The Reality of Hardware Purchasing in 2026

THE NEW REALITY OF HARDWARE PURCHASING

Delays, Shortages, and Higher Costs

Over the past 18 months, we have warned clients that major changes were coming to the technology supply chain. Those changes have arrived. What we see today is not a short-term disruption. This shift reflects a long-term change in how manufacturers build, prioritize, and price computer hardware worldwide.

Many organizations feel frustrated by long lead times, unexpected backorders, and pricing that changes between quote and delivery. Those frustrations make sense. Our goal here is to explain what is happening, why it is happening, and how you can plan around it with confidence.

What Is Actually Causing the Hardware Shortages

The current computer and memory shortage looks very different from what businesses experienced during the pandemic. Factory shutdowns and shipping delays are no longer the main issue. Global manufacturers have changed how they allocate production capacity.

From 2024 through at least 2026, the world faces a sustained shortage of memory components, specifically DRAM and solid-state storage. These parts power laptops, desktops, servers, and nearly every modern device. The explosive growth of artificial intelligence infrastructure drives this shortage.

The largest technology companies now consume massive amounts of high-speed memory to support AI workloads. To meet that demand, memory manufacturers have shifted production away from consumer and business PCs and toward higher margin enterprise and AI focused products. While AI systems use specialized memory, the core technology remains the same as what standard computers use.

At the same time, demand for traditional PCs continues to rise. Windows 10 end of life upgrades and the push toward newer AI capable systems increase pressure on an already limited supply.

Why Hardware Prices Are Rising So Fast

When supply tightens and demand grows, prices change quickly. That reality now affects hardware purchasing.

We see this most clearly with memory pricing. A component that once cost around thirty dollars may sit on backorder for months. When it becomes available, that same component may cost more than one hundred dollars.

Manufacturers and analysts now signal widespread price increases:

• PC manufacturers plan system price increases of fifteen to twenty percent
• Hardware quotes expire faster and may change within days
• Industry analysts expect PC pricing to continue rising through 2026

Memory makes up a small portion of a system’s total cost. However, sharp increases in memory pricing drive up the cost of the entire computer. Analysts also warn that higher prices may cause organizations to delay or scale back refresh projects, shrinking the overall PC market.

Why This Situation Will Not Resolve Quickly

This point matters most. The market will not rebound anytime soon.

Several long-term factors keep pressure on supply:

• Manufacturers have permanently shifted capacity toward AI infrastructure
• Panic buying and stockpiling reduce availability even further
• One of the three major global memory manufacturers plans to exit the consumer market
• Demand from AI adoption and operating system refresh cycles continues to grow

Industry experts now agree that supply constraints, not demand spikes, drive rising technology costs. This change represents a major shift from the pricing trends businesses experienced for more than a decade.

What This Means for Your Business

If your organization plans hardware refreshes, growth, or new hires, these realities matter:

• Expect longer lead times
• Expect pricing to change between planning and purchase
• Waiting often increases costs instead of reducing them
• Upgrading memory or storage after purchase may cost far more than buying fully configured systems upfront

Memory and storage upgrades now create the greatest risk for unexpected expenses.

Our Recommended Plan to Help You Navigate This Market

We cannot control global manufacturing decisions, but we can help you reduce risk and avoid unnecessary costs.

1. Buy Systems Fully Configured: In today’s market, fully configured systems almost always cost less than upgrading later. Manufacturers have better access to components during production than the aftermarket does.

2. Plan Hardware Refreshes Earlier: If you expect hardware needs within the next six to twelve months, start planning now. Early planning allows us to monitor availability, lock configurations, and avoid last minute purchases at higher prices.

3. Standardize Wherever Possible: Standardizing models and configurations improve purchasing efficiency and increases your chances of securing inventory when supply runs tight.

4. Budget for Pricing Variability: Technology budgets now need flexibility. Treat hardware pricing as variable, especially for memory intensive systems, and plan for fluctuations.

5. Rely on Us for Market Insight: We closely monitor manufacturer updates, pricing trends, and supply signals. Our job is to translate that information into practical guidance for your environment so you can make informed decisions.

Looking Ahead

The era of cheap and readily available hardware has ended, at least for now. Progress continues, but smart planning matters more than ever.

We will continue to communicate openly, plan proactively, and advocate for you with our vendor partners. If you have upcoming hardware needs or concerns about refresh timelines, reach out sooner rather than later. Early action gives you the best chance to stay ahead of rising costs and limited availability.

Braver Technology Solutions | WeMakeITWork@BraverTechnology.com
Boston 617.315.8515 | Taunton 508.824.2260 | Providence 401.484.7900