Next year’s PC market is set to face significant challenges, with reports suggesting that acquiring a new PC could become a costly endeavor. The supply chain is predicted to experience a notable “price hike” wave, making it a tough time for tech enthusiasts and gamers alike.
Memory Supercycle: A Gamer’s Dilemma
The memory supercycle is proving to be a major headache for PC gamers, especially those planning to build a new system. Recently, RAM prices have surged, and GPU giants like AMD and NVIDIA are considering price increases due to the escalating costs of general-purpose DRAM. Future market analysis indicates that these conditions could pose substantial challenges for the PC gaming community in the coming year.
The timing of the memory shortage creates a perfect storm for the PC industry, colliding with the Microsoft Windows 10 end-of-life refresh cycle and the AI PC marketing push.
PC vendors are signalling broad price increases as cost pressures intensify into H2 2026. Lenovo, Dell, HP, Acer, and ASUS have warned clients of tougher conditions ahead, confirming 15-20% hikes and contract resets as an industry-wide response.
The outlook for the PC market isn’t optimistic, with a projected 4.9% decline in shipments next year. Larger OEMs are expected to gain market share at the expense of local vendors, who often build systems from individual components. This shift suggests that custom PC building could become considerably more expensive.
AI and Mid-Tier Laptops: A Shifting Landscape
The anticipated slowdown in the ‘AI PC’ market next year could also impact device features. On-device AI like Copilot+ demands higher RAM configurations, but with memory supply constraints, manufacturers might have to reconsider their strategies. Recent discussions highlight that mid-tier laptops might increasingly standardize with 8 GB memory due to the inability to sustain higher RAM configurations at current pricing levels.
Based on recent reports, 2026 might be a particularly challenging year for acquiring new PC components, potentially surpassing the supply chain disruptions experienced during the COVID-19 and crypto-mining boom.