The PC Price War: How AI is Reshaping the Future of Computing

The PC’s long reign is under siege as AI and memory shortages spark a price war that could reshape computing for the next decade.

RAM and NAND/SSD prices have surged due to AI data center demand, with TrendForce predicting further price hikes in Q1 2026.

Asus, Dell, and HP are implementing price increases or reducing RAM configurations in laptops, while Lenovo stockpiles memory to mitigate shortages. IDC warns of a permanent reallocation of silicon wafer capacity toward AI/ML hardware (HBM, DDR5), diverting resources from consumer PC components.

IDC noted:

"This is not just a cyclical shortage... but a potentially permanent, strategic reallocation of the world’s silicon wafer capacity,"

PC gaming remains resilient (50% growth in shipments over five years), but smaller assemblers face disproportionate challenges from component shortages. Dell’s head of product admits consumers aren’t buying AI PCs for AI features, stating they confuse users. Microsoft’s Copilot Plus PCs require a minimum of 16GB RAM, complicating Qualcomm’s $600 Windows-on-Arm price target.

RTX 5090 GPU prices have risen above $4,000 on Newegg, despite Nvidia claiming no major supply chain changes. Microsoft’s "Project Strong ARMed" aims to transition to ARM64 architecture, prioritizing Cobalt CPUs over Intel/AMD. Xbox Cloud Gaming expands to Hisense TVs in 2026, while Qualcomm hints at Arm-powered Windows gaming handhelds for GDC 2026.