Maingear responds to DDR5 crisis with bring-your-own RAM program

Other PC builders are introducing similar programs

by · TechSpot

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In brief: The price of RAM is getting worse, and it's led to custom PC builders turning to unconventional solutions. Maingear's answer is its BYO (Bring Your Own) RAM Builds program, which allows customers to provide their own memory, using either an existing kit or one purchased from an external source.

With Maingear's BYO RAM Builds program, customers can are essentially ordering one of the company's desktop PCs without purchasing RAM as part of the build.

However, customers can't just have a PC sent to them without any DDR5 in it. Maingear says it needs to fully test and optimize the systems it sells, which requires installed RAM.

Buyers have a couple of options: they can either provide their own kit to Maingear that will be installed during the build process, or, if they don't have one, purchase a compatible kit separately from an external source and ship it to the PC builder. Maingear will send a two-day shipping label for those sending in their memory kits.

While the PCs come with the usual warranty and lifetime support, the provided RAM will only be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

The program is limited to DDR5 kits only. Maingear said it will accept memory that is new, used, or taken from an existing build, as long as it is compatible with the chosen configuration – each RAM system must still go through Maingear's standard validation before shipping, and the intended EXPO or XMP profile will be applied.

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The memory crisis isn't showing any signs of abating; Micron recently said it expects industry supply will remain substantially short of the demand until beyond 2026.

Maingear described the current situation as a perfect storm of rising demand from AI infrastructure, tighter allocation from major manufacturers, and constrained availability across DDR5 capacities and speeds.

Maingear CEO Wallace Santos said that the amount the company pays for a 32GB RAM kit is up 394% while 64GB kits are up 344%. He added that in his two decades in the business, he's never seen a situation like this. Santos warned that we are in a "multi-year problem."

The CEO also admitted that Maingear does not have enough RAM for all its customers who don't use the BYO RAM Build program.

With no end to the crisis in sight, expect other PC builders to offer similar programs. Paradox Customs just announced that customers can configure and buy its PCs without any included RAM.

Another effect of the memory crisis appears to be an increase in the number of scams involving DDR5 kits, including this one from Amazon and an RMA incident involving Corsair.