Framework Laptop 16 RTX 5070 12GB upgrade module costs 72% more than the 8GB option

Following NVIDIA's announcement of the GeForce RTX 5070 12GB laptop GPU, Framework is adding it as a new Graphics Module for the Laptop 16. However, launching a 12GB VRAM option in the middle of a DRAM crisis is going to sting Framework fans, as this version is apparently much more expensive than its lower-VRAM counterpart.

The Framework Laptop 16 RTX 5070 12GB Graphics Module is now available for pre-order at $1,199. This puts it at a 72% premium, or a whopping $500 extra, for just 4GB of additional VRAM over the existing RTX 5070 8GB model. The two chips are otherwise identical. Both feature 4,608 CUDA cores, boost clocks of up to 2.4 GHz, 384 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and a maximum TGP of 100W. NVIDIA has simply swapped the 2GB memory modules for 3GB chips and made no other changes. So, unless you are running VRAM-intensive tasks, you are unlikely to notice much difference between the two.

On top of that, Framework has also warned that the $699 RTX 5070 8GB module may not stay at its current price for long. In an X reply, the company said the price hikes it is seeing come directly from silicon suppliers, and once its current GDDR7 inventory depletes, the 8GB configuration is highly likely to increase in price as well.

The first gaming laptops featuring the new RTX 5070 12GB are due to start shipping in the coming weeks, though NVIDIA has not officially announced pricing for these systems. Pinning down where they will land is difficult, but since they will need to remain competitive with RTX 5070 Ti options, we would expect the figure to fall below that threshold.

Right now, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI starts at $1,899 with a 5070 Ti GPU, offering 5,888 CUDA cores, 672GB/s memory bandwidth, and 12GB of VRAM. That's $700 more than Framework's 8GB module and just $500 more than the 12GB one.

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That said, the RTX 5070 8GB and 12GB Graphics Modules are compatible with Framework's Laptop 16 in both Ryzen AI 300 and Ryzen 7040 series configurations. The new module is available for pre-order now and will ship in June.