Pricing is Weird (in this one example)

General Topics
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Am I missing out on anything?
If I look into a Framework with 16GB RAM and a 500GB storage and a Windows installation, the pre-built version comes out cheaper than the DIY. How come? I figured the DIY would be significantly cheaper…?

DIY: $749 + $18 wifi + $79 storage + $80 RAM + $49 adapter + $46 expansion cards + $139 for Windows. Total: $1160

Pre-built: $963 + $46 expansion cards + $40 extra RAM + $79 for storage replacement. Total: $1128

Are these two the same laptop? Am I missing out on anything? Shouldn’t assembling it on my own cut down on the costs?

p.s. In case my wording sounds like I’m upset, I really am not. I’m hyped about this laptop and I’m just trying to figure out which one to get.

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Framework gets OEM pricing for the Windows license on the pre-built model. So the cost of the Windows license for the DIY version inflates the price.

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Yeah, in general, bringing your own OS will save you a bunch on DIY whether you use Linux or have a spare Windows license floating around. For example, many universities offer students and staff a single free or cheap perpetual Windows Education Edition license that’s functionally equivalent to Enterprise edition and has all the features of Pro, more or less, IIRC. That’s what I have installed on my desktop.

Pricing is a bit odd in this particular example true but DIY means ideally you might be able to source some things elsewhere (for example, I gutted my old laptop for its RAM and NVME). Markup is pretty small buying components from Framework directly especially compared to some (see :apple:), but personally I think the DIY is a little less compelling if you’re getting everything from Framework.

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This has been asked before. I believe the conclusion was that the DIY was going to be more expensive because it was more work to get the kit together to ship out.

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