Planning to buy a PC in 2026? Read this
Thinking about buying a new laptop or desktop this year (2026)? You might want to plan ahead.
Prices may rise by up to 35% in India, mainly because of a shortage of DDR RAM and entry-level Intel chips.
HP retained the top position in the Indian PC market.
RAM prices are going through the roof
RAM prices are going through the roof.
TrendForce says DRAM contract prices could be 55-60% higher in early 2026: a single 32GB DDR5 module, as an illustration, would rise from $326 to about $522 if a 60% increase were applied to that listed price.
Even older DDR4 RAM has seen spot-price spikes of over 170%.
With these increases, building or upgrading a PC is about to get a lot tougher on your wallet.
Why is there a shortage?
A lot of RAM is being redirected to AI data centers, which are focused on high-end memory for their systems.
Separately, there are shortages of entry-level Intel processors that are creating supply constraints.
This shift means even less supply for everyday laptops and desktops, so expect prices to stay high (and possibly climb further) through 2026.