Worldwide shipments of desktops, notebooks and workstations in 2026 are expected to decline by 12% to 245 million units, according to the latest outlook from Omdia. This forecast is grounded in sharp increases in memory and storage prices - particularly the expected minimum 60% rise in 1Q26. Further upward price pressure is anticipated throughout the remaining quarters of the year, though subsequent increases are expected to be more moderate. Since 1Q25, the costs of mainstream memory and storage configurations have risen by between US$90 and US$165, placing substantial financial pressure on PC vendors and forcing them to reduce promotions, raise product prices, and adjust configurations. The impact across PC product categories is expected to be broadly consistent. Desktops are set to decline by 10% to 53.2 million units, while laptops will decline by 12% to 192.2 million units.

Considering how quickly the situation is evolving, Omdia has conducted a multi-scenario analysis of the impact. Based on the latest available information and market signals, the forecast carries a higher downside risk, namely a widening of shortages for both memory and storage and increasingly steep price hikes. This could further suppress consumer demand and tighten PC vendors' supply, pushing PC shipments toward a 15% decline or potentially worse. In addition, the recent outbreak of conflict in the Middle East has introduced substantial uncertainty for international transportation and regional market growth, although it remains to be seen whether this situation will persist.

The global notebook market is expected to face dual pressures from weak demand and rising component costs in 2026, according to TrendForce's latest research on the notebook industry. In addition to rapidly rising memory prices, CPU pricing has also begun to move higher. TrendForce estimates that to preserve existing margin structures for both notebook brands and distribution channels, the retail price of a mainstream notebook with an original MSRP of US$900 could rise by nearly 40%.

TrendForce notes that since the start of 2026, supply for notebook DRAM and NAND Flash has tightened significantly. Prices have surged, and shortages of certain components have become more pronounced, increasing uncertainty for notebook brands as they plan their procurement strategies.

TrendForce's latest research on smartphone panels reveals that shortages and rising memory prices—one of the most costly components in smartphones—are reshaping brand shipment strategies for 2026 and weakening panel demand.

Global smartphone panel shipments are projected to reach 2.14 billion units in 2026, down 7.3% YoY from 2.31 billion units in 2025. This marks the end of the growth cycle that began in 2023 and the market's first annual decline in several years.

Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ: RMBS), a premier chip and silicon IP provider making data faster and safer, today announced the industry's leading HBM4E Memory Controller IP, extending its market leadership in HBM IP. This new solution delivers breakthrough performance with advanced reliability features enabling designers to address the demanding memory bandwidth requirements of next-generation AI accelerators and graphics processing units (GPUs).

"Given the insatiable bandwidth demands of AI, it's imperative for the memory ecosystem to continue aggressively advancing memory performance," said Simon Blake-Wilson, SVP and general manager of Silicon IP, at Rambus. "As a leading silicon IP provider for AI applications, we are bringing the industry's leading HBM4E Controller IP solution to the market as a key enabler for breakthrough performance in next-generation AI processors and accelerators."

The memory procurement market has adopted a new business model with hourly contracts, where quoted prices are valid for only a single hour, necessitating a new pricing quote with each change. Memory makers like SK hynix, Samsung, and Micron are responding to the massive demand for their memory solutions with new types of contracts that force OEMs to make quick decisions to procure DRAM within a very short timeframe. This means that memory makers are requiring much faster contract settlements, as the rapid increase in demand is causing product pricing to change literally by the hour. For example, large PC OEMs, who are among the biggest customers, now have to ship PCs with one pricing, while their future products are subject to price changes that fluctuate by the hour. How sustainable and stable this market will be remains to be seen.

Interestingly, the customer DRAM market is splitting into two camps. A short list of deep-pocketed customers, including large cloud providers, major automakers, and top smartphone firms such as Apple and Samsung Electronics, retain priority access to DRAM and the best pricing negotiation leverage. Memory manufacturers like SK hynix and Micron are said to prioritize these relationships above all else by favoring buyers who can prepay or settle in cash. For the vast remainder, more than 190,000 small and medium enterprises, the situation is harsher. Many lack the cash flow and bargaining leverage to accept rapid price jumps. As costs climb, some firms are revising demand forecasts downward to avoid margin erosion. Demand outside of the hyperscaler/data center sector may be revisited downward for many companies, as consumers are less keen on spending more on products that are becoming more expensive each day.

Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) today extended its leadership in low-power server memory by shipping customer samples of the industry's highest-capacity LPDRAM module—256 GB SOCAMM2. Enabled by the industry's first monolithic 32 Gb LPDDR5X design, this milestone represents a transformational step forward for AI data centers, delivering low-power memory capacity that can unlock new system architectures.

The convergence of AI training, inference, agentic AI and general-purpose compute are driving more demanding memory requirements and reshaping data center system architectures. Modern AI workloads drive large model parameters, expansive context windows and persistent key value (KV) caches, while core compute continues to scale in data intensity, concurrency and memory footprint.

NVIDIA has reportedly lowered its performance requirements for the HBM4 memory used in "Rubin" GPUs, as SK hynix and Samsung are reportedly struggling to meet the ambitious performance targets set by NVIDIA. According to a new note from SemiAnalysis, NVIDIA is reducing its specification requirements for the upcoming GPU generation. Originally, NVIDIA targeted a total bandwidth of 22 TB/s for the Rubin chip, but memory suppliers seem to be having difficulty meeting these requirements. Initial shipments are expected to achieve closer to 20 TB/s, which translates to approximately 10 Gbps per pin for HBM4. This indicates that NVIDIA's aggressive upgrade plan for "Vera Rubin" is facing a setback, and the final performance will differ slightly.

Interestingly, NVIDIA's initial target for the "Vera Rubin" VR200 NVL72 system was 13 TB/s in March 2025, which was later upgraded to 20.5 TB/s by September. At CES 2026, NVIDIA confirmed that the VR200 NVL72 system is now operating at 22 TB/s of bandwidth. Compared to AMD's Instinct MI455X accelerator, which has 19.6 TB/s, NVIDIA initially had lower system bandwidth. They addressed this by using faster DRAM and improving interconnects between CPUs, GPUs, and the entire system. However, as memory makers like SK hynix and Samsung struggle to meet NVIDIA's performance requirements, we will see HBM4 speeds of about 20 TB/s for the entire "Vera Rubin" system.

Intel used its MWC conference in Barcelona to showcase its most core-dense Xeon 6+ processor, codenamed "Clearwater Forest." As one of Intel's most complex chiplet designs, the package combines 12 compute chiplets manufactured on an Intel 18A node with three active base tiles on Intel 3 and two I/O tiles on Intel 7. In this configuration, each compute tile contains six modules of four "Darkmont" efficiency cores, providing 24 E-cores per tile and a maximum of 288 "Darkmont" E-cores on a single socket. A two-socket system, therefore, approaches 576 cores. The design connects clusters with a high-bandwidth on-chip fabric and stacks die using Foveros Direct 3D, while EMIB links connect multiple tiles in a 2.5D arrangement.

Each "Darkmont" E-core comes with a 64 KB instruction cache, a wider front end, and a larger out-of-order window to sustain more in-flight work. Execution resources and the number of execution ports have been increased to improve parallel integer and vector throughput. Physically, clusters are grouped in four-core units sharing about 4 MB of L2 cache per group, and the package-level last-level cache can exceed a gigabyte, with about 1,152 MB of combined last-level cache across the package. "Clearwater Forest" supports the existing Xeon server platform socket, 12 memory channels, and broad I/O, including 96 PCIe 5.0 lanes and 64 CXL 2.0 lanes. Memory speed targets push toward DDR5-8000.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of its highly anticipated JESD220H and JESD223G: Universal Flash Storage 5.0 and UFS Host Controller Interface (UFSHCI) 5.0. Designed for mobile applications, automotive and computing systems that demand high performance with low power consumption, UFS 5.0 will deliver faster data access and improved performance compared to its predecessor while maintaining compatibility with UFS 4.x hardware.

UFS offers high-performance, embedded storage with low power consumption, making it ideal for use in applications where power efficiency is essential. This includes computing and mobile systems like smartphones and wearables, as well as an expanding role in generative AI, automotive applications, edge computing and gaming consoles. Its high-speed serial interface and optimized protocol enable significant throughput for power-efficient system performance.

Team Group Inc. today announced its strong return to Embedded World 2026, one of the world's premier events for embedded technologies, following its Embedded Award-winning presence at last year's exhibition. Building on this momentum, Team Group will focus on two core themes, "Edge to Action" and "Military", highlighting AI-driven intelligent applications alongside mission-critical data security solutions for highly sensitive environments.

The showcase will feature a comprehensive portfolio spanning high-performance embedded storage and military-grade physical destruction technologies, demonstrating Team Group's continued commitment to advancing efficiency, stability, and security across industrial and defense-related sectors while delivering end-to-end solutions that seamlessly connect edge computing with real-world deployment. Embedded World 2026 will take place from March 10-12 at the NürnbergMesse Convention Center in Nuremberg, Germany. Team Group cordially invites visitors to Hall 3 / Booth 3-349 to explore its latest embedded breakthroughs designed to enable more precise, trusted, and secure intelligent applications.

Micron chose to unveil its latest developments in graphics memory via a blog post titled "The new performance bottleneck: How more GPU memory unlocks next gen gaming and AI PCs" which explains that its latest GDDR7 memory will allow for graphics cards with as much as 96 GB of VRAM. Micron isn't the first company with 24 Gbit or 3 GB density GDDR7 memory chips, as Samsung sampled partners back in November of last year.

Samsung's 3 GB GDDR7 chips are also offering 36 Gbps bandwidth, so Micron doesn't stand out here either and this might be why the company snuck out the details of its new product in a blog post rather than putting out a press release. Micron claims that its new GDDR7 chips offer improved efficiency, but doesn't go into any details as to what this means. The rest of the blog post is mostly about the benefits of GDDR7 at higher density and speeds and the benefits it will bring to graphics cards, AI PCs and what not. The chips aren't listed on Micron's website as yet, despite the blog linking to Micron's GDDR7 product page.

The MIPI Alliance, an international organization that develops specifications that standardize wired interfaces for mobile and other connected ecosystems, today announced major updates to two of its foundational specifications. MIPI UniPro v3.0 and MIPI M-PHY v6.0 offer significant performance, latency and power-efficiency improvements for next-generation JEDEC Universal Flash Storage (UFS 5.0) solutions to support greater edge AI workloads in smartphones, tablets, PCs, gaming consoles, automotive and industrial applications.

"For more than a decade, M-PHY and UniPro have served as the interconnect layer for JEDEC UFS, enabling high-performance, low-power flash storage across a broad range of devices," said Hezi Saar, chair of MIPI Alliance. "These latest releases build on that foundation with advances in speed and efficiency to enable emerging edge AI workloads where low-latency, high-bandwidth and power-efficient data access, processing and storage are increasingly essential."

Innodisk, a leading provider of industrial-grade memory solutions, announced the CXL Add-in Card (AIC), a major addition to its CXL product portfolio. Innodisk developed this CXL-based expansion card in response to rising memory demands in next-generation computing and the limited scalability of current motherboard designs. Connecting via the widespread and mature PCIe interface, the CXL AIC delivers fast memory access without occupying system DIMM slots. It also provides greater flexibility in memory usage and allocation. Its HHHL form factor, paired with Innodisk's compact DDR5 RDIMM/RDIMM VLP, unlocks new possibilities for microdata centers and edge systems, especially in latency-critical scenarios such as 5G networking, high-frequency trading, and smart medical imaging.

Flexible Memory Expansion Up to 256 GB
The Innodisk CXL AIC features two onboard RDIMM sockets that provide flexible memory expansion up to 256 GB (128 GB x2), allowing easy capacity adjustment by swapping RDIMM modules based on system needs. By connecting through PCIe slots, it not only preserves the system's native DIMM slots but also delivers an additional 32 GB/s of bandwidth via its PCIe Gen 5 x8 interface. This minimizes latency when the CPU accesses shared memory, enabling faster data flow for bandwidth-intensive applications such as AI inference and edge processing.

In a new letter to channel partners, Lenovo has stated that the company expects PC price hikes in March amid the memory crunch affecting the industry. The letter, obtained by CRN, notes that Lenovo's North America channel chief, Wade McFarland, mentioned there will be some pricing changes to certain products and configurations that Lenovo offers, which will be communicated later with the exact specification changes. In the letter, Wade McFarland noted that there have been some changes to the ordering policy for the Intelligent Devices Group (IDG), responsible for PCs like desktops, notebooks, and tablets, while the Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) unit responsible for server solutions is also experiencing the same changes. Lenovo's North American president, Ryan McCurdy, noted that "we've absolutely had to adjust and continue to adjust [pricing]. There's no way around it."

However, the company has advised its partners to submit orders while it is still February, as that will lock in the pricing at which Lenovo can supply PCs before the price hike expected in March. "Pricing is influenced by both order timing and fulfillment timing, and Lenovo reviews pricing periodically in response to evolving market conditions," notes Wade McFarland, adding that Lenovo's memory suppliers have been good and that the company has been informed of every pricing change in advance so that it can effectively communicate with its clients and warn them before any changes happen. That way, clients don't experience pricing shocks that may impact their purchasing decisions, as Lenovo sells millions of PCs every month. A slight, unexpected price change may result in a significant change in purchasing decisions, so communication with clients is key.

Pricing for the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X has increased dramatically in Japan, according to recent reports by Automaton, likely indicating an imminent price increase for Western markets as well. The price increase sees the listed price jump by 21%, from ¥139,800 to ¥169,000 including tax. The increase only applies to the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X models, which are specced with 24 GB of LPDDR5X memory, as opposed to the regular ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, which uses 16 GB of regular LPDDR5 RAM. This has led to speculation that the reason for the price increase is the ongoing DRAM shortage, which has caused widespread price increases, delays, and general hardware shortages in the ailing PC market.

Hardware price increases often take place in Asia first, and this is hardly the first price increase we've seen occur in recent weeks. Acer Japan also just announced a price increase for both its laptops and desktop PCs in the same week as ASUS's price increase. For now, pricing for the non-Xbox-branded ASUS ROG Ally X remains stable, and pricing for the Xbox Ally X seems to have remained the same in the US on both the ASUS online store and third-party retailers, as well.

According to reports from Chinese local media, Apple is considering partnering with Chinese semiconductor manufacturers CXMT and YMTC for its upcoming iPhone 18 series and potentially other products like MacBooks and Mac computers. With memory and storage suppliers such as Kioxia, Samsung, and SK hynix raising prices due to a significant industry shortage, Apple is experiencing a squeeze on its profit margins while maintaining the same MSRP for its products. To diversify its supply chain, Apple is reportedly exploring the addition of DRAM from CXMT and NAND Flash from YMTC to reduce its dependence on South Korean and Japanese suppliers.

Recently, the U.S. Government's Bureau of Industry and Security reportedly removed CXMT and YMTC from the list of restricted Chinese companies. This move could benefit Apple, which may now utilize products from both firms. CXMT offers LPDDR5X and DDR5 memory, which aligns with Apple's needs for its products. Since Apple's iPhones and M-series SoCs primarily use LPDDR5X memory, CXMT's 12 Gb and 16 Gb LPDDR5X capacities could serve both the smartphone and computer sectors effectively.

The acute shortage of DRAM and NAND flash memory could shut down many consumer electronics companies by the end of 2026, Phison CEO Chien Chen Pang warned in an interview with Chen Ning Kuan of Taiwan's Era News. The Phison CEO warns of a "massive die-off" among consumer electronics companies designing cost-effective products that use even the smallest amounts of DRAM and NAND flash components (think TV set-top boxes, Wi-Fi routers, smart TVs, etc). For instance, an 8 GB eMMC chip used in smart TVs rose in pricing from $1.5 in early 2025, to nearly $20 now. Extrapolate this to the vast selection of products priced under the $100-mark, and you can see how component prices could wreck the consumer electronics industry.

Pricing is only half the problem, the other is supply. Memory is now an extremely supplier-driven market, with manufacturers onboarding orders up to three years into the future (i.e. you order now, your DRAM chip reels won't arrive before 2030. All this said, the crisis could fade by the end of the decade as memory manufacturers build more foundry capacity, and industrial pressure causes geopolitical changes, such as the re-entry of Chinese DRAM and NAND flash companies. Phison is a leading manufacturer of NAND flash-based storage device controllers powering SSDs, flash drives, and memory cards.

Valve updated its Steam Deck website with a disclaimer, noting that the availability of the Steam Deck OLED version may be affected by the storage and memory shortage across the industry. While Valve has been able to secure a significant inventory of NAND Flash and DRAM modules for its Steam Deck handheld console, demand might be outpacing supply. The component shortage at Valve is not an isolated case, as many are expressing concerns over not being able to secure sufficient capacity. The only ones able to secure massive DRAM and NAND Flash capacities are hyperscalers building out data center infrastructure, who are securing long-term agreements with storage and memory makers.

Last week, we saw customers facing difficulty acquiring new Steam Deck OLED stock. Unfortunately, potential buyers in North America, Japan (through Komodo, Valve's regional distribution partner), Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong were unable to get their hands on new OLED units. Initial reports suggested a "plentiful" supply for customers in the UK and Australia, but several key markets appear to be suddenly experiencing shortages, as the inventory is depleting across the globe. While other components are plentiful, memory and storage are in a dire shortage situation, which might be prolonged. Regarding the 256 GB LCD version, Valve has reiterated that it will only be available while existing stock lasts, as this model was discontinued in December of last year.

In mid-February, Acer is facing multiple challenges in Europe and Asia. This past weekend, news reports outlined a court-ordered cease and desist ruling that prevents PC and laptop sales in Germany. Last Friday (February 13), the company's Japanese office informed the local customer base about forthcoming price tag changes. Since November 2025, tech companies have wrestled with an extremely constrained supply of vital components. The regional branch's social media account described inevitable hikes: "due to rising prices of major components such as memory and SSDs, Acer will revise the prices of PC products on its official online store starting from February 20, 2026. Purchases at the current prices will be available until February 19. We will continue striving to improve our product value. We appreciate your understanding." The same notification was issued by the firm's gaming brand (Acer Predator/PlayMaster) to local customers. The Taiwanese multinational PC hardware manufacturer's Japanese division did hint about current circumstances not affecting a handful of items; their statement alluded to a non-specific selection of products remaining "unchanged" in terms of asking prices. At the time writing, Acer's other regional operations have not released similar warnings.

Laptop and Mini-PC maker Framework is sharing another update with the community about the company's cost base for acquiring DRAM, such as DDR5 memory. In its latest February update, the company notes that the cost for DDR5 memory in its systems is now priced at $12-16 per GB of capacity, depending on the kit size and total capacity. This means that for a 16 GB kit, customers are expected to pay anywhere between $192-256, and as much as about $400 for 32 GB of DDR5 memory in its Laptop 12/13/16 models. According to the company blog post, this represents an average price that Framework is charging depending on the kit, as there is different pricing for a single higher-capacity sticks or dual lower-capacity DIMMs going into the system.

In late December 2025, we reported that Framework's pricing was $10 per GB for 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB modules, and a bit higher for dual rank non-binary 48 GB modules. However, just two months later, the situation is now much worse, as we are seeing Framework's suppliers increasing memory costs anywhere from 20-60%, depending on the configuration.

TrendForce's latest analysis of the HBM industry reveals that as the ongoing expansion of AI infrastructure continues to fuel GPU demand, NVIDIA's upcoming Rubin platform is expected to become a major catalyst for HBM4 adoption once mass production begins. The three leading memory suppliers—Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron—are now in the final stages of HBM4 validation, with completion anticipated by 2Q26.

Samsung, supported by its strong product stability, is projected to secure certification first. SK hynix and Micron are expected to follow shortly thereafter, forming a three-supplier ecosystem for NVIDIA's HBM4.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has begun mass production of its industry-leading HBM4 and has shipped commercial products to customers. This achievement marks a first in the industry, securing an early leadership position in the HBM4 market. By proactively leveraging its most advanced 6th-generation 10 nanometer (nm)-class DRAM process (1c), the company achieved stable yields and industry-leading performance from the outset of mass production—all accomplished seamlessly and without any additional redesigns.

"Instead of taking the conventional path of utilizing existing proven designs, Samsung took the leap and adopted the most advanced nodes like the 1c DRAM and 4 nm logic process for HBM4," said Sang Joon Hwang, Executive Vice President and Head of Memory Development at Samsung Electronics. "By leveraging our process competitiveness and design optimization, we are able to secure substantial performance headroom, enabling us to satisfy our customers' escalating demands for higher performance, when they need them."

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of edge computing solutions, industrial motherboards, graphics cards, storage devices, and memory solutions, is excited to introduce its latest DDR5 16 GB UDIMM memory, available in 4800 and 5600 MT variants. Designed with a focus on stability, efficiency, and broad system compatibility, the new DDR5 memory delivers reliable performance across everyday computing and professional applications.

Designed to support a wide range of computing environments, BIOSTAR DDR5 16 GB UDIMM memory offers a balanced and dependable solution for every day and professional use. From home entertainment and office productivity to HTPC systems, NAS deployments, system integration projects, content creation, and casual to mid-range gaming, this memory delivers smooth multitasking and consistent system responsiveness across diverse workloads.

TrendForce's latest smartphone industry research predicts that soaring memory prices are set to weigh heavily on global smartphone production in 2026. Total output is forecast to decline 10% YoY to approximately 1.135 billion units. With memory prices showing no clear signs of easing, the growing gap between higher retail prices and consumer price tolerance is expected to further dampen end demand.

Under a bear-case scenario, TrendForce warns that the annual contraction in global smartphone production could widen to 15% or more. The extent of the impact, however, will vary by brand, depending on differences in product mix and regional exposure.

According to fresh news reports ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) has just announced the initiation of HBM3 module mass manufacturing activities. The Chinese computer memory maker is slowly catching up with more mainstream international rivals—most notably, South Korean companies started full production of fourth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM3) products back in 2023. Over the past year, CXMT has demonstrated improved capabilities across a promising range of (mostly) commercial lines—for example, their proprietary DDR5 and LPDDR5X designs were showcased in preview form, last November. By early February (2026), the likes of ASUS, Acer, Dell, and HP were reportedly weighing up the sourcing of CXMT consumer-grade memory products.

The first signs of CXMT's diversification into the development of "homegrown" HBM3 modules were divulged by industry insiders, last May. By early autumn, a joint venture—involving YMTC—seemed to pave the way for an acceleration of the Chinese industry's overall HBM manufacturing footprint. Huawei's newest/futuristic Ascend AI accelerator relies on "in-house" HBM tech, due to global sanctions preventing the supply of cutting-edge Micron, Samsung, SK Hynix components to Chinese firms. An MK South Korea reports cites recent information disclosed by an anonymous source, regarding a secret partnership: "Huawei, which is leading the development of AI semiconductors in China, is developing HBM together with CXMT. It is expected to enter mass production despite (talk of) low yield(s)." Further inside track info posits that CXMT is planning a per month output of 60,000 wafers for "HBM3 production." This impressive guesstimate allegedly accounts for about 20% of the memory maker's total manufacturing capacity of 300,000 wafers per month, at least for 2026.