DRAM and SSD Prices More than Doubled in Q1 2026, Fueling PC Panic Buying
Counterpoint Research said 63.3 million PCs shipped as buyers rushed purchases before Windows 10 support ends and memory shortages lifted prices.
- PC enthusiasts are repurposing Xbox storage expansion cards for desktop use to bypass soaring SSD prices, with one Reddit user adapting a 1TB card using a CFexpress reader as a cost-effective workaround.
- Explosive AI data center demand has fueled global component shortages, forcing manufacturers to prioritize high-margin enterprise SSDs over consumer segments, leaving retail SSD prices to surge dramatically since November.
- The repurposed Xbox card delivers speeds around 1GB per second, sufficient for gaming and personal files, while providing about twice the performance of a standard SATA SSD.
- Seagate Storage Expansion Cards retail for around $200 for 1TB and $276 for 2TB, whereas 2TB NVMe SSDs have soared to nearly $450, making the repurposed cards economically attractive.
- Supply pressures for DRAM and NAND are expected to persist throughout 2026, keeping hardware costs elevated and ensuring this modification remains a niche solution for budget-constrained users.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Xbox expansion cards are now cheaper than SSDs, and PC users are repurposing them
The storage pricing situation is so bad right now that in some cases using an older expansion card designed for a gaming console can be a better option than purchasing a new SSD. A Reddit user recently shared an experiment with Xbox expansion cards, adapting the seemingly proprietary format for...Read Entire Article
Technologueid Jakarta The global personal computer PC market recorded growth in the first quarter of 2026 amid concerns about rising component prices triggered by a surge in technology needs, ...
PC Market Sees Early 2026 Lift as Buyers Rush Ahead of Price Hikes – channelnews
Global PC shipments posted modest growth in the first quarter of 2026, rising 3.2% year-on-year to 63.3 million units, driven by pre-emptive buying ahead of expected price increases. The uptick was largely driven by businesses and consumers bringing forward purchases ahead of expected price hikes linked to surging memory costs, alongside a wave of upgrades triggered by the end of Windows 10 support, according to Counterpoint Research. Major vendo
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