Avoid 8GB Laptops: RAM Prices Are Unbelievably High

If you had the chance to drift off to sleep in 2019 and just woke up this week, the laptop landscape might seem largely unchanged. The Dell XPS 13 still features an option with 8GB of RAM, and Apple continues to offer the same capacity in its entry-level MacBook. upon seeing the prices, it quickly becomes apparent that significant changes have occurred.

This year, Dell introduced the XPS 13 with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage at a price point of $699. This cost has since risen by $100 for the same specifications. While the starting price of $699 is still offered, it limits storage to just 256GB. On the other hand, Apple’s MacBook Neo experienced a price hike from $599 to $699, along with other increases that took effect in June.

TrendForce estimates that CPU, memory, and storage components now account for 68 percent of a typical laptop’s manufacturing costs. The firm anticipates that manufacturers will reduce memory options to maintain their profit margins in the coming year. This means we can expect to see more 8GB models, but buyers should resist the temptation to settle for one.

Until 2024, 8GB of RAM was considered the unofficial standard for laptops. In May of that year, Microsoft launched the Copilot+ PC initiative, declaring 16GB as the new minimum for laptops marketed under this designation. By October, Apple doubled the base RAM of its MacBook Air from 8GB to 16GB without raising the $999 price. Subsequent Mac models were introduced with 16GB as the standard.

By 2026, a rather bleak forecast from TrendForce predicted that the costs incurred by PC manufacturers for memory would surge by a staggering 90 to 95 percent in the first quarter alone. Apple released its MacBook Neo in March as the only model with less than 16GB, while Dell reintroduced its 2026 XPS 13, which had an 8GB base model after a temporary naming-related pause.

While 4GB is the absolute minimum required to run Windows 11, the entry-level Dell XPS 13 technically has double that requirement. our review of the base model revealed that 80 percent of its memory was already allocated to background processes immediately after booting Windows. Opening a browser and populating it with tabs pushed memory usage to 95 percent, resulting in noticeable lag during tasks like scrolling and switching between windows. In contrast, our tests showed that the midrange Dell XPS 13, equipped with 16GB of RAM, scored approximately 30 percent higher in PCMark 10 and lasted an additional hour and 44 minutes in battery tests.

The XPS 13’s Core i5 320 processor is part of Intel’s budget Wildcat Lake series, utilizing a single memory channel, unlike the dual channels found in Intel’s higher-end Panther Lake processors. both the processor and integrated graphics must share the same narrow bandwidth allocated to the 8GB of RAM.

Typically, memory and storage represent about 15 percent of a laptop’s total manufacturing costs, as reported by TrendForce. this figure is expected to exceed 30 percent by early 2026. An analyst from market research firm OpenBrand mentioned to Consumer Reports last year that manufacturers are likely to introduce lower-spec models to maintain traditional price points such as $599 and $799, which aligns with current market observations.

Samsung has projected its third-quarter operating profit to be around 107.4 trillion won, approximately $80 billion, marking its fourth consecutive record quarter. Analysts cited by The Korea Times attribute roughly 110 trillion won of that profit to memory sales, suggesting that the remainder of Samsung’s operations may be less profitable. Meanwhile, Micron decided to discontinue its Crucial consumer RAM and SSD brand to focus its resources on “larger, strategic customers” in response to the rising demand from AI data centers. These data centers are a significant factor driving current high RAM prices.

Dell charges an additional $200 to upgrade the XPS 13 from 8GB to 16GB, bringing the total to $899 if you retain the base 256GB storage option. While this is a considerable expense for an extra 8GB of memory, it’s a one-time decision, and our review concluded that this upgrade is advisable for all but the most casual users. Unlike Dell, Apple’s Neo model does not provide an upgrade option. The entry-level Mac laptop with 16GB is now the $1,299 M5 MacBook Air, which is $300 more than the previous M2 Air with 16GB that was available in late 2024. the M5 Air offers double the baseline storage compared to the M2.

MSI launched its Katana 15 HX C14 gaming laptop in August, offering an option for older DDR4 memory, while Framework is now encouraging customers who opt for the DIY Edition to supply their own RAM after raising prices on DDR5 by 50 percent. Laptops that include memory slots allow users to start with a smaller amount of RAM and upgrade when prices decrease. It’s also worthwhile to consider last year’s 16GB models while supplies last.

Acer’s chairman and CEO Jason Chen anticipates that PC prices will rise by an additional 5 to 20 percent before the year ends, peaking in the first half of 2027, according to TechSpot. He criticized memory manufacturers for allegedly exaggerating the duration of the shortage to protect their profit margins. Meanwhile, TrendForce predicts that brands will struggle to maintain their pricing, specifications, and profitability simultaneously in the coming year. Even the more optimistic projections suggest that laptops will become pricier before they eventually decrease in cost. An 8GB laptop purchased now will remain with that same capacity when prices drop.