Framework Passes Rising Memory and Processor Costs to Buyers, With a Twist
The maker of fully modular laptops, Framework, is getting hit by a sharp increase in memory prices, and the numbers are pretty astounding. Its LPCAMM2 modules have nearly doubled: The 32GB jumped from $439 to $800, and the 64GB jumped from $849 to $1,600. In a July 22 news post on navigating the volatile silicon market, Framework’s CEO Nirav Patel said that the cost hikes from the supplier go “far beyond anything we had predicted and anything we’re able to absorb without placing our ability to operate at real financial risk.” In short, the memory market has become so volatile that Framework is passing on the higher costs to buyers rather than absorbing the losses itself. That part’s not surprising. But in perhaps a less conventional twist, to manage the orders it already took for its Framework Laptop 13 Pro, the company is rejiggering some presold configurations rather than canceling them. That means when inventory runs out, it’s downsizing configurations on preordered models and adjusting the price. Or more concretely, for later preorder batches that …
