If a new laptop or phone looks more expensive than you remember, you aren’t imagining it. A worldwide shortage of memory chips is pushing prices up, and the cause is the AI boom.
At a glance
- Memory and SSD prices: expected to rise about 130% by the end of 2026 (Gartner)
- Average PC price: up about 17% compared with 2025
- Average smartphone price: up about 13%
- PC shipments: expected to drop about 10% this year
- Budget PCs under $500: Gartner expects them to disappear by 2028
What’s going on
Every computer needs memory (RAM) and storage. The same few companies, mainly Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron, also make a special high-speed memory called HBM that goes into AI chips. AI companies pay far more for HBM, so the factories have shifted toward it. HBM also takes roughly three times as much chip-making material per gigabyte as the memory in your laptop, so every factory line that switches to AI memory removes even more of the regular kind from the market.
The result is simple supply and demand. HP says memory now makes up about 35% of a PC’s component cost, up from 15 to 18% just two quarters earlier. Dell, Lenovo, HP, Acer and Asus have all raised prices on their 2026 models. The market research firm TrendForce expects regular memory prices to rise another 10 to 15% this quarter, and memory makers are warning that supply will stay tight into 2027.
What this means for you
If you need a computer soon, don’t hold out for a price drop. Nobody in the industry is predicting relief in the next year. Waiting will probably cost you more, not less.
If your current computer still works, make it last. Gartner expects people to keep their PCs about 15 to 20% longer than before. A few smart moves can buy you real time:
- Swap an old hard drive for a solid-state drive (SSD). It’s often the single biggest speed boost an older PC can get.
- Clean up startup programs and remove software you no longer use.
- Keep it updated, and back it up. If you’re on Windows 10, you now have an extra year of free security updates.
For businesses, plan replacements earlier than usual and spread them out instead of replacing every machine at once. Older computers stay on the network longer, so updates, backups and security matter even more.
Need a hand with this at home or at work? HD Technologies sets up, secures and supports Wi-Fi, computers and networks for homes and small businesses. Email us at [email protected].
Sources: Gartner, Tech Times, The Register.
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