- Multiple PC vendors saw growth in PC shipments, resulting in an overall 3.2% YoY increase.
- The prices of the entry-level 8GB DDR4 and 1 TB SSD (no DRAM) shot up by 110% & 147%.
- DRAM & SSD costs are expected to grow by 60% and 50% by Q2, as PC vendors enter a grueling phase.
The recent dip in memory prices was just a nothing burger, as DRAM & NAND demand is only getting worse with each passing week. Phison’s CEO also claimed that strong AI demand will lead the industry towards a shortage that lasts an entire decade, at least.
New research now shows that even entry-level 8GB SoDIMM DDR4 DRAM and 1TB NVMe SSDs (without DRAM) saw a price bump of 110% and 147% in Q1 2026 alone since last quarter. The prices of higher-end products reportedly turned out to be even worse.
Why it matters: The memory crisis continues to get out of control, with even once-cheap DRAM and NAND products now crossing unprecedented thresholds. The next quarter is expected to be more brutal, with nearly a 60% and 50% bump in DRAM and SSD prices.
Counterpoint also reports that the global PC shipments collectively improved by a staggering 3.2% YoY. In other words, PC vendors shipped 63.3 million units over last year’s 61.4 million.
A majority of vendors saw an increase in shipments, with Apple and ASUS carrying the mantle with 11% and 20% growth. Dell and Lenovo shipped 8% and 9% more shipments YoY. Meanwhile, HP and smaller PC vendors declined by 5% and 7% this year.
This 3% YoY increase did not happen due to improving market conditions. Ironically, the pre-emptive panic buying of PC vendors before memory price increases is the main factor behind this growth.
It’s becoming more difficult for PC vendors to offer entry-level products, so Counterpoint argues that the focus will now shift to mid to high-level portfolios moving forward.
The current trajectory of the market will also likely lead to a declining global PC shipment by late 2026 to early 2027. Additionally, the PC market is also now being threatened by the worsening CPU shortage.
Do you think DRAM and NAND prices will continue to grow in the current and next fiscal years, or can we expect the chaos to cool down soon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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