Framework hasn't had the best of years. After the US tariffs caused some havoc with individual component parts, the company had to raise its prices to match. After all, given the modular design of Framework systems, there's no easy way to mitigate the rising cost of an individual component other than to simply have it cost the consumer more.

Now, Framework has had to hit the calculators a second time after the recent RAM shortage forced prices to rise. People looking to purchase RAM modules will notice a pretty nasty spike in cost, but on the flip side, Framework's inherent design means that you don't need to pay the cost if you don't want to.

Framework increases the cost of the DDR5 memory module by 50%

Now's the time to look for spare sticks lying around

Over on the Framework website, the company posted a blog post titled "Updates on memory pricing and navigating the volatile memory market." In it, Framework discusses what the RAM price increase means for the business, and more importantly, how much the consumer has to shell out to cover the rising costs:

Today, we increased our pricing on the DDR5 memory configurable in Framework Laptop DIY Edition orders by 50% to begin to respond to the substantially higher costs we are facing from suppliers and distributors. The new pricing remains below what is available in the open market. We aren’t changing pricing on any existing pre-orders, and we also are not yet updating pricing on our pre-built laptops or Framework Desktop which come with memory (this makes the 128GB config of Framework Desktop a bargain).

However, there is a silver lining. Framework reminds everyone that, due to its laptop's modular design, it's entirely possible to order one without the RAM. So, if you have some spare memory kicking around at home that works with Framework's devices, you can save yourself a pretty penny by ordering the no RAM version.

Framework also reveals an interesting anti-scalper system in the blog post. Because it sells RAM at a lower price than the open market, it fears that scalpers will buy the laptops, pop out the RAM, then return the laptop without its memory and sell the sticks for a pretty penny. Framework will counter this by simply denying returns that don't also include the RAM; if you want to send it back, you have to send all of it back. A very reasonable demand, if you ask me.