The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 showcased some of the most polished laptops to date. But behind the sleek designs, manufacturers are quietly bracing for higher memory and storage prices that could force compromises in future devices.
At CES 2026, major PC makers, including Lenovo, HP, Dell, and ASUS, unveiled a new wave of laptops boasting refined designs, faster processors, and premium features. But one issue hovered quietly in the background: the rising cost of RAM and solid-state drives (SSDs).
Much of the 2026 hardware now being announced was developed before artificial intelligence firms began aggressively buying up global DRAM supplies to build large-scale data centers — a trend that has since spread to NAND flash chips used in storage. As a result, laptop makers now face a growing cost imbalance, where memory and storage alone account for a significant share of a device’s total price.
Industry observers say some laptops launching this year may see subtle configuration changes to keep prices competitive.
Put together some predictions as to what the laptop market will look like once RAM and SSD shortages really start being felt by the big brands. https://t.co/TKkCvRbrS8
— cale (@EcceCale) January 22, 2026
However, the next major refresh cycle could bring more noticeable trade-offs as manufacturers seek areas where costs can be reduced.
Premium displays may take a hit
OLED displays became increasingly common in 2025, extending beyond premium laptops into the midrange segment as panel prices declined. Advances such as QD-OLED and mini-LED helped accelerate adoption.
Still, OLED panels remain more expensive than traditional IPS displays.
Analysts expect some brands to scale back OLED offerings, particularly in lower-priced models. Screen resolution may also be affected, with laptops potentially reverting from 2.8K, 3K, or 4K panels to more affordable 1920×1200 (FHD+) displays.
Discrete GPUs could become rarer
Laptop graphics performance has improved significantly in recent years, highlighted by powerful chips such as NVIDIA’s RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, which rivals desktop-class hardware.
However, discrete graphics cards add substantial costs, not only for the GPU itself but also for cooling and power systems. As integrated graphics continue to improve, manufacturers may further limit discrete GPUs to gaming and professional workstation laptops, accelerating a trend already underway.
Webcams and speakers face downgrades
Webcam and speaker quality in Windows laptops has improved dramatically, even in budget models. Features such as high-resolution cameras, better microphones, and Windows Hello facial recognition are now common.
These components, however, are considered non-essential for many users. As companies look for cost savings, webcams and speakers are likely candidates for downgrades, with higher-quality audio and video increasingly reserved for premium devices.
Base RAM and storage may shrink
While major PC makers benefit from long-term supplier agreements, they are not immune to global memory shortages. The recent shift toward 16GB of RAM as a standard configuration could reverse, with 8GB returning in entry-level laptops.
Storage capacities may also decline. The growing prevalence of 1TB SSDs could lead to 512GB drives even in higher-end models, while base configurations may drop to 256GB or less.
As memory and storage prices continue to rise, consumers may soon find that the most noticeable changes in laptops are not what’s being added — but what’s quietly being taken away.
