The Dell XPS 14 now exceeds $2,000 in price. An AMD official forecasts that PC enthusiasts will opt for targeted component refreshes this year rather than complete system overhauls. Meanwhile, advanced AI systems from NVIDIA and AMD are consuming vast amounts of available RAM. During CES 2026, signs pointed to a challenging period for the computing sector, featuring elevated costs and reduced stock for everyday devices.

The event essentially validated trends evident from the recent surge in RAM costs, fueled by AI data center needs. Samsung's marketing head, Wonjin Lee, shared with Bloomberg at the show: "Semiconductor supply constraints are emerging, impacting all sectors. Costs are climbing right now."

Dell's updated XPS 14 and XPS 16 seemed among the first devices affected by these pressures. Prior versions began at $1,699 and $1,899, with initial reports suggesting the refreshed units would launch at $1,650 and $1,850. Currently, the XPS 14 opens at $2,050, and the XPS 16 at $2,200. According to a Dell spokesperson, these represent non-basic setups, with more affordable options under $2,000 slated for February release. Though exact pricing remains pending, it should align closely with the preliminary estimates.

Configuring previous iterations to surpass $2,000 was straightforward. It's disappointing that Dell lacks budget variants at the debut of these attractive machines. In comparison, Apple maintains its $1,599 starting point for the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Nonetheless, Dell undercuts the $2,499 16-inch MacBook Pro.

For desktops, AMD's David McAfee, who serves as Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Client Channel Business, highlighted how the durability of AM4 and AM5 architectures benefits gamers by enabling CPU swaps without needing fresh RAM or motherboards. This approach delivers performance gains without the burden of inflated memory expenses.

"We anticipate a shift in 2026 toward incremental part replacements over comprehensive system replacements or total rebuilds," he stated during a media session with Engadget and others. "Many gamers continue using CPUs from the 2600 era through Pinnacle Ridge or the 3000 lineup... Moving to newer 5000-series chips on an existing AM4 board and motherboard provides a substantial performance uplift."

McAfee indicated that 30 to 40 percent of AMD's operations still center on the AM4 platform, unaffected by the erratic memory landscape. "Every device incorporating memory faces exposure to DRAM price fluctuations and their market effects," he remarked regarding possible GPU cost rises. "The instability over the last couple of months has been extraordinary."

He projected stabilization of prices within the initial three to six months of the year, without elaborating on the basis. Additionally, he pointed out that AMD's X3D processors, equipped with 3D V-Cache, suffer minimal drawbacks from reduced RAM speeds. Their generous onboard L2 and L3 caches compensate for suboptimal memory bandwidth, according to McAfee.

McAfee's willingness to address RAM conditions stands out. Major PC manufacturers like Dell and Acer declined to discuss the turbulent memory sector prior to CES. They may have anticipated stabilization before finalizing new product pricing. In the end, these companies depend on a shrinking RAM supply.

Much of this memory is directed toward AI infrastructure. NVIDIA unveiled its Vera Rubin AI supercomputer at CES, capable of handling up to 54TB of RAM with 36 Vera CPUs and 20.7TB across 72 GPUs. AMD introduced the Helios AI rack, accommodating up to 31TB of memory with 72 Instinct MI455X GPUs. With the unrelenting need for computational power in AI training and deployment, demand for such massive setups will remain strong.

In essence, worldwide memory resources are being diverted to fuel AI growth. This benefits entities like OpenAI, Microsoft, and NVIDIA, but spells trouble for PC users and routine consumer electronics. Prepare for escalating prices throughout the year.

Update 1/12, 3:00p: Included note on forthcoming budget configurations.