What happened to hardware prices in 2026
If you have ordered laptops, desktops or a server this year, you will have noticed: hardware has become considerably more expensive in 2026, quotes are valid for shorter periods and some configurations are hard to get hold of. The main cause is memory – DRAM and the NAND flash used in SSDs. Both are in short supply, and that affects almost every device.
The background: the build-out of AI data centres needs vast amounts of memory – high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI accelerators, server RAM and enterprise SSDs. Memory manufacturers are shifting production towards these products because demand and margins are higher. Less is left for PCs, laptops and smaller servers.
The key figures
Memory prices: According to a press release of 30 September 2026, the market research firm TrendForce expects contract prices to keep rising in the fourth quarter of 2026: by 10 to 15 per cent quarter on quarter for conventional DRAM and by 15 to 20 per cent for NAND flash. Server DRAM remains undersupplied, and enterprise SSDs are the only memory category where the increase is actually accelerating. For PC memory and client SSDs the increases are getting smaller – but prices are still going up.
Laptops: A TrendForce analysis of 4 September 2026 found that the processor, memory and SSD in a typical mid-range laptop accounted for around 45 per cent of material costs in early 2025, rising to around 68 per cent by the third quarter of 2026. Cheaper inventory and advance purchasing by manufacturers are still cushioning retail prices for now. TrendForce expects the higher costs to feed through more fully once that stock runs out.
The PC market as a whole: Back in February, Gartner forecast that combined DRAM and SSD prices would rise by around 130 per cent by the end of 2026, making PCs on average about 17 per cent more expensive than in 2025 (Gartner, 26 February 2026). Gartner also expects businesses to keep their devices for longer and the sub-USD 500 entry-level segment to disappear by 2028. In June, IDC forecast an 11.3 per cent fall in worldwide PC shipments and average selling prices 17 per cent higher (IDC, 2 June 2026).
Servers: Memory makes up a particularly large share of the total cost here. Manufacturers raised prices in 2026 and shortened quote validity. HPE, for example, has reserved the right to reprice existing orders before shipping and expects higher memory prices to last “well into 2027”, as Computerwoche reported (in German). Small servers with plenty of RAM and SSD storage are therefore usually hit harder than an office PC.
All of these are global market figures, mostly in US dollars. What you actually pay in Austria depends on the manufacturer, the distributor, the exchange rate and when you receive the quote.
Windows 10: the replacement cycle continues
Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025. Organisations can buy paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) for devices running Windows 10 version 22H2 for a maximum of three years. According to Microsoft, the first year cost USD 61 per device (list price), the price doubles every year, and if you join later you pay for the earlier years too. ESU is a bridge, not a long-term solution. Many businesses have postponed replacing devices because of high prices – but the need has not gone away, and it will meet a market that remains tight in 2027.
Outlook: how things could develop
No one can reliably predict hardware prices. But analysts’ assessments point in a direction:
- No quick relief: IDC does not expect meaningful relief before the end of 2027 and believes prices are unlikely to return to 2025 levels even as new memory capacity comes online over the next two years.
- Slower increases: TrendForce expects PC memory price rises to moderate and sees client SSD prices possibly levelling off in early 2027. At the same time, the supply of PC memory could even shrink in 2027 as more capacity moves towards servers.
- Easing scenario: If demand from AI data centres grows more slowly than expected, prices could ease sooner. The memory market has always been highly cyclical.
- Tighter scenario: If the AI build-out keeps growing at its current pace, servers and memory-heavy devices in particular could stay expensive and hard to source for longer.
In short: you should not budget for 2027 on the assumption of much lower prices. Whether we see slight relief or further increases remains open.
What you can do now
For businesses, law firms and medical practices, this mainly means planning earlier and more deliberately.
- Start procurement early: plan 2027 purchases now, request quotes in good time and expect short quote validity and longer lead times.
- Budget 2027 with a buffer: work from current quotes plus a reserve, not from 2025 prices.
- Set priorities: replace devices that no longer receive security updates or cannot run Windows 11 first. The same applies to servers – see our article on the end of support for Windows Server 2016.
- Standardise models: a small number of standard models makes ordering, replacement and management easier.
- Extend lifecycles where sensible: devices that work well and are still supported can often stay in service longer with a warranty extension.
- Consider leasing: leasing spreads costs over the term. Whether it pays off depends on the specific terms – compare offers.
- Don’t over-buy RAM blindly: extra memory “just in case” is particularly expensive right now. Check how much your applications actually need.
- Right-size servers: virtualisation and a careful needs analysis avoid oversized hardware. In some cases a cloud solution is an alternative.
Checklist for 2027 planning
- Update your device inventory: age, operating system, warranty, update status.
- Flag devices without security updates and servers reaching end of support.
- Define your 2027 requirements and rank them by urgency.
- Set standard models and request quotes early.
- Budget with a reserve and compare buying, leasing and warranty extensions.
How IT United can help
We help you take stock, define sensible standard models and procure hardware and software. For servers, our IT consulting looks at how much capacity you really need and whether virtualisation or a cloud solution makes more sense than a large new purchase.
Would you like to talk through your hardware planning for 2027? Book a free initial consultation and we will look at your situation together.
