Quick answer: If you need a laptop in the next few months, buy it rather than wait, because analysts don’t expect memory costs to ease before 2027. If your current laptop still works, keep it and spend nothing. As of October 2026, Apple, Microsoft, HP and Lenovo have all raised prices, and the main cause is the AI-driven shortage of memory chips.
Laptop prices are up for a simple reason. AI data centers are buying enormous amounts of memory and storage, which leaves less for the chips that go into consumer laptops. Makers are passing the cost on, and the increases are now showing up on price tags in the US, UK and Europe.
This guide covers what has actually changed, which brands are affected, and how to buy sensibly. It’s part of our Computing coverage, and if storage costs worry you too, see our look at how to back up your files while drive prices are high.
Why are laptop prices going up in 2026?
Memory (RAM) and storage chips are made by a small number of companies, and they are shifting production toward AI servers. Gartner said in February 2026 that surging memory costs would push combined DRAM and SSD prices up 130% by the end of the year, and PC prices up 17%. It also forecast PC shipments falling 10.4%. (Gartner)
IDC was blunter. Its analyst Jitesh Ubrani said in March that “the era of bargain-priced PCs and tablets is behind us for now,” and that memory shortages would last well into 2027. (PCWorld)
The latest outlook, published by market researcher TrendForce on 24 September 2026, still has DRAM contract prices rising through the fourth quarter and NAND flash up 15-20% over the previous quarter. TrendForce also says high costs are cutting laptop and phone shipments. (TrendForce)
Which brands have raised laptop prices?
Apple
On 25 June 2026, Apple raised US prices across most Macs and iPads. Tim Cook said the company had “reached a point where we need to begin raising prices.” iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods were not changed. (9to5Mac)
UK prices rose too, with the MacBook Neo going from £599 to £699 (GSMArena). Apple also raised euro prices, and they differ by country, so check your local Apple Store for the exact figure.
| Laptop | Before | After (US) |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Neo | $599 | $699 |
| 13-inch MacBook Air | $1,099 | $1,299 |
| 15-inch MacBook Air | $1,299 | $1,499 |
| MacBook Pro (M5) | $1,699 | $1,999 |
Microsoft Surface
On 13 April 2026, Microsoft raised US Surface prices, citing memory and component costs. The 13-inch Surface Pro now starts at $1,499 against $999 at its 2024 launch, and the 15-inch Surface Laptop is $1,599, up from $1,299. (Windows Central)
HP, Lenovo, Dell and others
Lenovo’s CEO told Reuters in February that the company would raise PC prices to offset memory costs (PCWorld). The price-tracking service MCPC, which follows business-channel pricing, reports a 10-15% HP increase and an average rise of around 6% at Lenovo, both effective 15 September 2026, and says HP has signaled another increase before the end of the year. (MCPC) Those are trade figures, so retail prices in your country may differ.
Earlier in the year, Tom’s Guide reported year-to-date rises of roughly 20% at Asus, 20-25% at Dell and 10-20% at Acer. Acer’s chairman said memory and storage chip costs had risen between 50% and 100%. (Tom's Guide) Those figures are from March, so the current picture may be higher.
Should you buy a laptop now or wait?
We’d buy now if you genuinely need one. Nobody is forecasting a price drop soon: IDC expects shortages to continue well into 2027, and Gartner expects entry-level PCs under $500 to disappear by 2028. Waiting is a bet that the market improves faster than the experts expect.
Waiting makes sense in one case. If your laptop runs fine, the main thing you’d gain by upgrading is a newer model, and that’s rarely worth a 15-20% premium. Gartner expects consumers to keep their PCs about 20% longer than before, and that’s a reasonable response.
How can you spend less on a laptop right now?
- Pick the right amount of memory. Memory is exactly what’s getting expensive, so upgrade tiers cost more than they used to. Buy what your daily work needs, and don’t pay extra for headroom you won’t use.
- Look at last year’s model. Older stock is often priced before the latest rises. Check that it still gets security updates for several years.
- Consider certified refurbished. Manufacturer-refurbished laptops from Apple, Dell, Lenovo and others usually come with a warranty.
- Use education or employer discounts. If you’re a student or teacher, ask the manufacturer’s education store for current pricing.
- Buy the laptop first, storage second. External drives are costly at the moment too, so a larger internal SSD can be worth a look when the price gap is small.
- Compare prices across retailers in your region. Retail stock bought before the rises sometimes sells at older prices until it runs out.
Whatever you buy, set up backups on day one. Our guide to checking whether your SSD or hard drive is healthy shows what to watch for on the laptop you already own.
What does a higher price mean for your budget?
It means decide on needs first. Write down what you do on a laptop: browsing, documents, video calls, photo editing, gaming. Then match that to the cheapest configuration that handles it comfortably for four or five years, because a laptop that lasts longer costs less per year.
It also means thinking twice about extras. Add-on memory and storage upgrades are where makers pass on chip costs most directly, so compare the price of a step up in specification against what you’d really use.
Will phones and tablets get more expensive too?
Yes. Apple raised iPad prices in the same announcement, and Gartner forecast smartphone prices rising 13% in 2026. PBS NewsHour reported that analysts expect higher iPhone prices later in 2026, though that is a forecast and not an announcement from Apple. (PBS NewsHour)
Frequently asked questions
Are laptop prices going to drop in 2027?
Probably not by much. IDC expects memory shortages well into 2027, and some analysts say relief may not come until 2028. Prices could ease at the margins, but a return to 2025 levels isn’t the base case.
Is a MacBook Neo still a good value at $699?
Tom’s Guide reported it comes with 8GB of memory and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. It’s still cheaper than most Macs, but at $699 it costs more than before, and rival budget laptops have risen as well. Compare it against the Windows laptops you’d actually consider before deciding.
Why are Windows laptops under $500 harder to find?
Makers earn more per memory chip on higher-end laptops, so they’re prioritizing those. Gartner expects sub-$500 PCs to vanish by 2028.
Does the price rise affect Europe and the UK as well?
Yes. Apple raised UK and euro prices on the same day it raised US prices. Taxes and exchange rates mean the percentage rise differs by country.
Sources
- Apple: June 2026 price increases (9to5Mac)
- GSMArena: Apple’s grand price hike is here
- Windows Central: Microsoft raises Surface prices
- Gartner: Surging memory costs will reduce PC and smartphone shipments in 2026
- PCWorld: The era of bargain-priced PCs is behind us
- TrendForce: 4Q26 Memory Price Forecast
- MCPC: September 2026 device price increases
- PCWorld: Lenovo is still raising PC prices
- Tom’s Guide: MacBook Neo and laptop prices as RAMageddon hits Dell, HP and others
- PBS NewsHour: Apple increases prices for Macs and iPads