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PC prices may remain above 2025 levels through the end of 2027, according to an IDC forecast published June 2, 2026. IDC expects worldwide PC average selling prices to rise 18.3% in 2026 as a memory shortage persists. That is a market-wide forecast—not a guarantee about what a particular computer will cost in your country or at a specific retailer.
What IDC forecasts for PC prices through 2027
IDC expects the memory shortage to provide no meaningful relief before the end of 2027. It forecasts worldwide PC average selling prices (ASPs) to increase 18.3% in 2026 and says prices are unlikely to return to 2025 levels even as memory capacity expands. These are forecasts, not final measured results. IDC’s June 2, 2026 outlook attributes the pricing pressure primarily to persistent memory shortages.
IDC Vice President Jean Philippe Bouchard summarized the outlook: “We’re not seeing any relief to the memory shortage situation before the end of 2027, which means prices will continue to rise and PC manufacturers will struggle to maintain full product portfolios for the foreseeable future.” This is his forecast of market conditions, not a promise that every PC will become more expensive.
Why a rising average can coincide with fewer PC shipments
IDC’s outlook also forecasts worldwide PC shipments to fall 11.3% in 2026. Higher average selling prices and fewer shipments can happen at the same time: the ASP is an average across the market, while shipment volume counts the number of PCs shipped. Neither figure predicts the price or availability of an individual model.
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IDC’s Q1 2026 performance and 2026 outlook provides the shipment forecast. The figures describe worldwide market expectations, not a country-specific retail-price series.
Acer’s CEO sees a possible earlier decline
There is a more optimistic counterforecast. Tom’s Hardware reported on September 21, 2026, that Acer chairperson and CEO Jason Chen expects PC prices to rise 5–20% toward the end of 2026, plateau in the first half of 2027, and begin declining later that year. This is one executive’s reported view, rather than an observed market outcome. The available reporting does not verify the expected timing of new Chinese memory capacity or establish that it would lower retail PC prices.
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The two outlooks therefore differ on when prices might ease. IDC says meaningful memory-shortage relief is not expected before the end of 2027 and that prices are unlikely to return to 2025 levels; Chen anticipates a possible decline in the latter half of 2027. Neither forecast determines what a particular buyer will pay. Tom’s Hardware’s report describes Chen’s expectations, not a confirmed supply schedule.
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These market forecasts do not calculate the savings from buying now or waiting. Base your decision on your needs and the actual options available to you, rather than treating an ASP forecast as a prediction for one model.
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- Compare total prices. Check the full price of the configurations you would actually buy, including any required upgrades.
- Match memory and storage to your use. Consider the work you need the PC to handle and the configuration included in each price.
- Compare performance for your intended tasks. A cheaper PC may not be a good value if it cannot meet your needs.
- Check upgradeability. Whether memory or storage can be upgraded may affect the value of a configuration, but compatibility depends on the particular PC.
A Gartner listing for an interim 2026 forecast describes a 130% memory-cost surge, but the underlying document page was inaccessible. That figure does not establish a retail PC price increase or a buyer’s likely cost, so it should not be treated as a direct price prediction. Gartner’s listing is titled “Interim Forecast Analysis: Memory Costs Reshape the PC and Smartphone Landscape, 2026.”
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
