PC prices could rise further toward the end of 2026, with Acer Chairman Jason Chen expecting a 5% to 20% increase in the fourth quarter, according to a report from Taiwan's Economic Daily News. The expected increase comes as manufacturers continue to grapple with elevated memory and SSD costs, despite signs of improvement in broader component supply.
According to Chen, the supply situation for key PC components has improved, with both DDR4 and DDR5 memory generally available in sufficient quantities. CPU supply is also broadly stable, although some lower-end processors remain relatively constrained. However, CPU prices have seen hikes throughout the year from both Intel and AMD.
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Despite improved availability, prices have not yet fallen, as memory and SSD costs remain elevated and continue to pressure PC manufacturers. Current memory market analysis points to continued cost pressure, with conventional DRAM contract prices expected to rise 13 - 18% quarter over quarter in Q3 2026, while NAND Flash prices could increase by 10 - 15%.
One reason Chen expects prices to ease eventually is the expansion of Chinese memory production. That trend is already visible in market-share data. Counterpoint Research reports that CXMT accounted for 10% of global DRAM revenue in Q2 2026, while YMTC has also expanded its presence in the NAND market.
Expanding production could help ease supply pressures and put downward pressure on memory prices as additional capacity comes online. A recent report suggests CXMT is preparing to expand into NAND flash production, while the company is also reportedly considering a second DRAM fab in Beijing. If those plans move forward, CXMT's total production capacity could reach around 600,000 wafers per month.
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For PC buyers, the short-term outlook remains challenging, with prices expected to rise further before potentially peaking around mid-2027. Acer expects lower memory and SSD costs to eventually filter through to finished systems, which could allow PC prices to stabilize or decline during the second half of 2027.
