Data centers, whether for regular use or AI, will gobble up over 70% of the top-tier memory chips in 2026—and they would take more if they could, according to TrendForce. Smartphones feel some pressure, but PCs face disruption. The memory crunch hits at the worst time for PCs, clashing with the Windows 10 refresh wave and the push for AI-ready devices.
PC makers plan to raise prices as costs climb into the second half of 2026. Lenovo, Dell, HP, Acer, and ASUS have told clients to expect tougher times, signaling 15-20% increases and new contract terms as the whole industry adjusts. Here’s a simple breakdown of how the world’s biggest PC brands are grappling with the RAM shortage.
Memory chips usually stay under the radar compared with the flashy CPUs and GPUs they support. Still, they use much of the same advanced tech that powers NVIDIA, led by Jensen Huang, and its partner TSMC, leaving Intel struggling to keep pace.
More companies are raising alarms about the growing shortage of memory chips, which store data on devices. The crunch started when makers shifted much of their production to high-end memory for NVIDIA AI chips. As a result, prices are climbing, and smaller companies that can’t lock in long-term supply feel the squeeze.
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As memory prices surge, Lenovo plays it smart and piles up RAM to ride the storm. The world’s largest PC company keeps component inventory at a level close to 50% above the norm, CFO Winston Cheng says. If that claim holds, I expect Lenovo to gain a clear edge on OEM PC and laptop pricing into 2026. Other brands that skip stockpiles at this scale may face price pressure and lose ground in a harsh market.
HP CEO Enrique Lores says the company has enough RAM inventory to cover the first half of the fiscal year. However, rising memory costs will begin to take effect in May, putting pressure on margins. HP plans a mix of responses to handle the situation.
Teams will design certain models with reduced memory options. Leaders will cut internal spending and increase prices when needed. Lores says budget PCs will feel the impact first since those models react fast to changes in component costs.
People often say more RAM leads to better system performance, and that idea holds up. What many users overlook is that Windows itself reserves a large portion of available memory. Extra memory still helps since the system gains more room to work.
I hope HP avoids the route low-cost laptop brands take. Some brands shave every corner to reach a lower price. I experienced the downside firsthand on a Windows laptop with 8 GB of RAM. Even light multitasking—such as running office applications, Spotify, and a handful of browser tabs—caused noticeable lag, and gaming performance was even worse.
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Dell expects all its product costs to rise because of the memory shortage. COO Jefferey told analysts that Dell plans to adjust its mix of configurations to soften the price hits, but he said the shortage will probably affect retail prices for devices.
“I don’t see how this will not make its way into the customer base,” Clarke says. “We’ll do everything we can to mitigate that.”
In October, Apple finance chief Kevan Parekh told analysts his team saw a “slight tailwind” on memory prices and said it was “nothing really to note there.” That message clashes with what shows up on Apple’s site.
Several MacBook Pro builds carry long waits, with M4 Max options stretching close to two months. A clear split shows across models. Both 14 inch and 16 inch M4 Pro versions ship within days, while M4 Max units sit at the back of the line.
I hope the RAM shortage doesn’t delay the release of the rumored low-cost MacBook or the MacBook Pro M6 OLED.
In a conversation with Tom’s Guide, Sascha Krohn, ASUS’ Director of Technical Marketing, points out that supply chain shocks take time to reach store shelves. Memory price increases have to move through several stages—procurement, assembly, distribution, and retail—before they hit buyers. That doesn’t rule out future price hikes, but it does make sudden jumps less likely.
“It’s not going to be a sudden shock, but it’s going to be a bit more steady. But yeah, I do expect memory prices to go up, and that is definitely something that nobody’s really looking forward to… except for memory vendors,” says Krohn.
Acer’s Chairman and CEO, Jason Chen, says PC prices will get higher in Q1 2026 compared to past quarters. He links this to a 50% jump in DRAM prices over a few weeks, which has pushed up the Bill of Materials for many Acer products. Chen didn’t guess how much prices might rise, noting that finished goods take time to reach stores.
The memory shortage is shaking up the PC world, and companies are reacting in different ways. Lenovo is stockpiling RAM to stay ahead, while HP, Dell, Acer, and ASUS all plan price adjustments or design changes to handle higher costs. Apple faces delays on certain high-end MacBook models, showing how supply limits can ripple through even premium brands. Smaller PC makers without large inventories could struggle to stay competitive.
All in all, 2026 looks tricky for PC buyers. Prices have already started climbing, but the steepest part of the cycle hasn’t hit yet. If you’re thinking about a new laptop, now might be the smarter time to buy before costs rise further.
Grigor Baklajyan is a copywriter covering technology at Gadget Flow. His contributions include product reviews, buying guides, how-to articles, and more.