Extinction Watch: Sub-$500 Computers in Danger, According to Report

A spike in the price of memory could lead PC makers to stop selling laptops and desktop computers that cost less than $500, according to a report from the research firm Gartner.

The same forces that could fuel an increase in smartphone prices will affect the PC market by 2028, according to the report, with a combined 130 percent surge in RAM and SSD storage costs pushing up PC prices by 17 percent. The price spike, Gartner predicts, will lead people to hold onto computers longer rather than upgrade, making it harder for PC brands to absorb costs.