The US PC market will shrink by 13 percent in 2026, according to analyst firm Omdia. The main cause: the ongoing memory and RAM crisis, which drove storage costs up by at least 60 percent in Q1 2026 — on top of the 40 to 70 percent increase from 2025.
Sony Halts Orders
The situation is so severe that Sony has stopped accepting orders for CFexpress and SD memory cards. The reason: Sony cannot procure the required flash chips. Semiconductor manufacturers are prioritizing enterprise SSDs for AI servers, which offer higher margins than consumer memory cards.
Other memory card manufacturers are likely to follow. Smaller PC manufacturers could face a similar situation with DRAM if the shortage persists.
Budget PCs Hit Hardest
For budget systems, memory accounts for a larger share of total costs. When RAM prices double, a 400-dollar PC can no longer be offered profitably — at least not with acceptable specifications. The result: the entry-level segment shrinks disproportionately.
Countermeasures
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are increasing investments in their Chinese manufacturing facilities, according to the South China Morning Post. SK Hynix's plant in Wuxi produces over 30 percent of the company's total DRAM output. Samsung's plant in Xi'an is the conglomerate's only external memory factory. Whether the capacity expansions will lower prices in the short term remains questionable.
Sources: Omdia Forecast, The Register (30.03.2026), Blocks & Files, South China Morning Post.