RAM prices continue to rise, and they are increasing so fast that even companies like Apple are accepting the new prices from suppliers without resistance.
According to analysts at Gartner (thanks TweakTown), PC shipments will drop by 10.4% in 2026 due to the crisis affecting DRAM and NAND Flash memory, which also impacts SSDs. However, prices will not go down. Gartner says that DRAM and NAND Flash prices could increase by 130% by the end of the year. As a result, PC prices could rise by around 17%.
Rising Memory Prices Are Changing the PC Market
These price increases will affect how PCs and laptops are positioned in the market. The biggest concern is that entry-level models, usually priced below $500, could disappear.
Gartner believes that because of higher RAM and SSD costs, the entry-level PC segment could vanish by 2028. This crisis will also impact AI-focused PCs and laptops, which require powerful NPUs, SSD storage, and at least 16 GB of RAM.
If the situation does not improve, manufacturers may be forced to reduce the number of models they offer. The cheapest systems will suffer the most. As a result, what we now call “entry-level” could move closer to 1,000 dollars.
Several sources say the DRAM crisis will not begin to improve until 2028. Even then, some believe the market will not fully return to normal, but that year could mark the start of a slow recovery.
