Global RAM chip shortages are prompting Lenovo and other manufacturers to adapt their product strategies amid soaring memory prices and supply constraints, signalling significant upheaval for the laptop industry in 2026.
Global shortages of RAM chips are forcing laptop makers to reassess pricing, inventory and product strategy, and Lenovo says it is taking steps to shield customers from the worst effects.
Speaking at Lenovo Tech Day in Jakarta, Fan Ho, Executive ...
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Director and General Manager of Lenovo’s Solutions & Services Group for Asia Pacific, said price stability is “no longer feasible” and that production capacity for RAM memory for the whole of 2026 is already fully allocated. According to the announcement, Lenovo is prioritising availability by allocating memory stocks well in advance, deepening partnerships with memory suppliers and building dedicated solution and service teams to recommend tailored laptop configurations that meet customers’ actual computing needs.
The company’s stance reflects a wider industry shock. Analysts at Omdia forecast a slowdown in global PC shipments in 2026 after growth in 2025, noting that memory costs rose sharply in 2025 and could increase further in early 2026. Omdia’s data, cited by TechRadar, shows mainstream DRAM and SSD prices were pushed higher as manufacturers shifted capacity to higher‑margin server DRAM and High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for AI data centres, squeezing supply for consumer devices and pressuring OEMs to either raise prices or reduce component specifications.
Smaller, transparent vendors have already begun passing costs to customers. According to Tom’s Hardware and PC Gamer, Framework announced price rises across desktop and mainboard lines this month, citing spiking memory prices and constrained supply of high‑capacity chips as the reason for increases of several hundred dollars on top configurations. Tom’s Hardware reported Framework’s chief executive warned the memory market outlook for 2026 was worsening.
Not all OEMs face identical near‑term pain. Intel told Tom’s Guide that many laptop makers are sitting on roughly nine to 12 months of inventory, a buffer that has so far helped keep retail laptop prices more stable. Intel’s Senior Director of Product Management, Nish Neelalojanan, also pointed to chip and software measures , including larger L3 caches in the new Core Ultra Series 3 and a memory control slider for developers , as ways to reduce reliance on external memory and stretch constrained supplies.
Lenovo’s North American president, Ryan McCurdy, has made similar arguments about planning and capacity, saying the company is bringing capacities online years ahead and working closely with partners to navigate the looming shortage, according to CRN.
Industry explanations for the squeeze centre on the surge in AI infrastructure spending. A technical blog from Acer and multiple industry reports trace the spike to a redirection of production toward HBM for AI accelerators and higher‑margin server DRAM, which left conventional DDR modules in short supply and sent consumer DRAM and SSD prices sharply higher in 2025.
For consumers the implications are clear: expect fewer low‑cost, high‑spec bargains in 2026 and greater variation between manufacturers depending on their stock positions and supplier agreements. Lenovo is emphasising consultative sales and pre‑allocated memory to keep chosen product lines available, while other vendors are raising prices or trimming mid‑ and entry‑level specs as a defensive response. Analysts cited by industry press warn that if memory markets deteriorate further, PC shipments could decline more steeply and price rises may become more widespread.
Lenovo’s announced measures , forward inventory allocation, supplier collaboration and bespoke consultancy for customers , aim to mitigate disruption rather than eliminate it. As Fan Ho put it at the Jakarta event, the company is focused on delivering “the best possible experience” despite inevitable price pressures, a position echoed in public remarks from other industry executives as the technology sector adapts to a memory market reshaped by AI demand.
Source: Noah Wire Services
