IDC warned in December that PC prices could rise 4% to 8% in 2026 as a global memory shortage driven by AI data center demand threatens to contract the PC market by up to 8.9%, with Dell and Lenovo signaling price increases of up to 15%.
The crisis stems from memory makers prioritizing high-bandwidth memory production for AI infrastructure over consumer chips, with OpenAI securing agreements in October 2025 for Samsung and SK Hynix to supply up to 900,000 DRAM wafers monthly—representing over 40% of projected global capacity.
Gaming console makers are debating whether to delay the PlayStation 6 and next Xbox from their planned 2027-2028 launch window due to tight memory supplies, with industry analysts indicating relief may not arrive until late 2026 or 2027 at the earliest.
