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AI data centers are increasing demand for specialized high-bandwidth memory, server DRAM and enterprise storage. Suppliers are directing capacity and investment toward those products, contributing to tighter supply and higher contract prices for the memory components used in PCs and phones. That pressure can reach shoppers through higher prices, less memory or storage in some configurations, or vendors absorbing part of the cost. It does not mean every device will rise in price by the same amount.
Why AI data centers can affect consumer devices
AI accelerators use high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a specialized product designed to move data quickly. A laptop’s RAM or a phone’s working memory is not simply the same finished product as HBM. The connection is instead the suppliers’ capacity, investment and allocation decisions, as well as growing demand for server DRAM and enterprise SSDs. When suppliers prioritize higher-margin server products, less capacity or investment may be available for consumer-related products, adding pressure to PC and phone component costs.
TrendForce describes suppliers reallocating capacity toward HBM and server applications while PC and mobile buyers face tighter allocations and rising contract-price pressure. This is a supply-chain effect: AI does not directly make every consumer device use more RAM, but AI infrastructure competes for supplier resources and components.
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DRAM is working memory. It holds data a PC or phone needs to access quickly while programs are running. NAND flash is nonvolatile storage, used in products such as solid-state drives (SSDs) and phone storage. HBM is a specialized form of memory used in AI accelerators and other high-performance systems; it is not a like-for-like replacement for the RAM or storage sold inside a consumer device.
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The distinction matters because market pressure can affect different device components in different ways. TrendForce’s outlook reports tight allocations and rising contract prices for PC and mobile DRAM, and also forecasts increases for NAND Flash. It says PC brands have reduced SSD capacities in mainstream models to lower bill-of-material costs. So an affected product might cost more, offer less storage at a similar price, or show a change in both price and configuration.
What the 2026 forecasts say—and what they do not
Gartner and TrendForce have published forecasts of substantial memory-cost pressure during 2026. These are market projections, not a guarantee about a particular model’s retail price, a specific country, or the amount any one buyer will pay. Component contracts and retail prices are different points in the supply chain; brands can use inventory, negotiate agreements, alter configurations, absorb some costs or pass them on.
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| Forecast | Figure | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Combined DRAM and SSD price increase | 130% by year-end 2026 compared with 2025 | Gartner’s 2026 forecast; it is not a retail-device price increase. |
| PC price increase | 17% by year-end 2026 compared with 2025 | Gartner’s 2026 forecast for PC prices overall, not a prediction for every model or market. |
| Smartphone price increase | 13% by year-end 2026 compared with 2025 | Gartner’s 2026 forecast for smartphone prices overall, not a guaranteed change to each phone’s sticker price. |
| Worldwide PC shipment change | 10.4% decline in 2026 versus 2025 | Gartner’s forecast; it attributes expected contraction and delayed upgrades to memory costs. |
| Worldwide smartphone shipment change | 8.4% decline in 2026 versus 2025 | Gartner’s forecast, not a count of observed shipments. |
| Conventional DRAM contract prices | 10–15% quarter over quarter in 4Q26 | TrendForce’s outlook published September 30, 2026. |
| NAND Flash contract prices | 15–20% quarter over quarter in 4Q26 | TrendForce’s outlook published September 30, 2026. |
| Earlier conventional DRAM contract-price forecast | 58–63% quarter over quarter for 2Q26 | TrendForce’s March 2026 forecast; it is an earlier estimate, not the latest-quarter outlook. |
| Earlier NAND Flash contract-price forecast | 70–75% quarter over quarter for 2Q26 | TrendForce’s March 2026 forecast; it is an earlier estimate, not the latest-quarter outlook. |
The forecasts use different measures. Gartner’s broad component and device-price projections compare year-end 2026 with 2025, while TrendForce’s figures describe quarter-over-quarter contract-price movement in specified quarters. They should not be added together or treated as interchangeable. TrendForce’s much larger March estimates were for 2Q26; its September outlook gave lower 4Q26 estimates, so quoting the March numbers as the latest expected quarterly change would be misleading.
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How the pressure may show up when you shop
Higher prices
A manufacturer may raise a device’s price when the cost of RAM or storage rises. The effect depends on the complete bill of materials and the company’s pricing choices, so a component forecast does not translate directly into an equal percentage change in the device’s retail price. Retailers may also have existing stock bought under earlier cost conditions, making the timing and amount of any change uneven.
Less memory or storage for the money
A brand may keep a familiar price but sell a configuration with less RAM or storage, or charge more for a higher-capacity version. TrendForce specifically reports PC brands cutting SSD capacity in mainstream products to reduce costs. When comparing a current listing with an older model, check the exact configuration rather than relying on a product family name: two devices with similar names can differ in included memory and storage.
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Fewer low-cost choices or delayed upgrades
Entry-level products have less margin room to absorb higher component costs, while their buyers tend to be more price-sensitive. Gartner expects this tier to face more pressure than premium devices, whose vendors have more margin flexibility. The company also forecasts that basic-smartphone buyers will exit the market five times faster than premium buyers in 2026; this is a prediction about buyer behavior, not a measured result.
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Which buyers are most exposed?
- People shopping for a basic PC or phone: These products have less room for a vendor to absorb cost increases, and buyers are generally more sensitive to price. Pay close attention to what the offered configuration includes.
- People comparing mainstream laptops: Storage capacity may be one place a manufacturer trims costs. Compare the SSD size, RAM amount and full model identifier, not just the headline price.
- People shopping for premium devices: Gartner expects premium phones to be less affected because their vendors have higher margins. That is a relative forecast, not a promise that premium prices will stay unchanged.
- People whose current device still meets their needs: Keeping a working device longer avoids making a purchase based only on a broad forecast. Gartner expects upgrades to be delayed, but that does not establish whether waiting will make any particular device cheaper.
- People considering a used or refurbished phone: Gartner identifies these as options some buyers may consider. Assess the condition, battery health, storage, software support and seller terms for the exact device; the cited forecasts do not establish local used-device prices.
Should you buy now, wait, or upgrade an existing PC?
There is no single answer for every buyer because the forecasts do not identify a guaranteed local price or a best purchase date. Start with the device’s usefulness to you, then compare the exact hardware and total cost rather than trying to time the market from a global component forecast.
- Write down the minimum configuration you need. For a PC, identify the RAM and SSD capacity that suits your work, then compare those figures in the specification sheet. For a phone, compare its listed memory and built-in storage. Do not assume two similarly named models have identical specifications.
- Compare like with like. Check the exact model number, memory and storage configuration, and price. A lower sticker price may reflect less storage, while a higher price may reflect a different configuration rather than a market-wide increase.
- Check whether your current PC can be upgraded. Some laptops allow a compatible RAM or SSD upgrade, while many models are not user-upgradeable. Confirm the manufacturer’s specifications for the exact model before buying parts; compatibility and upgradeability cannot be inferred from the product family name.
- Compare the upgrade with replacement. An upgrade could extend the life of a compatible PC, but the available market forecasts do not establish that it will be cheaper than buying a new device. Include the part, any required service and the device’s remaining suitability in your own comparison.
- For phones, compare a replacement against keeping or buying used. Gartner expects some users to defer an upgrade or consider second-hand and refurbished phones. The right choice depends on the device’s condition and your requirements, not on an assumption that every new phone will rise by Gartner’s projected percentage.
Micron’s product categories illustrate why exact component labels matter: its release lists HBM, DDR5 server memory, PC client SSDs, LPDDR5X smartphone memory and UFS storage. Those are distinct products for different roles; the list is useful category context, not evidence that every device uses a particular Micron part.
What is established, and what remains uncertain
The market outlooks establish that Gartner and TrendForce forecast significant cost and supply pressure in 2026, and that TrendForce describes capacity shifting toward HBM and server uses alongside tight PC and mobile DRAM allocations. They also identify plausible manufacturer responses, including higher prices and reduced mainstream PC SSD capacities.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThey do not establish a single price increase for every PC or phone, current retail prices for a given country or model, or the exact configuration a manufacturer will sell next. Nor do they show that all vendors will pass component increases through to customers in the same way. Use the forecasts to understand the direction and possible scale of market pressure—not as a quote for a device you have not yet priced.
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