Singapore PC prices surge as growing AI infrastructure competes for components
Any meaningful easing on PC prices is more likely to happen in 2028 and beyond, said an analyst.
Singapore residents preparing to purchase a new personal computer are facing steep price increases, with some reports indicating a surge of up to 40 percent in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year. This price escalation is primarily attributed to component shortages, particularly in computer memory, storage, and graphics cards, which are in high demand due to the expansion of global data centres supporting artificial intelligence services.
IDC predicts that PC prices will stay high throughout 2027, only dipping slightly in the second half of the year.
Average laptop prices in Singapore have surged by 26 percent to $1,650, from roughly $1,300 a year ago, while desktop computers have seen a 28 percent increase, jumping from about $1,100 to $1,410. More powerful desktops, intended for gaming, experienced the most significant price jump of 39 percent, rising from $1,330 to nearly $1,860. Gaming laptops also saw a modest 17 percent price increase, from $2,460 to $2,890, partly due to vendors offering discounts to clear older stock.
Apple has also raised prices by 15 to 25 percent across its product line. The most significant factor driving this price hike is the reduced supply of computer memory chips, or RAM, which is crucial for accessing computer data. The RAM shortage has been so severe that some analysts have dubbed it a "RAMageddon." The demand for RAM has shifted towards AI infrastructure, as manufacturers prioritize profits from this sector over sales to PC vendors.
Consumer-grade RAM prices have skyrocketed, with a 32GB dual-channel DDR5 RAM chip increasing from $195 in August 2025 to $763 in August 2026, a fourfold rise. Storage costs have also escalated, with a 1TB internal SSD more than doubling in price from $149 in August 2025 to $328 in August 2026, and a 4TB hard disk drive increasing by 64 percent, from $205 to $336.
Nvidia's 5060 series of graphics cards with 8GB of RAM saw an average price increase of 44 percent, from $572 to $824, due to a decline in specialised computer memory used in graphics cards.
Despite these challenges, some die-hard enthusiasts and professionals will continue to purchase computers at elevated prices. However, many consumers are taking a wait-and-see approach, hoping prices will drop by 2027. Furthermore, the prices of motherboards, the main circuit board connecting other PC components, have increased by about 10 percent. This price pressure has led to a decline in PC sales, with retailers reporting sales drops ranging from 20 percent to 80 percent compared to the previous year.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
