Major laptop manufacturers including Lenovo and HP may delay some product shipments in 2026 as a historic shortage of memory chips drives up costs, according to a report by South Korean business newspaper Chosun Biz. While new work and gaming laptops are still expected to appear at CES 2026, companies are reassessing timelines to avoid immediate price increases.
Notebook makers have been trying to secure additional supplies of DRAM by signing preliminary contracts with major memory producers such as Samsung Electronics, Micron and SK Hynix, sources told Chosun Biz. Despite these efforts, DDR5 memory prices are forecast to continue rising, with the report warning of increases of up to 45% by the end of 2026.
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At the same time, strong demand from the artificial intelligence sector is tightening supplies of NAND flash used in solid-state drives, adding further pressure to production costs. Citing TrendForce, the report said memory and storage components could account for as much as 23% of a laptop’s total materials cost, and an industry insider said one manufacturer planned to raise prices of high-end models by up to 30%.
The cost pressures threaten to reverse a recovery in PC sales seen in 2025, when demand was supported by upgrades linked to Microsoft’s Windows 11. With consumers expected to hold off on purchases next year, companies are increasingly viewing delayed launches as a way to manage pricing and inventory.
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Some manufacturers have already begun adjusting. Dell and Framework have announced price increases, while Asus denied reports that it was considering making its own DDR5 memory. Smaller vendors with less access to major chip suppliers appear particularly exposed, the report said, pointing to U.S.-based Maingear, which now encourages customers to provide their own memory modules for custom systems.
Source: Chosun Biz, TrendForce, Maingear