Memory Prices Surge Pushes Dell PC Prices Up 30%
According to a report from Business Insider, Dell is preparing significant price increases across its commercial PC lineup as memory costs continue to climb. An internal Dell pricing adjustment list obtained by the publication shows that prices for enterprise-focused PCs could rise by as much as 30%.
Starting December 17, Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max laptops and desktops configured with 32GB of DRAM are set to increase by USD 130 to USD 230. Systems equipped with high-end 128GB memory configurations will see even steeper hikes, ranging from USD 520 to USD 765 per unit. For notebooks configured with 1TB of SSD storage, total system costs will rise by an additional USD 55 to USD 135.
A Dell sales employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said overall price increases for commercial PCs typically fall between 10% and 30%, depending on specific contract terms.
The adjustments are not limited to PCs. Certain professional monitors and GPU upgrades will also become more expensive after December 17. For example, the Dell Pro 55 Plus 4K monitor is expected to rise from USD 1,349 to USD 1,499. While the display itself does not contain DRAM or NAND flash, the price increase has drawn attention amid broader cost pressures across the hardware supply chain.
PCs equipped with professional graphics will also see price changes. Dell laptops configured with Nvidia RTX Pro 500 GPUs (6GB VRAM) will cost USD 66 more, while upgrading to Blackwell-based GPUs with 24GB of VRAM will add approximately USD 530 to the system price.
In its most recent quarterly earnings report, Dell disclosed that its Client Solutions Group (CSG), which includes PCs and displays, generates about 85% of its annual revenue from commercial customers—highlighting how sensitive enterprise pricing is to component cost inflation.
Dell has informed internal teams to proactively engage with key customers, finalize deals, and plan cross-quarter transactions to protect its sales pipeline. The company also noted that placing orders now does not guarantee today’s pricing at delivery, though early action may help customers mitigate the impact of upcoming memory price increases.
These moves align with broader industry trends. UBS recently forecast that DDR contract prices would rise 35% quarter-over-quarter in Q4, while NAND flash prices would increase 20%. In Q1 2026, UBS expects DDR prices to climb another 30%, with NAND up an additional 20%. The bank believes the global DRAM supply shortage could persist through the first quarter of 2027.
Responding to reports of price increases, a Dell spokesperson said the company, like others in the industry, takes targeted pricing actions when necessary while maintaining supply continuity and customer value. Dell emphasized the resilience and global reach of its supply chain in managing economic, regulatory, and trade-related challenges.
Earlier this month, Tom’s Hardware reported that memory shortages driven by AI-related demand were pushing major PC and server vendors—including Lenovo, Dell, HP, and HPE—to consider price increases of up to 20%. At the time, Dell was said to be evaluating mid-December hikes of 15% to 20% for PCs and servers. The latest information suggests the actual increases are higher than initially expected.
Dell COO Jeff Clarke recently warned that he has “never seen memory chip costs rise this fast,” noting that cost pressures extend beyond DRAM to NAND, hard drives, and even advanced process nodes.
Other major PC makers are echoing similar concerns. Lenovo has warned customers that accelerating DRAM shortages could lead to further price increases in early 2026, with current quotes expiring on January 1. HP CEO Enrique Lores has also indicated that additional pricing adjustments may be needed in the second half of 2026, noting that memory accounts for roughly 15% to 18% of total PC system costs.
