Major brands like HP, Dell, ASUS and others are under increasing pressure to raise prices as the global memory chip shortage drives up component costs. A new report suggests that the rise in DRAM and NAND prices is putting pressure on manufacturers that rely on these components in their PC products.
Memory is an important part of modern PCs, so the recent shortage is affecting the cost of finished devices.
Why are storage prices suddenly rising?
The current shortage is largely due to the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and its infrastructure. Major chipmakers such as Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron have shifted their production capacity to high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is used in AI servers. This leaves less memory for traditional DRAM and NAND used in consumer products such as smartphones, PCs and other similar devices.
Price increases for laptops have already started
Due to the ongoing crisis, some companies have already started increasing the prices of their PCs:
Apple has also increased the prices of its latest laptops. The new MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip now starts $200 more expensive than the previous generation, while the M5 Max variant sees a price increase of $400.
What’s next?
While memory chip brands may turn to Chinese manufacturers, rising prices could hurt demand. Companies worry that households could delay upgrading their computers if prices rise too quickly. Omdia predicts that the laptop market could decline by up to 12.5% ​​this year. With DRAM prices still rising, industry leaders expect pressure on PC prices to continue well into 2026 and possibly 2027.
