What’s happened? If you are planning to buy a PC, you might want to do it sooner rather than later. HP says that PC and laptop prices are likely to rise next year because memory-chip costs have surged. In a recent earnings call, HP CEO Enrique Lores warned that due to rapidly rising prices for RAM, future PC products might ship with less memory or cost more, depending on market conditions.
- According to PCMag, prices for DDR5 memory have gone up more than 200% in recent weeks.
- HP says it has enough memory stock to last through mid-2026, but beyond that, price hikes or configuration reductions become likely.
This is important because: Memory chips make up a significant part of a PC’s total cost. As more memory is diverted to support expanding AI infrastructure, fewer modules are left for consumer devices. That squeeze can lead manufacturers to ship PCs with less RAM or charge more for the same hardware.
Lower-end and budget PCs are most vulnerable because they have thinner profit margins. According to Lores, those are the ones likely to see reduced RAM or the biggest price hikes.
This situation is not limited to HP. CyberPowerPC announced on X that it too will raise prices across all SKUs starting December 7, 2025.
Meanwhile, HP is also revamping its lineup for the AI era with new Omni and Elite brands, which could shape how future PCs are priced and positioned.
Why should I care? Memory shortages and rising chip prices are likely to keep disrupting PC pricing and configurations well into 2026.
- Some regions and product categories may feel the increase sooner than others, depending on local supply and demand.
- OEMs might also permanently shift to lower-spec defaults to keep the costs down.
For buyers, that means if you’re thinking of upgrading or buying new, now might be a better time than later. Especially for mid-range and budget builds.
