Laptop Prices Are Rising in 2026: Should You Buy Now or Wait?

If you have been pricing a new laptop this fall, the numbers may look higher than you remember. The last few days of industry data explain why. Two of the biggest PC trackers, IDC and Gartner, both reported that global PC shipments fell by more than 20% in the third quarter of 2026. They point to the same culprit: memory chips have become far more expensive, and those costs are now reaching the price tags in stores.

So the "buy before prices go up" advice is everywhere. Is it real, or is it just sales talk ahead of Black Friday? Here's what the evidence says.

What's Actually Real Here

Shipments have dropped sharply. IDC's preliminary figures, released October 8, put worldwide PC shipments at 62.7 million units for July to September, down 20.1% from 78.5 million a year earlier. Gartner's preliminary count is lower still, at 55.4 million units, a 22.4% fall. The two firms count slightly differently, but both show a dramatic fall, and Gartner says shipments are back to early-2023 levels. HP was down about 31% in both counts.

Memory is the main reason. AI data centers are buying huge volumes of DRAM and storage chips. Only a few companies make memory at scale, and they have shifted production toward the higher-margin chips data centers want. Back in February, Gartner forecast that combined DRAM and SSD prices would rise about 130% by the end of 2026, and that average PC prices would rise 17% for the year.

Higher prices are already hurting demand. IDC's analyst said PC makers stocked up early in the year ahead of price increases, and that higher prices have since weighed on sales. Gartner said fewer low-cost devices on shelves made replacement purchases less affordable for consumers. In other words, the drop isn't people losing interest in laptops. It's people being priced out.

More increases are signaled. In mid-September, Acer's chairman and CEO, Jason Chen, told Taiwan's Economic Daily News that he expects average PC prices to rise by roughly 5% to 20% in the fourth quarter of 2026. Machines with more memory and storage are expected to see the larger increases. In the UK, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) also warned this month that technology prices could see double-digit rises before Christmas. Its latest Global Pulse Survey found procurement professionals expecting price increases, with some buyers reporting chip shortages affecting laptop and phone purchases.

Where the Hype Outruns the Reality

"Buy now or pay double later" is overstated. The most reliable forecasts point to increases in the range of 5% to 20% for finished PCs, not the multi-fold jumps seen in raw memory chip prices. Memory is only one part of what a laptop costs. Headlines about RAM kits costing several times their old price apply mainly to people building or upgrading desktop PCs.

This isn't permanent. Acer's CEO said a shortage lasting until 2030, as some memory makers have suggested, is not realistic. He expects prices to peak around mid-2027 and to start easing in the second half of 2027 as new memory factories come online. That's one executive's forecast, not a certainty, but it suggests a cycle rather than a new normal.

Not every device is affected equally. Gartner's figures show Apple's shipments fell far less than the market average, and Asus and Acer also held up better than HP and Dell. Budget models and high-memory configurations are under the most pressure. Gartner has even predicted that the sub-$500 entry-level PC segment will disappear by 2028.

Watch for "shrinkflation." Analysts quoted by Consumer Reports last December warned that rather than raising prices, some makers may cut specs, for example selling a laptop at the same price with less RAM or a dimmer screen. Market tracker TrendForce has since reported that PC brands are trimming SSD capacity in mainstream models. A price that looks unchanged may not mean the same machine.

Should You Buy a Laptop Now or Wait?

• If your current laptop works, keep it. Gartner expects consumers to keep their devices about 20% longer by the end of 2026. Waiting out the price peak is a perfectly reasonable choice if you don't need a new machine.
• If you need one in the next 6 to 12 months, buying during the holiday sales is sensible. Further increases are expected into 2027, so a genuine holiday discount is worth taking. Use a price tracker to check that a "deal" is below the recent typical price.
• Read the spec sheet, not just the price. Compare RAM and storage between this year's and last year's version of the same model. A cheaper-looking new model may simply have less memory.
• Consider previous-generation or refurbished models. Year-over-year improvements are often small, and certified refurbished laptops from reputable sellers can avoid the newest price increases.
• Don't overbuy memory to "future-proof." High-memory configurations carry the biggest markups right now. Buy what your actual work needs.

FAQ

Why are laptop prices going up in 2026? Memory and storage chips have become much more expensive because AI data centers are buying large volumes. PC makers are passing those costs on.

How much more will laptops cost? Acer's CEO expects average increases of roughly 5% to 20% in late 2026, with bigger rises for high-memory models. Gartner forecast a 17% rise in average PC prices across 2026.

When will laptop prices go down? No one knows for sure. Acer's CEO expects prices to peak around mid-2027 and ease in the second half of that year.

Is Black Friday 2026 a good time to buy a laptop? If you need one soon, likely yes, because holiday deals may be the last broad discounts before further increases. Check price history before you buy.

Prices mentioned in this article were checked at the time of writing and are given as "from" or approximate figures where possible. Actual prices vary by retailer, region, taxes, plan and promotion, so please do not treat the figures here as final. Check the seller's own site for the current price.

Things change quickly. This article reflects what was publicly known when it was written or last updated, so details such as prices, availability, rules and product specs may have changed since. Always check the official source before you buy or decide.

Sources

• IDC PC Tracker, Q3 2026 – IDC
• PC Shipments Fell 20.1% In Q3 2026 – Wccftech
• Gartner Says Worldwide PC Shipments Declined 22.4% in Third Quarter of 2026 – Gartner
• Gartner Says Surging Memory Costs Will Reduce Global PC and Smartphone Shipments in 2026 – Gartner
• Acer CEO says PCs will be up to 20% more expensive in Q4 2026 – PC Guide
• CIPS warns food, technology and freight costs could rise over Christmas – CIPS
• Technology prices could jump this Christmas, CIPS warns – Retail Gazette
• TrendForce Q4 2026 memory price forecast – TrendForce
• AI Data Centers Buying Up RAM and Raising Laptop Prices (Dec 2025) – Consumer Reports