Framework has announced substantial price increases for certain memory modules, a consequence of the ongoing global memory shortage. The company's modular laptop and mainboard supplier has raised prices beyond initial predictions, forcing Framework to adjust its configurations to mitigate financial risk.
According to a recent pricing update, Framework's LPCAMM2 memory module supplier has implemented price hikes that "go far beyond anything we had predicted and anything we’re able to absorb without placing our ability to operate at real financial risk." The supplier's new pricing is reportedly more than double that of the previous inventory.
To cope with these increased costs, Framework will adjust its product configurations. The company stated that remaining 64 GB module stock will be allocated to existing laptop and mainboard pre-orders. Once this stock is depleted, new orders configured with 64 GB modules will be switched to 32 GB modules at the original pricing. Similarly, pre-orders configured with 32 GB modules will be fulfilled as stock allows, with some potentially being reconfigured to use 16 GB modules at original pricing.
These changes come amidst a complex pricing landscape for memory and storage. While costs for 16 GB capacity modules are rising, Framework has managed to reduce pricing on 48 GB DDR5 modules. The storage market also sees fluctuations, with prices increasing for certain SN850X and SN7100 variants while decreasing for others.
Framework has committed to honoring existing pre-order prices, even if they have since increased. Conversely, pre-orders will automatically see their prices reduced if the cost of a configured component has decreased since the order was placed.
The company highlighted that its position as a smaller device manufacturer makes it more vulnerable to these rising memory costs compared to larger corporations like Lenovo or Dell, which have greater purchasing power and the ability to absorb additional expenses.
Framework's transparency in providing these regular pricing updates offers valuable insight into the real-world impact of the global memory shortage on consumer device pricing and availability.