RAM Shortage Shifts Focus From “AI PCs”
▼ Summary
– RAM and flash memory prices have risen sharply due to shortages caused by the AI boom’s demand on data centers.
– In 2025, the cost of mainstream PC memory and storage increased by 40 to 70 percent, leading to higher prices for customers.
– Global PC shipments grew in 2025, but analysts forecast a volatile and tumultuous market for 2026.
– PC makers are expected to manage the shortage by raising prices by 15-20% and releasing systems with lower memory specifications.
– The RAM shortage is expected to last beyond 2026, with cost-conscious consumers and lower-tier systems being the most impacted.
A significant surge in RAM prices is reshaping the personal computer market, creating challenges for consumers and shifting industry priorities away from recent trends. The primary driver is a major shortage of memory chips, as data centers consuming vast quantities for artificial intelligence operations strain global supply. This scarcity has translated into dramatically higher costs for PC manufacturers, which are now being passed along to buyers.
Technology research firm Omdia reports that mainstream PC memory and storage costs jumped between 40 and 70 percent in 2025. This sharp increase comes despite overall growth in global PC shipments, which both Omdia and IDC estimate rose by roughly 9 to 10 percent last year. Analysts, however, warn that the market is entering a period of instability. The year ahead is predicted to be extremely volatile as companies navigate these constrained supplies.
In response to the shortage, PC makers are adopting a two-pronged strategy: raising prices and reducing standard memory specifications. IDC anticipates system price hikes of 15 to 20 percent. To conserve available memory inventory, the average amount of RAM in new computers is expected to be lowered. Omdia analysts similarly foresee leaner configurations, particularly in mid- to low-tier models, as a way for companies to protect their profit margins.
This situation directly impacts the narrative around “AI PCs,” a category heavily marketed for its specialized neural processing units. With core memory components becoming scarce and expensive, the industry’s focus is pivoting toward managing basic costs rather than promoting advanced AI features. Vendors are expected to prioritize their more profitable midrange and premium systems to help offset the higher component costs, especially for memory.
The ramifications of this shortage are projected to extend well beyond the current year. Analysts indicate these RAM shortages will persist past 2026, with the most pronounced effects felt in the cost-conscious segment of the market. Consumers looking for affordable new computers or planning to upgrade existing ones will likely face higher prices and fewer choices regarding memory capacity, marking a significant shift from the recent era of abundant and cheap RAM.
(Source: Ars Technica)
