[prodmerc]

RAM is like what, $10 per GB? I'm assuming they use the exact same motherboard across all models. This is never about the end user price, just profits.

I really wonder how many low end models some companies actually produce - I've always been sure they're just using them to push people to buy the mid-range one.

[Retric]

Consumer prices for cheap ram is 2.5$/ Gig, I assume they pay less than that. https://www.walmart.com/ip/16GB-Kit-2x-8GB-Modules-PC3-10600...

Though 4GB of Laptop ram seems to be ~29$ so YMMV. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crucial-4-GB-DDR3-SDRAM-Memory-Mo...

[ikeboy]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F3R8XC6

This model is selling about 200 units a month just on Amazon.

Most popular one on that listing is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F3R9136?th=1, rank 1000 estimated 250 sales a month.

I'm estimating all the models on that listing together are selling about 1000 units a month.

Edit: went back and found some more listings:

https://www.amazon.com/HP-14-inch-E2-7110-Windows-14-an013nr... My tools are telling me this single item is selling 1500 units a month.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-E5-575-33BM-15-6-Inch-Processor-... estimated 2500 units a month.

Just look through https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Computers-Accessories-La... for the top laptops. Top 5 are all 4GB RAM.

Extrapolating a bit I'd say low end laptops are selling in the mid 5 figures of units per month on Amazon, or possibly low six figures.

And it seems that low end outsell high end in terms of number of units, at least - but since the high end can be 3 or more times the price, it's difficult to say how the total amount paid compares with this quick back of the envelope calculation.

[prodmerc]

Interesting, thanks!

I was going to ask who buys them but they I remembered my neighbors don't even have a computer. Just smartphones and tablets...