The shortage of consumer of DRAM are affecting consumers and businesses alike, with system integrators struggling to keep prices for PCs down in the wake of spiralling memory costs. One of them Maingear, has adopted a novel solution that empowers buyers’ choice in these dire times, providing some models under a bring your own RAM policy.
Maingear announced its BYO RAM program via a blog post on its website. The scheme enables customers to source their own RAM, old or new, rather than buy direct from the system integrator. At the time of writing, that shaves $300 off the asking price of available rigs.
Once someone places an order under the BYO RAM plan, they’ll receive an envelope complete with prepaid fast-track postage to ship their sticks to Maingear. Upon receipt of delivery, it’ll then test and tune the kit as part of the PC before sending the complete system back.
The brand has a solid FAQ section on its website that provides further detail. Impressively, should your RAM unexpectedly fail during testing, Maingear will help pursue a warranty claim where possible, while also offering in-house alternatives. You can even send more than one kit if you fancy, nor will any memory you send affect system warranty or lifetime support.
Note, however, that this offer only applies to custom PCs which all require DDR5 RAM. If you’re hoping to give your DDR4 system some new life, you’ll need to look elsewhere. I recommend starting with Ben’s list of recommended DDR4 upgrades, including CPUs, motherboards, and more.
Desperate times call for drastic measures, and I applaud Maingear for championing this approach to the point that I hope other system integrators adopt similar schemes. While this certainly isn’t a solution to the ongoing DRAM crisis, it’s the most amenable path I can see for these companies’ consumers.
However, I do have some concerns about how long companies and consumers can walk said path. Memory prices have already seen motherboard sales collapse, while RAM manufacturers have openly stated that shortages are here to stay for the foreseeable future. I can only hope the same fate doesn’t befall custom gaming PCs.
Here’s hoping that CES 2026 can provide an exciting distraction from the doom and gloom that is the current consumer PC market. The Club386 team will be attending the show in person, so get over to the site’s Google News feed and make sure you’re following ahead of time.
