The global PC market saw a short lift in early 2026, but the gain may not last. A sharp rise in memory and storage costs pushed buyers to act fast, while supply limits across chips added more strain. As a result, chip manufacturers such as Intel Corporation(INTC) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) raised their CPU prices.
Claim 30% Off TipRanks
- Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions
- Discover top-performing stock ideas and upgrade to a portfolio of market leaders with Smart Investor Picks
According to Counterpoint Research, DRAM prices rose about 110% in the first quarter, while SSD prices climbed as much as 147%. As a result, many PC makers rushed to secure parts, and buyers moved up their plans to avoid higher costs.
At the same time, global PC shipments grew 3.2% year-over-year to 63.3 million units. Lenovo (LNVGY) held the top spot, while Asus (ASUUY) posted a strong 20% growth.
However, analysts warn that this trend may not reflect real demand. As one Counterpoint associate said, “These factors are front-loading demand rather than signaling growth.” In other words, many purchases that would have happened later in the year already took place.
AI Demand Pressures Supply and Prices
Meanwhile, the supply crunch now goes beyond memory. Intel said it raised CPU prices for its partners due to tight supply and strong demand. “We have been updating our prices to the OEMs,” said Intel vice president David Feng.
In addition, reports suggest that both Intel and AMD raised prices by about 10% to 15%. Lead times also grew, with orders now taking up to 12 weeks instead of 1 to 2 weeks.
The main driver is the surge in AI demand. Large cloud firms are buying more server chips, memory, and GPUs, which leaves less supply for PC makers. Since many of these parts share the same production lines, the shift toward AI has reduced availability for consumer devices.
Looking ahead, supply may stay tight for some time. Reports indicate that memory makers may meet only about 60% of global DRAM demand through 2027. As a result, companies like HP Inc. (HPQ) expect the pressure to last into next year, while Dell Technologies Inc. (DELL) has warned of price hikes of up to 30%.
IDC also lowered its full-year outlook, now expecting PC shipments to fall 11.3% in 2026. The firm noted that “the era of bargain-priced PCs is behind us,” which suggests a shift toward higher prices and slower demand over time.
We used TipRanks’ Comparison Tool to align all the related tickers appearing in the piece. It’s a great tool to gain an in-depth view of each stock and the broader AI chip industry.
