The RAM shortage’s silver lining: Less talk about “AI PCs”

The RAM shortage, driven by increased demand from data centers due to the AI boom, has caused prices to surge, impacting PC buyers and builders. Analysts predict a 40-70% rise in mainstream PC memory and storage costs by 2025, leading to potential price hikes and lower memory specs in PCs. Despite a growth in global PC shipments in 2025, analysts anticipate a more turbulent market in 2026 due to the ongoing RAM shortage. Vendors are expected to raise prices and focus on midrange and premium systems to counter the impact of higher component costs.