“Omdia expects at least a further 60% increase in mainstream PC memory and storage costs in Q1 2026,” the analyst said, predicting the greatest impacts on the sub-$500 segment, which includes most education and entry-level consumer devices. To put that into context, Omdia is currently forecasting a $90 to $165 increase in PC build costs due to component shortages. These steep increases are expected to affect everyone, and while some of the larger manufacturers might be able to swallow a hit against margins, others will be unable to do the same.
Apple is knocking on the door
We learned last week that Apple is moving quite aggressively, allegedly purchasing memory at top dollar prices and choosing to handle the pain. This secures its own supply, of course, but also makes it harder for others to buy the memory they need at a price they can afford.
The competitive threat it is putting in place is quite real. “As thinner margins and lower allocation priority constrain the low-end market, smaller vendors are especially at risk of being squeezed out of the market,” Jessop said.
