Experts warn PC prices could rise even more in 2026 as RAM costs set to soar higher

• AI data center demand is causing a strain on memory supply, leading to higher prices, analysts say
• Budget smartphones could see the biggest price hikes, iPhones less so
• Many PC makers are expecting 15-20% higher prices from H2 2026

The semiconductor industry faced an unprecedented DRAM/NAND shortage in late 2025, and it could persist "well into 2027" leading to price hikes across consumer and business laptops and mini PC devices thanks to AI data center demand, new IDC research has claimed.

The report did not detail specific forecasts, however "moderate" and "pessimistic" scenarios were uncovered showing a smartphone market contraction of up to 5.2% in 2026, and up to 8.9% for PCs in the same period.

Not only is demand outpacing supply, but memory manufacturers are reallocating capacity to higher-margin AI data center memory, leaving consumers with a shortage and higher costs ...