Acer and Asus warned this week that a sharp surge in DRAM memory prices is squeezing their manufacturing budgets. Although retail prices have not yet moved, executives from both PC makers said passing those costs on to consumers may soon be unavoidable, with increases likely emerging by mid-2026.
The situation is driven by a 30-50% increase in DRAM contract prices from the third quarter through mid-fourth quarter. For PC manufacturers, those higher prices immediately raise production costs. Acer chairman and CEO Chen Junsheng said memory accounts for roughly 8-10% of a PC’s bill of materials, translating into an overall cost increase of about 2-3%.
“So far, the impact has been manageable,” Chen said, pointing to inventory buffers and long-term supply agreements as short-term protection. He cautioned, however, that pressure will mount as manufacturers begin placing new orders at higher prices in early 2026. Many OEMs have been stockpiling components to secure lower costs, a tactic Chen acknowledged makes demand forecasting and future pricing more complex.
Asus Co-CEO Hu Shubin struck a similar note, calling future price increases “inevitable” and saying each brand would move on its own timeline. Asus, he said, would adjust its product mix, specifications, and pricing when conditions are right, in response to shifting market dynamics.
Industry consensus identifies the second quarter of 2026 as a key inflection point. As quarterly and long-term supply contracts are renewed at higher rates, increased memory costs are expected to pass through to consumers, with pricing adjustments possibly continuing into Q3 2026. Sources indicate that MSRP changes across the sector will become more evident after January 2026.
For now, PC makers are avoiding outright price hikes and instead tweaking specs to keep sticker prices in check. Budget laptops will mostly stay at 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSDs, but profits will be slimmer. Mid-range models may ship with pared-back base specs or charge more for upgrades. The first real price bumps are expected at the high end, especially for business machines, with talk that rivals like Dell are already preparing targeted increases.
Both Chen and Hu said pricing pressure in the memory market is unlikely to ease before mid-2026. While holiday inventories are already in place, offering a short-term period of stability, they warned that the cost impact of the DRAM shortage will begin to reach consumers next year.
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