Should You Buy a Laptop Now or Wait for 2027–28?

Key takeaways

Why are laptop prices rising in 2026?

Laptop prices are rising because memory chips have become scarce and expensive. AI data centers are buying huge volumes of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which leaves less standard DRAM and NAND for consumer laptops. Manufacturers are passing the higher costs on to buyers.

The evidence is consistent:

• The cheapest 32GB DDR5 kit reached about ₹41,700 in mid-June 2026, compared with roughly ₹7,600 to ₹11,400 for similar kits a year earlier.
• HP told investors memory now makes up about 35 percent of a PC’s component cost, up from 15 to 18 percent two quarters earlier.
• Dell, Lenovo, Acer and ASUS have reportedly raised prices by 15% to 30%, so a ₹85,500 midrange laptop can now exceed ₹114,000.
• Apple raised pricing on most of its hardware in June 2026, largely because of the memory shortage.

What is causing the memory chip shortage?

The memory shortage is a supply imbalance. Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron control about 90% of the world’s DRAM, and they have shifted capacity toward HBM for AI accelerators because margins are highest there. Nearly all new capital spending is going to HBM lines, so ordinary laptop memory gets what is left over.

The shortage cannot be fixed quickly. New semiconductor factories take several years to build, equip and qualify, and almost none of the new capacity arrives before 2027, with much of it not until 2028. Current expansion plans cover only about 60% of demand by the end of 2027. TrendForce estimates HBM will take about 30 percent of DRAM wafer starts in 2027.

Suppliers also have little reason to flood the market. Tight supply keeps margins high, and the industry remembers the gluts of earlier cycles.

When will laptop prices come down?

Most forecasts point to late 2027 or 2028 for meaningful relief, and laptop prices may fall more slowly than memory prices. The table summarizes what industry voices are saying.

Will laptop prices keep rising in 2027?

Yes, according to most forecasts, laptop prices are more likely to stay high or rise through 2027 than to fall. Memory costs are now the biggest cost driver in a laptop, and several suppliers say supply will tighten further before it improves.

• SK Hynix’s CEO has warned the shortage could become more severe in 2027.
• Silicon Motion’s CEO said 2027 will be more severe than 2026 for both DRAM and NAND.
• Goldman Sachs forecasts Samsung’s average selling prices will rise another 27 percent in 2027, with a 3.6 percent undersupply persisting.

The long run: DRAM should get easier from late 2027 into 2028 as new fabs ramp. Micron expects its first new Idaho factory to start producing wafers in mid-2027. There are three catches:

• Relief arrives gradually. Fabs ramp slowly, so supply improves slowly.
• Laptops are not the priority. Most new capacity targets server DRAM and HBM.
• Storage lags. NAND stays tight even as DRAM eases, so SSD prices may not snap back.

Some analysts also warn of an eventual glut once capacity lands, which is what normally brings prices down in this industry.

Is now a good time to buy a laptop?

For most people who need a laptop soon, yes. “Good” here means less bad than the likely alternative, not cheap. Prices are more likely to rise than fall over the next 12 months, and configurations with 16GB or 32GB of RAM are still on shelves.

• Prices are trending up. Even Acer’s optimistic CEO expects PC prices to rise in Q4, by up to 20% on average, before any fall in mid-2027.
• Configurations may disappear. IDC warns manufacturers will struggle to maintain full product portfolios.
• Specs may shrink. The shortage may push makers back toward 8GB laptops, so buying now lets you lock in the RAM you will want for years.
• Waiting has a hidden cost. A slow or failing laptop costs productivity every month.
• The next big thing is not dramatically better. Recent chip gains are incremental, and new launches are hit by memory costs too.
• Laptops hold value. If prices fall in 2028, you will not have lost much on a machine you used happily for two years.

Who should buy now, and who should wait?

Should you wait for the OLED MacBook Pro or M6?

Wait only if you specifically want the OLED touchscreen. The OLED MacBook Pro is reported to use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips in a new design at a higher price, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman expects a late 2026 to early 2027 arrival, with the later window now more likely because of the memory shortage.

Apple’s fall launch has reportedly landed. One retailer listing says Apple announced an M6 MacBook Pro at about ₹190,000, releasing on November 6. That detail comes from a retailer page, so confirm specs and pricing on Apple’s site. Reports also say there is no M6 Pro or M6 Max, so Pro and Max buyers are choosing between existing generations.

How to buy a laptop during a memory shortage

1. Spend on what you cannot upgrade. Many laptops solder the RAM to the board. Decide how much you need for the next four to five years and lean toward more.
2. Consider last year’s models. A previous-generation machine with the right RAM and storage often beats a new one with less.
3. Consider refurbished. Certified refurbished business laptops are a long-standing value pick.
4. Skip specs you will not use. An expensive GPU or top-tier screen is wasted on document and video-call work.
5. Check the return window. Prices are volatile, so a clearly better price within the return period may be worth acting on.
6. Watch the sales calendar. Black Friday is weeks away. Discounts may be thinner than usual, but last-generation stock is where bargains tend to be.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line