Memory shortage could push PC shipments to pre-pandemic lows

The rising cost of memory due to shortages is likely to persist into late 2027, driving higher device prices and lackluster configurations for PCs, tablets, and phones, IDC research manager Jitesh Ubrani told The Register.

“We had assumed this would be primarily a 2026 story. More and more, particularly at CES, we had conversations with folks and they’re saying ‘You won’t find price stability in memory up until maybe late 2027.’ It means that prices will stop rising. Not that they’re going to drop. That’s what we’re hearing,” he told us on Tuesday. “This could be much longer than we had previously anticipated. Not just we at IDC, but we as a collective market.”

The PC market had a strong rebound in 2025, with device shipments totaling 284.7 million, driven by product refreshes and the end of support for Windows 10. The fourth quarter ...