CES 2026 Highlights a Grim Year for PCs

Brace for Soaring Costs of RAM-dependent Devices

The current price tag for Dell's XPS 14 has surpassed the $2,000 mark. According to an insider from AMD, PC enthusiasts might lean towards upgrading parts rather than building brand-new setups this year. Meanwhile, NVIDIA and AMD's AI supercomputers are consuming a significant chunk of the RAM market. At the 2026 CES, it was apparent that the computing industry faces tough challenges, foreseeing increased prices and reduced availability for consumer tech across the spectrum.

This event essentially reaffirmed what was already unfolding since RAM prices surged due to the demands from AI data centers. As noted by Samsung's marketing chief, Wonjin Lee, during CES: 'We're encountering semiconductor supply challenges affecting everyone. Prices are escalating even now.'

Dell's latest XPS 14 and 16 models are among the first to experience these pressures. Initial pricing for last year's models began at $1,699 and $1,899, respectively. Early expectations suggested the new versions would start cheaper at $1,650 and $1,850. However, Dell later revealed a surprising price increase: The XPS 14 now begins at $2,050, with the XPS 16 priced at $2,200.

While previous configurations exceeding $2,000 were not uncommon, it's astonishing that base models now start at such a high price point. Apple, on the other hand, maintains its $1,599 price for the MacBook Pro 14-inch. Nevertheless, Dell remains more affordable than Apple's $2,499 MacBook Pro 16-inch.

In the realm of desktops, AMD's David McAfee, a significant figure at the company, observed that the durability of AMD's AM4 and AM5 platforms could be advantageous for gamers. This longevity allows users to upgrade processors without investing in new RAM or motherboards, offering a cost-effective route for enhanced performance amid soaring RAM prices.

'We might witness a trend in 2026 favoring component upgrades over complete system overhauls,' McAfee noted in group discussions with tech outlets like Engadget. 'Popular CPUs like the 2600 from older Pinnacle Ridge times or the 3000 series are still operational in gaming setups. Upgrading even to more current 5,000 series processors in an AM4 setup offers a substantial performance boost.'

Despite volatile memory markets, McAfee stated that a large portion of AMD's business, around 30-40%, still revolves around the AM4 platform. 'No product containing memory is immune to the forces affecting DRAM prices and their market impact,' he mentioned regarding potential GPU cost hikes. 'Recently, the volatility we've observed is unimaginable.'

While McAfee anticipates price stabilization in three to six months, he didn't delve into his rationale. He added that AMD's X3D chips, utilizing 3D V-cache technology, aren't significantly impacted by slower RAM, as their substantial L2 and L3 cache compensate for less optimal memory transfer speeds.

The fact that McAfee addressed the RAM issue is significant, given that companies like Dell and Acer have avoided discussing the volatile memory situation pre-CES. They might have awaited price stabilization before setting new system prices. However, they remain tied to a depleting RAM supply.

The whereabouts of this memory? At CES, NVIDIA introduced its Vera Rubin AI supercomputer, boasting up to 54TB of RAM with 36 Vera CPUs and 20.7TB of memory spread across 72 GPUs. Similarly, AMD unveiled its Helios AI setup, providing up to 31TB of memory among 72 AMD Instinct MI455X GPUs. Such colossal systems are increasingly demanded for AI model training and inference tasks.

In summary, the global memory supply is being consumed by the AI industry. This may be advantageous for entities like OpenAI, Microsoft, and NVIDIA, but it poses challenges for PC users and everyday consumers. Prepare for a year marked by increased prices.