Reviewers warn against 8GB laptops as RAM prices climb

Engadget said the extra 8GB costs $200 on Dell's XPS 13, which is much cheaper than replacing the laptop later. Dell released its XPS 13 with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage at $699 this year, a price that has since gone up by $100 for the same specifications. The $699 starting price is still available, but it limits buyers to 256GB of storage. Apple's MacBook Neo went from $599 to $699, along with other price increases in June, according to Engadget.

TrendForce estimates that CPU, memory and storage now make up 68 percent of a mainstream laptop's bill of materials, and it expects manufacturers to cut memory to preserve margins next year. Engadget said that points to more 8GB machines, not fewer. The outlet traced the 16GB baseline to May 2024, when Microsoft's Copilot+ PC program set 16GB as the minimum for laptops sold under that label. In October 2024, Apple doubled the base MacBook Air's RAM from 8GB to 16GB without raising its $999 price, and every new Mac after that started at 16GB.

In 2026, TrendForce forecast that prices PC makers pay memory suppliers would rise by 90 to 95 percent in the first quarter alone. Apple released the MacBook Neo in March as the only current Mac with less than 16GB, and Dell brought back its 2026 XPS 13 with an 8GB base model. Engadget's review of the base XPS 13 found that 80 percent of its memory was committed to invisible processes right after Windows booted. Opening a browser and filling it with tabs pushed usage to 95 percent, causing minor hiccups in scrolling, window switching and regular use. The midrange XPS 13 with 16GB scored about 30 percent higher in PCMark 10 and lasted one hour and 44 minutes longer in the same battery test.

The XPS 13's Core 5 320 is part of Intel's budget Wildcat Lake line, which has a single memory channel rather than the two on Intel's pricier Panther Lake chips, Engadget reported. Normally, memory and storage account for roughly 15 percent of what it costs to build a laptop, according to TrendForce, which projected that share would pass 30 percent at the start of 2026. An analyst at market tracker OpenBrand told Consumer Reports late last year that manufacturers would slide in lower-spec models to hold onto familiar price points like $599 and $799.

Memory suppliers are benefiting from the shift. Samsung estimated its third-quarter operating profit at 107.4 trillion won, or about $80 billion, its fourth record quarter in a row. Analysts cited by The Korea Times put around 110 trillion won of that down to memory alone, implying the rest of Samsung lost money. Micron wound down Crucial, its consumer RAM and SSD brand, in February to redirect supply to larger strategic customers as AI data center demand took off.

Engadget said Dell charges $200 to take the XPS 13 from 8GB to 16GB, bringing the price to $899 with the base 256GB of storage. Its review determined that everyone but the most casual users should pay for the upgrade. Apple's MacBook Neo does not offer that choice. The cheapest Mac laptop with 16GB is now the $1,299 M5 MacBook Air, which is $300 more than the 16GB M2 Air cost in late 2024, though the M5 Air comes with twice the baseline storage of the M2.

MSI launched its Katana 15 HX C14 gaming laptop in August with an option for older DDR4 memory, while Framework now encourages DIY Edition buyers to bring their own RAM after raising its DDR5 prices by 50 percent. Laptops with memory slots let buyers start small and add more once prices fall, and last year's 16GB models are worth a look while stock lasts, according to Engadget. Acer chairman and CEO Jason Chen expects PC prices to rise another 5 to 20 percent before the end of the year and peak in the first half of 2027, TechSpot reported.

TechRadar's top US deal was a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x at Best Buy for $549.99, down from $849.99, with a Snapdragon CPU and long battery life. Its top UK pick was a Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook at Argos for £269, down from £399, an entry-level model with 8GB of RAM that TechRadar said can handle everyday jobs and light work. Other US deals included a 14-inch MediaTek Kompanio 540 Chromebook with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage; a 15.3-inch Lenovo Chromebook Plus with an Intel Core 3, 8GB and 128GB; a 15.3-inch Snapdragon X model with 16GB and 256GB; a MacBook Neo with an A18 Pro, 8GB and 256GB for under $600 with a student discount; a Dell XPS 13 with a Core 5, 8GB and 512GB at $699.99 for students; and a 14-inch Dell with a Core Ultra 7, 16GB and 512GB at $400 off. The UK list also included a Lenovo Chromebook with an Intel i3 N305, 8GB and 256GB for around £250 with 11 hours of battery life.

The two outlets' advice diverges in places. Engadget warns buyers not to settle for 8GB, while TechRadar's deal list includes several 8GB Chromebooks and an 8GB XPS 13 as lower-cost choices for basic use, school or light work.