturing production capacity is already largely sold out for 2027. In September 2026, TrendForce reported that "that DRAM supply will remain tight in 2027," while "DRAM suppliers continue to prioritize advanced-process capacity for high-performance server products in 4Q26, keeping the overall market undersupplied."
SK Hynix's 3Q26 report also revealed "Long-term agreements secured for more than 50% of 2027~2028 production capacity," with the expectation that the memory shortage will continue until at least 2030.
You won't be thinking about a little upgrade to the next RAM tier, because if the market continues as is, prices are only going one way.
When it comes to laptops, it's a tricky call. Soldered RAM is everywhere. The typical advice with any laptop with soldered RAM is buy as much memory as you can afford, because upgrading down the line is nearly impossible.
But there are still laptops out there with upgradable SO-DIMM memory, and that becomes a more interesting proposition given the strains on memory prices. Buying as much RAM as you can afford from the manufacturer isn't always the best course of action, but it's very much on a laptop-by-laptop basis.
So, how does that stack up against memory kits available from Crucial and G-Skill?
Aftermarket from $7 cheaper to $10 pricier
Toss-up, so order at checkout for convenience
Framework is the biggest difference, though. It's the only manufacturer that lets you buy a completely plain "bring your own" option, letting you skip the memory section entirely. The base model with an AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 processor is $840, letting you shop around for a better RAM price.
A wash, with a spread of about $10 either way
But even then, it's not guaranteed to help you find a real bargain. If we consider the G-Skill and Crucial modules again, you only really "save money" if you buy 96GB RAM from Crucial off the shelf, with a saving of around 400 bucks. But if you want 64GB? You'll actually save money choosing Framework's 64GB option.
This is exactly the problem with the upgradable RAM market. It's not enough to know that RAM prices are extreme.
The Framework Laptop 13 is a prime example of how the RAM shortages are…
