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Why Your Next Laptop Will Cost Considerably More – And How to Buy Smart Anyway

If you have requested a quote for new notebooks or servers in recent months, you will have noticed: hardware is more expensive than it has been for years. The reason lies not with your supplier but in the data centres of the big AI providers. Since mid-2025, they have been buying up memory and flash storage in quantities that are sweeping the market clean.


What happened
The figures speak clearly. In June 2026, DDR5 memory cost around four times as much in retail as it did in July 2025. In August 2026, SSDs were on average 120 to 130 per cent above their autumn 2025 level. Average PC prices rose by 15 to 20 per cent in 2026 because of more expensive memory chips.
Practically everything that contains a chip is affected: notebooks, servers, smartphones, firewalls, NAS systems. And there is no relief in sight. 


Why it hurts so much right now
Many companies have postponed the move from Windows 10 to Windows 11. The first year of paid security updates (ESU) for business devices expired on 13 October 2026, and the second costs twice as much per device. Anyone who has to replace devices now anyway faces a market at record prices.


How to buy sensibly anyway

  • Take an honest look at your inventory: Not every four-year-old device is ready for disposal. A clean reinstall, a new battery or an extended warranty can keep a device in service for another one or two years.
  • Prioritise replacements by risk: Start with the devices that do not support Windows 11 or are business-critical. The rest follow as planned rather than in an emergency.
  • Choose the right specification: Accounting does not need the same machine as the CAD department. Defining user profiles lets you buy more precisely and quickly saves a few hundred francs per device.
  • Bundle demand and order early: Framework agreements with fixed prices or quotas protect you against further surcharges. Short-notice individual orders are currently the most expensive option.
  • Consider leasing and device-as-a-service: Monthly instalments spread the cost and make the budget predictable. Whether it pays off depends on term and residual value – a comparison is worthwhile.
  • Look at refurbished devices: For standard workstations, professionally refurbished business devices with a warranty are a serious alternative.
    Planning beats panic

Prices are unlikely to fall soon. If you work with a clear lifecycle plan now, you will not buy more cheaply than two years ago – but considerably more cheaply than those who only react when a device fails.


Would you like to know which devices you need to replace and which can hold out a little longer? We analyse your inventory, plan your procurement and obtain quotes for you. We are here for you. Fast. Agile. Reliable.