Laptop Prices Could Jump 40% This Year as Component Costs Surge

Laptop prices could rise sharply this year as memory and processor costs surge. Research from TrendForce suggests the price of a typical $900 notebook may need to increase by nearly 40 percent to maintain current profit margins.



The trouble starts with DRAM and NAND flash. Supply has tightened considerably since the start of 2026. Usually, memory and solid-state storage make up about 15 percent of a laptop's total manufacturing cost. After several consecutive quarters of price hikes, that share is pushing past 30 percent. If manufacturers want to keep their current profit margins, they will have to pass those costs directly to buyers.


Processors are adding to the problem. Chipmakers are increasingly prioritizing advanced process and packaging capacity for high-performance computing products, leaving fewer resources available for consumer electronics. As a result, Intel recently raised prices on some entry-level and older-generation notebook chips by more than 15 percent, with more hikes planned for mid-to-high-end platforms in the second quarter. Even AMD is starting to experience supply hiccups for its base-level hardware. Combine tighter processor supply with expensive memory, and those two components alone could soon account for 58 percent of a laptop's entire build cost.

How companies weather this squeeze depends on their buying power. Massive tier-one brands can rely on long-term contracts and huge order volumes to lock in pricing and secure inventory. Smaller PC makers, on the other hand, risk shipment delays and tighter margins as they struggle to secure parts in a hostile market.

Apple is in a unique position here. Because it designs its own custom silicon, the Mac lineup avoids the direct hit from Intel and AMD pricing adjustments. However, the company still has to buy RAM and storage from the same tight global supply pool. Apple usually leverages its scale to negotiate better rates, a strategy that recently helped it launch the $599 MacBook Neo. By using an iPhone-class A18 Pro chip and a highly efficient manufacturing process, Apple managed to hit an aggressive price point right as the rest of the market faces rising costs.

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