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5d ago

Gartner: PC Shipments to Fall 10.4% in 2026 as Memory Costs Soar, Sub-$500 PCs to Vanish by 2028

Gartner links the squeeze to AI data centers that redirect DRAM and SSD supply away from consumer devices.

Image of the ASUS Zenbook A14 (2025).
A gaming PC sat on a desk with purple RGB lighting on the fans and light bar enabled.
Kingston
Image

Overview

  • Gartner projects DRAM and SSD prices will surge about 130% by late 2026, lifting average PC prices roughly 17%.
  • PC memory is forecast to reach about 23% of the bill of materials, up from around 16% last year, eroding vendors’ ability to absorb costs.
  • Manufacturers are expected to accept lower unit volumes to preserve margins, resulting in fewer models and tighter retail availability.
  • PC lifetimes are predicted to extend by about 20% for consumers and 15% for businesses by the end of 2026, heightening security and device‑management challenges.
  • Gartner also forecasts smartphone shipments will drop 8.4% in 2026 with prices up about 13%, and it expects AI‑PC adoption to progress more slowly than previously anticipated.