The cost of memory has risen dramatically, yet many manufacturers are still offering laptops with only 8 GB of RAM. Adding an extra 8 GB to a Dell XPS 13 now costs about $200, a price that is still cheaper than buying a new machine. By Luke James, Oct. 20, 2026, 10:45 am EST
If you happened to fall asleep in 2019 and just woke up this week, the laptop market might look familiar. Dell’s XPS 13 still ships with 8 GB of RAM, and Apple’s entry‑level MacBook also offers the same amount. However, the price tags reveal a different story. Dell introduced the XPS 13 with 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage for $699 earlier this year, a price that has since risen by $100 for the same configuration. The original $699 starting price remains, but it now limits storage to 256 GB. Apple’s MacBook Neo also jumped from $599 to $699 in June, alongside several other price hikes.
TrendForce estimates that CPU, memory and storage now account for 68 percent of a typical laptop’s bill of materials, and it predicts that manufacturers will trim memory to protect margins next year. Consequently, more 8 GB machines are likely to appear, not fewer. Still, buying one may not be wise.
Until 2024, 8 GB of RAM was the unofficial baseline for laptops. In May 2024, Microsoft launched the Copilot+ PC program and declared that 16 GB would become the minimum for any laptop bearing the label. In October, Apple doubled the base MacBook Air’s RAM from 8 GB to 16 GB without raising its $999 price, and every new Mac since then started at 16 GB.
In 2026, TrendForce warned that the cost of memory for PC makers could rise by as much as 95 percent in the first quarter. Apple released the MacBook Neo in March as the only current Mac with less than 16 GB of RAM, while Dell brought back its 2026 XPS 13 with an 8 GB base model after a brief naming pause. Although 4 GB is the minimum required to run Windows 11, the base XPS 13 model technically offers twice that amount.
Our review of the base Dell XPS 13 (2026) showed that 80 percent of its memory was already in use by background processes right after Windows booted. Opening a browser and loading many tabs pushed usage to 95 percent, causing noticeable slowdowns when scrolling, switching windows, or performing routine tasks. By contrast, the mid‑range XPS 13 equipped with 16 GB of RAM scored roughly 30 percent higher in PCMark 10 and lasted an hour and 44 minutes longer in the same battery test. The XPS 13’s Core 5 320 processor belongs to Intel’s budget Wildcat Lake line, which uses a single memory channel instead of the dual channels found in Intel’s higher‑end Panther Lake chips. This means the processor and integrated graphics share a narrower path to the 8 GB of RAM.
Why are laptop makers cutting RAM? According to TrendForce, memory and storage typically represent about 15 percent of a laptop’s manufacturing cost, but that share is expected to exceed 30 percent at the start of 2026. An analyst at OpenBrand told Consumer Reports late last year that manufacturers would “slide in” lower‑spec models to keep price points like $599 and $799, which is essentially what has happened. Samsung projected third‑quarter operating profit of 107.4 trillion won (around $80 billion), marking a fourth consecutive record quarter. Analysts cited by The Korea Times attributed roughly 110 trillion won of that profit to memory, implying the rest of Samsung operated at a loss. Meanwhile, Micron discontinued its Crucial consumer RAM and SSD brand in February to redirect supply to larger, strategic customers as AI data‑center demand surged. Those data centers are the primary driver behind today’s high RAM prices.
Is the 16 GB upgrade worth it? Dell charges $200 to upgrade the XPS 13 from 8 GB to 16 GB, bringing the price to $899 if you keep the base 256 GB of storage. While that is a steep premium for an extra 8 GB, our testing suggests that almost all users except the most casual should opt for the upgrade. Apple’s Neo does not offer a similar choice. The cheapest Mac laptop with 16 GB of RAM is now the $1,299 M5 MacBook Air, which costs $300 more than the 16 GB M2 Air priced in late 2024. The M5 Air does, however, include twice the baseline storage of the M2.
MSI introduced the Katana 15 HX C14 gaming laptop in August with an option for older DDR4 memory, and Framework now encourages DIY Edition buyers to install their own RAM after raising DDR5 prices by 50 percent. Laptops with accessible memory slots allow users to start with a smaller configuration and add more later when prices fall. Last year’s 16 GB models are also worth considering while supplies last.
Acer chairman and CEO Jason Chen expects PC prices to rise another 5 to 20 percent before year‑end and to peak in the first half of 2027, according to TechSpot. He accused memory manufacturers of overstating the duration of the shortage to protect margins, while TrendForce predicts brands will struggle to balance price, specifications and profit next year. Even the most optimistic forecasts suggest laptops will become more expensive before they become cheaper again; an 8 GB laptop purchased today will still have 8 GB when prices eventually drop.