- Maingear has launched a BYO RAM scheme
- This allows buyers of pre-built PCs to supply RAM from their own system.
- Assuming you have RAM or can get a good deal on DDR5 memory, this could save you some money on a new PC, albeit with caveats.
Maingear has revealed a new plan to provide buyers of its pre-built PCs with a possible solution to the rising cost of these computers due to rising RAM prices: it’s called BYO RAM.
I guess technically it should be BYOR, but the principle is what you’d expect: you’re providing system memory for the PC that Maingear is selling you.
The potential scenario is this: Obviously, buying a PC with 16GB (or ideally 32GB) of current system RAM is much more expensive now, and the increases mean that the cost of DDR5 memory has skyrocketed at an incredible rate.
So, you choose a Maingear PC without system RAM and send the memory you already have, either already used memory from another PC, perhaps, or a RAM kit you bought with a good deal online (or what passes for one these days), to the system builder. Maingear then uses that DDR5 RAM in the build, testing it fully as usual, before supplying the machine to you (no charge for the RAM, obviously).
This service is now available and you can configure your BYO RAM build on the Maingear website, choosing from a variety of Maingear custom PC builds; simply choose the BYO option from the memory dropdown menu. (Currently, you’ll save $300 on the price by removing 32GB of DDR5 RAM, so if you can get your memory for less than that, you’ll be a winner.)
In its press release announcing the plan, Maingear makes it clear that these custom PCs still go through “standard validation before shipping,” that is, various testing processes to ensure the computer works well.
Analysis: possible problems with BYOR
Can we expect more custom PC makers to offer similar solutions for sky-high RAM prices? Possibly, in fact it wouldn’t surprise me at all, but this is a bit of a complicated way of working things, as you can imagine.
An obviously key question is whether the RAM is compatible with the PC’s motherboard and build, and Maingear provides a step-by-step explanation to ensure this is the case. It’s also possible to send multiple RAM kits, if you have them, and Maingear will select the best option (and return the others to you along with your newly built PC). If you are unsure about something, you can contact Maingear with questions and I would definitely recommend doing so if you have any questions.
Maingear also clarifies that “system warranty and lifetime support are not affected” by supplying your own RAM, although any warranty for that memory depends on the original supplier (retailer or manufacturer).
If your RAM fails during testing for the PC build, Maingear says, “We’ll tell you what we found and help you file a manufacturer warranty claim where appropriate, as well as provide you with additional internal RAM options.”
Although RAM that works fine when shipped and gets damaged during shipping could be a pretty thorny issue.
Still, it’s clearly good to have additional options for a pre-built PC, particularly if RAM prices inflate further, which they may well happen, as this memory price storm could become more intense before calmer conditions prevail. That said, one of the most sensible options for now may be to wait this all out, as long as your current PC can last and isn’t in desperate need of a replacement.
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