THE CRUNCH
Acer's chief executive has forecast that personal computer prices could climb by another 5% to 20% in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the average selling price expected to peak around mid-2027. The company's chairman, Jason Chen, attributes the pressure to persistent high costs for memory and storage, even though some components like DDR4 and DDR5 are no longer in short supply. He also noted that suppliers are still
pushing through price increases that he considers hard to justify, and he believes the industry-wide shortage narrative will not last until 2030. Acer anticipates that cheaper parts will take several months to filter through to finished PCs, even if component costs fall earlier. The company also pointed to expanding Chinese memory production as a factor that will eventually ease the pressure.