Framework officially launched pre-orders for its AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495-powered Desktop mini PCs on September 30, as previously announced. Launch pricing started at $6,799 for the DIY Edition with 192 GB of unified memory and no pre-installed storage. A pre-built version with a 2 TB NVMe 4.0 SSD and Fedora Linux pre-installed comes with a $7,449 price tag.

It was revealed hours before launch that the OEM would only be offering one batch of the new Desktop SKU due to limited RAM quantities. Despite the eye-watering price, the first batch of Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 mini PCs sold out within hours of the start of pre-orders. However, in a post on X, Framework confirmed that it had managed to secure another batch of RAM for the Gorgon Halo systems, and it subsequently opened a second limited batch of pre-orders, which remain available at the time of writing and are slated to start shipping in November. Framework added in a separate post on X that prices for the Framework Desktop PC will only increase in the coming months.

After teasing the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 upgrade to the Framework Destkop mini PC, Framework has officially announced that pre-orders for the SFF desktop will start on Wednesday, 30 September. The announcement came in a post on the OEM's official X account, where it also confirmed that, as is typical with its Framework Laptop upgrades, the rest of the motherboard and case will remain the same, for backwards compatibility purposes.

Currently, it is unclear how much the new AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495-powered mini PC will cost, but it'd be a safe bet to assume it will be more expensive than the current-generation Ryzen AI Max+ 395 model, especially on the high-end version, topping out at 192 GB of LPDDR5X-8533 memory where the 395 version tops out at 128 GB.

Framework's One Key Module is a project that Framework announced when it launched the Laptop 16 2nd-gen with the goal of creating an ecosystem for developers to design their own keyboard layouts that tinkerers could put together from parts and schematics, or that could be turned into commercial products. Unfortunately, Framework has just announced that it would be ending the One Key Module program, citing manufacturing complexity and yield issues for the cessation.

First, despite heroic efforts from our engineering and supply chain team members along with their counterparts at our partner Lite-On, we weren't able to bring material and assembly costs along with manufacturing yield to a place where the product economics worked. The per-key costs resulted in breakeven pricing too high to reasonably enable high volume sales, and neither we nor our suppliers can take on the overhead of manufacturing a product of this complexity at low volumes.

Framework, the maker of repairable laptops and mini PCs, previously stirred up some controversy when it increased pre-order pricing on its Laptop 13 Pro after promising that the announced pricing would hold throughout pre-orders. Following that July price increase, however, Framework has revealed that it has once again dropped the price of pre-orders on the Framework Laptop 13 Pro, after it was able to secure a batch of LPCAMM2 memory at a lower price.

According to the latest update to Framework's RAMpocalypse tracker and updater page, the new Laptop 13 Pro pricing will not be lower than the original pre-orders, but it will be lower than the adjusted pricing after the previous price increase—that is to say, buyers will still be paying a higher price than expected, but it will not be as much higher. Framework will not only be reducing prices for currently available pre-orders, but it will be retroactively applying a discount to existing pre-orders and issuing partial refunds for pre-orders that have already been shipped at the higher price.

CD Projekt Red is aware that switching The Witcher 4 to Unreal Engine 5 carries the risk of the game blending in with every other UE5 title out there. CDPR built Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 on its own REDengine, which gave both games a distinct visual identity. UE5 has since become the industry default, and plenty of games on it end up with a similar glossy look, which players online often complain about. Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski addressed that concern directly, admitting the studio spent real time in R&D wondering if Epic's engine was even the right fit.

"That was a big question we were asking ourselves, because pushing the envelope with how the games look, the cinematic feel of it all, is very, very important. And that was a big question mark when we were in the R&D phase over whether Unreal Engine 5 is going to be a good fit or not. We really are going to be able to differentiate ourselves. People are going to feel this is a CDPR game still."

The Framework Laptop 12 was an almost instant hit when it launched, thanks to its whimsical, compact design and durable chassis, but there was always a bit of a perception amongst hardware enthusiasts that the small laptop wasn't a serious computer, thanks to its outdated 13th-Gen Intel CPUs. Now, Framework has just announced that the convertible laptop has received an update to Intel's latest Core Series 3 CPUs.

Following the update, the Framework 12 is available for pre-order with the Intel Core 3 304, Core 5 320, and Core 7 350 CPUs, delivering Intel's latest six-core (2× P-Cores, 4× E-Cores) CPUs. Unfortunately, there are still no versions with the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H or any with a proper Intel Arc B390 iGPU. That said, the Framework Laptop 12 also now ships with two Thunderbolt 4-capable USB Type-C ports in the two rear-most expansion bays, theoretically allowing for eGPU expansion or other Thunderbolt peripherals.

Framework recently published a pricing update regarding some of its Laptop 13 Pro SKUs, confirming that it has been subject to an unexpected 100%+ price increase for LPCAMM2 modules, which has meant that Laptop 13 Pro prices have had to increase in order to cover increased costs. Framework says that the price increase "goes far beyond anything we had predicted and anything we're able to absorb without placing our ability to operate at real financial risk."

One issue that has repeatedly come up in the Framework community on Reddit, for instance, is that the company has effectively gone back on a promise it made when it announced the Laptop 13 Pro. At launch, Nirav Patel, Framework's CEO, stated that "we are going to honor any existing pricing for any pre-order that gets placed on our website...that's not to say that we're not going to end up changing prices in the future for new orders, but we're not going to go back and change prices for orders that anyone's ever actually placed already."

Framework teased its first mini-PC qualification platform for AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 processor. Unveiled earlier this year at Computex, the Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 is a major update to the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 that supports a maximum unified memory of 192 GB, a 50% increase over the 128 GB that its predecessor supports, enabling significantly larger 300 billion-parameter AI models to be run, or multiple concurrent agentic AI workflows. The test platform's specs were confirmed in its Insyde UEFI splash screen, revealing its processor model number to be "AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 with Radeon 8065S," and its memory configuration of 192 GB of LPDDR5X-8533. The Radeon 8065S is a minor update over the 8060S, with slightly increased engine clock.

AMD plans to formally launch the Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 400 series later this year as mainly an AI development and inferencing platform processor, given that it's main feature over the Ryzen AI Max 300 series is 192 GB memory support. AMD standardized its PRO feature-set across the series, which gives the chip remote management capabilities similar to Intel vPro.

Framework has updated its Laptop 13 Pro pre-order page with a notable storage change and a pricing heads-up worth noting. On the good news side, Framework has switched the Gen 5 SSD option to the ADATA XPG MARS 970, which it says offers better performance, efficiency, and long-term reliability at a lower cost than the previously qualified drive. Existing pre-orders with a Gen 5 SSD selected will be automatically switched over and repriced. The new options come in 1 TB and 2 TB, and the 1 TB now costs less than the old 500 GB option. Anyone who had ordered the 500 GB will be pushed up to the 1 TB option at the lower price automatically. If PCIe Gen 5 SSD storage is not necessary, Framework also offers cheaper options based on the Sandisk SN7100 and 850X PCIe 4.0 SSDs.

The less welcome update is on CPU pricing. Framework says it has received signals that processor costs are likely to increase soon. The company expects to adjust the overall Framework Laptop 13 Pro system price for new orders in the coming weeks. Existing pre-orders are not mentioned as being affected, but anyone wishing to make an order is advised to make a decision while current pricing holds. Pre-orders remain fully refundable before shipment if you change your mind. At this point, we don't know if the CPU price increase affects only Framework or if it's a sign of a larger mainstream trend coming from both Intel and AMD.

Framework, the maker of various modular laptops, has updated its blog post regarding the pricing and availability of consumer memory and storage configurations for its products. As the company collaborates with its supply chain to equip its laptops and mini-PCs with necessary components, it possesses inside knowledge of pricing trends that ultimately affect consumer purchases. According to the update, Framework notes that the price of DRAM has stabilized for now, and the latest DDR5 memory has remained relatively unchanged in recent weeks. This is noteworthy as memory is one of the most expensive PC components these days. This means that suppliers are offering stable prices without requiring long-term contracts, although high demand is keeping prices elevated compared to the same period last year.

However, the situation is different for NAND Flash, as Framework notes that SSD prices are facing significant challenges. The company mentions that its inventory of SSDs purchased in 2025 still exists, and they have been selling these SSDs at prices well below the current market value. Essentially, Framework honored the pricing it set when acquiring these SSDs, providing customers with some relief when purchasing storage expansion. However, this will not remain the case for much longer, as Framework expects the old inventory to be depleted as soon as next month. The company will then have to sell SSDs at current acquisition prices, which are several times more expensive than those acquired last year. Framework previously sourced SSDs from Western Digital but is now introducing new modules from Sandisk, which now owns Western Digital SSDs, as well as from ADATA, Phison, and possibly other suppliers.

The LVFS (Linux Vendor Firmware Service) is a firmware update project that's been gaining traction in recent years, especially with distributions like Bazzite and SteamOS serving as simplified operating systems for devices like gaming handhelds, and manufacturers like Framework and System76 releasing Linux-first hardware. While Dell and Lenovo have previously allowed firmware updating for a number of their devices, it was just announced by Richard Hughes, a Gnome developer and maintainer, that both Dell and Lenovo have recently become premier sponsors of LVFS, meaning they each donate in excess of $100,000 annually to keep the project sustainable and fund development.

Becoming a premium sponsor of the LVFS also means that Dell and Lenovo will be able to implement several custom features, allow for 1,500 monthly uploads and 10,000,000 monthly downloads, and more closely collaborate with the LVFS developers. The LVFS previously announced a sustainability plan, which sought to secure $400,000 in additional annual donations to fund development and a $30,000 annual budget for hosting costs.

PassMark's MemTest86 update version 11.7 (Build 1000) has added preliminary testing for the LPCAMM2 memory type, primarily for Intel's "Meteor Lake" and "Arrow Lake" chips. This means that the latest memory form factor can now be tested using a standardized testing methodology. With the rise of LPCAMM2 appearances, it is only logical that MemTest86 adds support for this form factor, which we have started seeing on Lenovo ThinkBook 14+ and 16+ and Framework Laptop 13 Pro models, especially from major DRAM manufacturers such as CXMT and Samsung. CXMT's LPCAMM2 memory uses LPDDR5X-8533 modules, while Samsung's modules are running LPDDR5X-9600 memory stacks. Interestingly, with further support from SK hynix, Samsung, Micron, and now CXMT, LPCAMM2 is aiming to become a universal standard for memory. Since the upcoming DDR6 memory is scheduled to be the main driver behind (LP)CAMM2, having a memory testing tool is essential.Below is the list of fixes and enhancements.

Framework, known for its repairable and upgradeable gaming and productivity laptops, has officially released a Laptop 16 graphics upgrade module with the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 12 GB. Framework's original Laptop 16 graphics expansion module, which upgrades the original $350 AMD Radeon RX 7700S, is based on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 8 GB and costs $699. Now, the RTX 5070 12 GB upgrade comes in at a whopping $1,199—a 72% price increase for a 50% increase in VRAM. It's unclear where the drastic price increase comes from, but some of it can likely be explained by the low volume Framework has to contend with, and some of it can be attributed to the ongoing DRAM crisis wracking the PC hardware market.

Alongside the Framework 13 Pro that was just announced, Framework also released the OCuLink Dev Kit, which is a new modular adaptor that replaces the Framework Laptop 16's Graphics Module with an external OCuLink port, allowing you to connect high-performance peripherals and hardware across a PCIe 5.0×8 interface and offering a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 128 GT/s. Framework suggests that users could use the OCuLink port to build out their Framework Laptop 16 as a lightweight on-the-go laptop, removing the dGPU and using that in an eGPU setup while docked at a desk and relying on the iGPU in the laptop for work away from the desk.

The Framework OCuLink Dev Kit includes the hardware that goes into the laptop itself, an OCuLink Expansion Bay adaptor, as well as the external bits, including a Graphics Module OCuLink Dock, for mounting your Framework Graphics Module externally, a PCIe OCuLink Dock with a full-size PCIe slot for hardware like GPUs, networking cards, capture cards, and whatever else goes into a PCIe slot; and an OCuLink 8i cable to connect the dock to the laptop itself. In order to use the external graphics module, you'll need to supply your own desktop PSU, since Framework does not include one in the package, and it should also be noted that the OCuLink port does not support the same charging capabilities as USB4 or Thunderbolt, so you'll still need to run at least two cables when using the Dev Kit.

Today, we're happy to introduce Framework Laptop 13 Pro, a complete ground up redesign that brings a massive leap in battery life with Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 Processors, a 74 Wh battery, and LPCAMM2 memory, a new full CNC aluminium chassis, our first purpose-built power-optimized display with touch support, an excellent feeling haptic touchpad, an option for pre-loaded Ubuntu, and much more.

In many ways, this product has been six years in the making. We've taken all of the feedback you've given us on the first seven generations of Framework Laptop 13 to make this the ultimate portable developer and power user machine. With all of this, it's still a Framework Laptop, meaning it's repairable, upgradeable, customizable, and entirely yours to do what you want with. Framework Laptop 13 Pro is available to pre-order today, starting at $1,199 USD for DIY Edition and $1,499 USD for pre-built configurations, with first shipments in June.

Framework has taken a remarkably transparent approach to recent RAM price increases that affect the pricing of both its laptops and its standalone RAM sales, sticking to monthly price updates throughout the ongoing RAM shortage and maintaining a blog post with monthly updates on the industry situation. Framework's March memory pricing update will see prices on DDR5 SODIMMs increase to as much as $13-18 per GB, with lower capacity sticks seemingly trending towards the higher end of that price bracket. The price increases in question have also affected the Framework Desktop and some pre-built SKUs of the Framework Laptop 16.

Framework also confirmed that it has "started to deplete" its stockpile of low-cost SSDs that were sitting in inventory, and the company predicts that prices for the Laptop 12, 13, and 16 will continue to trend upwards in the coming months as a result of both the storage and RAM price increases. For the time being, the OEM still has supply of 2, 4, and 8 TB SN850X SSDs that are priced below market averages. The impacts of the DRAM crisis on silicon fabrication have also begun to become apparent, since the Intel Core i5-1334U in the Framework 12 is in limited supply.

Laptop and Mini-PC maker Framework is sharing another update with the community about the company's cost base for acquiring DRAM, such as DDR5 memory. In its latest February update, the company notes that the cost for DDR5 memory in its systems is now priced at $12-16 per GB of capacity, depending on the kit size and total capacity. This means that for a 16 GB kit, customers are expected to pay anywhere between $192-256, and as much as about $400 for 32 GB of DDR5 memory in its Laptop 12/13/16 models. According to the company blog post, this represents an average price that Framework is charging depending on the kit, as there is different pricing for a single higher-capacity sticks or dual lower-capacity DIMMs going into the system.

In late December 2025, we reported that Framework's pricing was $10 per GB for 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB modules, and a bit higher for dual rank non-binary 48 GB modules. However, just two months later, the situation is now much worse, as we are seeing Framework's suppliers increasing memory costs anywhere from 20-60%, depending on the configuration.

Late last week, HW Media Lab presented the first photos of their DockFrame prototype. A familiar cog emblem is visible in a couple of the teaser shots. The independent hardware design agency has formulated their nifty and highly customizable USB-C hub with Framework's modular card expansion system in mind. In addition, the open-hardware system's tool cards can be connected up to non-Framework computers, and smartphones, via USB-C. Eleo Basili, co-founder and principal product designer at HW Media Lab, commented on the status of this intriguing project: "we're iterating on the PCB now (power + routing + port behavior), and we're incorporating the community's requirements into the spec." Suggestions and other thoughts are welcomed—feedback can be sent in through the DockFrame official site.

Interested parties are invited to join a pre-order waiting list, but Basili and colleagues have not revealed any pricing details or an upcoming launch window. The DockFrame design is not officially affiliated with Framework, but connectivity enthusiasts seem to be impressed with HW Media Lab's plans and colorful/fun decorative themes. Currently, Framework offers 24 types of their own expansion cards, starting at $11. Rising costs have caused invested users to balk at the prospect of tailoring their Laptop 12, 13, or 16 systems to greater degrees—especially in terms of memory kits and graphics card modules. The first-gen DockFrame product, at least in early form, has the capacity to accept up to four hot swappable cards.

Schenker isn't exactly a household name, but the company is known for making decent enthusiast-class gaming laptops that often come with a reasonable price point and without too much fuss when it comes to design. With its latest design, the Element 16, Schenker seems to be leaning into the recent resurgence in upgradeable and repairable laptops—not unlike the Framework 16, although with less of an emphasis on customization. Schenker designed the Element 16 in collaboration with Intel, and although it has not yet launched properly, it is based on Intel's new Panther Lake Core Ultra Series 3 CPUs. This means that when it eventually launches sometime in 2026, the Element 16 will be powered by Intel's Core Ultra 7 356H CPU and up to 64 GB of RAM.

The Element 16 features the components that are typically upgradeable or replaceable in gaming laptops—RAM, SSD storage, fans, and the battery—but it makes those upgrades easier with a toolless bottom panel and minimal screws to access and replace those internal components. The Element 16 also takes things a step further with a replaceable keyboard and a modular port design not entirely unlike that of the Framework laptops but with its own twist: instead of replacing one port at a time, the side-mounted ports on the Element 16 are part of a single module that can be replaced with a different module that has different ports. Schenker also says the motherboard is designed to be replaced when necessary, as well, although it's unclear if both AMD and Intel CPUs will be supported or if those motherboard replacements will be limited to Intel CPUs. There are still questions surrounding pricing, parts availability, and just how open Schenker will be about the parts on the Element 16, but for now we know that it will be sold by Bestware in the EU.

Framework updated its original DRAM price hike blog post on December 24th, 2025, explaining that the company must respond to the price volatility its suppliers are experiencing. Initially, Framework announced a 50% price increase for its DDR5 memory upgrade configurations. To maintain transparency with customers, the company stated its intention to raise the price of DDR5 memory in Framework Laptop DIY Edition orders by 50%. This decision directly responds to the significantly higher costs from DRAM suppliers and distributors. As a result, the company cannot absorb all these cost increases and needs to pass some on to consumers. Therefore, another increase today is a natural response, as the company originally suggested.

FrameworkWith costs from our suppliers continuing to increase, we've had to make a further price adjustment on DDR5 memory modules. During this period of extreme memory shortages and price volatility, our priority is to make sure you can still buy a computer when you need one. With that in mind, we're setting our memory configuration prices as close as possible to the actual purchase prices we have with our suppliers and distributors. Since we're constantly sourcing additional memory and each purchase comes in at different (and often higher) pricing, we're using the Weighted Average Cost (WAC) of inventory, which currently comes to $10/GB for 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB modules, and slightly higher for 48 GB modules.

Framework has published an official company blog post announcing that it is preparing a 50% price increase for its DDR5 memory upgrade configurations. In an effort to remain transparent with customers, the company has stated that it intends to raise the price of DDR5 memory available in Framework Laptop DIY Edition orders by 50%. This decision is a direct response to the significantly higher costs the company is facing from its DRAM suppliers and distributors. As a result, the company cannot absorb all of these cost increases on its own and needs to pass some of them on to the consumer.

The company will not increase the prices of its existing pre-configured systems that include DRAM, as these were acquired at earlier, standard prices. As the memory market becomes more volatile, this might be just the first wave of price hikes, since the company cannot absorb the added costs of new memory orders. Since Framework manufactures various components, from laptops to mini-PCs, the company uses a mix of DDR5, LPDDR5X, and GDDR. All of these are in tight supply due to the AI boom depleting any remaining DRAM inventory.

MetaComputing, a Switzerland-based innovator founded in 2024, today announced its latest breakthrough in intelligent computing—the MetaComputig AI PC with Framework Laptop 13, developed in collaboration with CIX Technology. This product marks a major step toward bringing powerful, energy-efficient AI performance to consumer desktops, designed to blend artificial intelligence with open computing seamlessly.

The launch of the AI PC marks a major milestone for MetaComputing, showcasing its latest innovation. Powered by the CIX Technology CP8180 SoC, the new AI PC delivers up to 45 TOPS of AI performance, built on advanced 6 nm process technology. It features a 12-core Arm CPU (Cortex-A720 and Cortex-A520) clocked up to 2.6 GHz, and a 10-core Mali GPU, ensuring powerful multitasking and AI acceleration in a compact, power-efficient design.

HP says rising memory costs will likely push PC prices higher next year, or force the company to ship systems with less RAM. The warning comes as DDR5 pricing has surged more than 200% in recent weeks due to the ongoing memory shortage. CEO Enrique Lores told investors yesterday during HP's earnings call that HP has enough RAM stockpiled to get through the first half of its fiscal year, which began this month. But starting in May, higher memory costs will begin hitting margins. To compensate, HP is preparing to source cheaper suppliers, redesign some products with lower memory configurations, cut internal costs, and raise prices where necessary. According to Lores, the impact will be felt mostly in lower-end PC categories, which tend to be more sensitive to component cost changes. Any price increases will be rolled out selectively based on market and product segment.

HP isn't alone. CyberPowerPC, announced on X that the company will implement a price increase across all its SKUs on December 7, 2025. MAINGEAR, a major prebuilt PC manufacturer, is feeling the effects of ongoing memory shortages. CEO Wallace Santos told Wccftech that prices will keep rising and lead times will stretch as stock becomes limited. "We are in constant communication with our vendors and will delay these increases for as long as possible," Santos said. With the DRAM and NAND flash shortage showing no signs of ending, the situation could persist for some time. On its marketplace, Framework now lists all DDR5 or DDR4 SODIMMs as "coming soon," effectively halting standalone RAM sales. We'll end on that note, after a month overflowing with news of rising component costs.

It's no secret that DRAM prices have recently skyrocketed thanks to supply chain and fulfillment issues, and the effects of those price increases have already started to echo across the consumer market, with brands like Framework already pausing direct-to-consumer RAM sales. Now, however, CyberPowerPC has announced that it will be increasing prices of its pre-built desktop PCs as a result of increasing component costs. The exact price increase that will be applied when the increase happens is unclear, although, as we have pointed out before, prices for AMD's GPUs are also slated to increase by as much as 10%.

According to CyberPowerPC's post on X, the system integrator will effectuate a price increase across all of its SKUs on December 7, 2025. CyberPowerPC blames not only RAM prices, which it says have increased by 500%, but also cites a 100% increase in SSD prices. CyberPowerPC says these increased costs have been a factor for prebuilt PCs since October 1, 2025. Another common culprit for the increase in DRAM price and lack of availability is the demand for AI compute—a theory substantiated by recent CounterPoints Research projections. Currently, prices of server DRAM and LPDDR5X, commonly found in laptops, mini PCs, and gaming handhelds, are expected to double in 2026.

Framework has updated some of its component store listings, in reaction to fluid conditions that have affected computer memory supplies. In a reply to Jeff Geerling's musings regarding recent ludicrous price hikes, the North American modular PC specialist provided a short explanation: "the memory market is in a bad spot. We haven't changed our memory pricing, but we did have to delist standalone memory from our Marketplace to head off scalpers and preserve inventory for people buying it with our DIY Edition laptops." Over the past week and a half, several tech large players have started shifting production priorities.

At the time of writing, Framework's marketplace does not display any available stock of DDR5 or DDR4 SODIMMs. Every relevant item is marked with a "coming soon" tag. The company's prioritization of DIY laptop customers is a noble gesture, but this morning's social media activity also disclosed some troubling developments: "our memory costs from our suppliers are increasing substantially though, so it is likely we will need to increase memory pricing soon."