Buying a new PC is becoming more and more expensive and Lenovo says the pressure won’t be letting up anytime soon. The company has begun raising prices in some markets and warns that a continued shortage of memory chips could impact pricing and availability well beyond the near future.
According to Reuters, Lenovo says rising memory costs are putting a real strain on its PC business. Memory chips are harder to secure and price volatility makes it difficult to plan production.
Even if demand remains stable, the shortage means fewer parts are available at predictable prices, forcing companies to pass some of those costs on to buyers. Intel’s CEO recently reiterated the same warning that memory shortages are unlikely to ease any time soon, raising concerns that higher prices could last longer than expected.
A Bloomberg report provides important context as to why the pressure is now mounting. Lenovo’s recent sales beat expectations, partly because customers were quick to buy PCs ahead of expected memory price increases.
That rush has helped boost Lenovo’s near-term sales, but executives caution that it doesn’t reflect healthier long-term supply conditions.
Why storage is the real bottleneck
The core problem lies in where the memory chips go. Storage manufacturers are prioritizing deployment of AI servers and data centers, where demand is booming and margins are higher.
This reduced the supply of standard DRAM and NAND for laptops and desktops, reducing availability for PC manufacturers.
Lenovo has tried to protect itself by stockpiling memory and other key components and maintaining significantly higher inventory levels than usual. It helps keep production running, but is not a long-term solution if bottlenecks continue.
And it’s not just RAM prices that could remain high; Experts warn that SSD storage costs could also rise, which could put pressure on overall PC prices.
Reuters notes that analysts expect memory limitations to last until 2026, keeping costs high across the hardware market. For consumers, that could mean fewer discounts and higher PC prices.
For Lenovo and other PC makers, this means navigating a market where AI demand is changing the economics of everyday computing. If you’re planning on upgrading, here are some better ways to optimize your existing storage.
