Surging memory costs to reduce global PC, smartphone shipments in 2026: Gartner

Surging representation costs volition trim planetary PC and smartphone shipments successful 2026, Gartner said connected Wednesday (February 25, 2026).

Soaring representation costs are projected to thrust worldwide PC shipments to diminution 10.4% and smartphone shipments to driblet by 8.4% successful 2026, compared to 2025 levels, the Stamford-based concern and exertion insights steadfast said successful a report.

Gartner besides estimated a 130% surge successful combined DRAM (dynamic random entree memory) and solid-state thrust (SSD) prices by the extremity of 2026, which would summation PC prices by 17% and smartphone prices by 13%, compared to 2025 levels.

Ranjit Atwal, Sr. Director Analyst astatine Gartner said, “This is the lowest level of instrumentality shipments witnessed successful implicit a decade. Higher prices volition constrictive the scope of devices available, prompting buyers to clasp connected to devices for longer, fundamentally altering upgrade cycles.’’

Due to rising costs, Gartner said it was expecting PC beingness to summation by 15% for concern buyers and 20% for consumers by the extremity of 2026. These delayed upgrades would further rise concerns implicit accrued information vulnerabilities and challenges of managing older devices.

Entry-level PCs look obsolescence

PC representation costs are expected to highest astatine 23% of the full bill-of-materials (BOM) up from 16% successful 2025. “This crisp summation removes vendors’ quality to sorb costs, making low-margin entry-level laptops nonviable. Ultimately, we expect the sub-$500 entry-level PC conception volition vanish by 2028,” forecast Mr. Atwal.

In addition, helium said, rising AI PC prices would hold the projected 50% marketplace penetration of AI PCs until 2028.

Basic smartphones to instrumentality the biggest hit

The memory-driven terms surge would disproportionately impact entry-level smartphones, starring buyers to take refurbished oregon second-hand models oregon support their phones longer, the expert steadfast said.

Critical Pricing windows for PCs

Soaring representation terms would interaction the PC marketplace hardest, reshaping its fiscal dynamics, Gartner observed. As a result, PC vendors should beryllium prepared to judge a portion measurement diminution to prolong profitability, alternatively than eroding margins to pursuit price-sensitive buyers.

“Overall, instrumentality vendors and channels look a captious model successful the archetypal fractional of 2026 to optimise pricing and support margins earlier constituent ostentation compresses profitability from the 2nd 4th onwards,” said Mr. Atwal.