PCs Getting Expensive Again, Say Analysts

When it comes to technology, whatever we buy today will soon be made obsolete by something faster--and in many cases, cheaper. But that's one of the great things about our work and hobby--prices continually fall, lowering the barrier to enter into better, faster stuff.

After six years of continually falling PC component prices, falling at an average of 7.8-percent per year, according to Gartner research, 2010 will see an estimated price rise of 2.8-percent. Yes, that could mean more expensive computers.

This estimated increase is all due to the rise in memory costs, figured to be 23-percent higher this year than compared to 2009, reported the Financial Times.

Those looking to buy a new monitor, all-in-one computer, or laptop may also suffer from rising LCD costs. Analysts expect a price increase of 20-percent of flat panel displays due to shortages. Hard drives and optical drives are also in short supply.

The shortages in computer components stem from the recession, where computer makers delayed or scaled back production and investment plans. Now that things are turning around, analysts predict that the market will see a lag until supply catches up with demand.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
  • sublifer
    http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-9-35.html
    Reply
  • FoShizzleDizzle
    Memory prices increased by a mere 23% you say?

    It seems higher than that. The same 4GB of DDR2 I purchased last spring was $36 at the time and is, is $90 now. That's more than a 200% price difference. And DDR3 of similar capacity went from ~$70 for the same to ~$100. It's a lot higher than 23%, at least on the consumer end.
    Reply
  • foody
    Funny, I just posted a comment on another article talking about something quite similar quite recently. Though, I mentioned that software's progression is far behind that of hardware's, meaning, buying a cheap computer doesn't mean you're getting a bad computer anymore. (assuming it is properly configured)
    Reply
  • cheepstuff
    can I wait to buy a computer? not impossible

    this looks like a short term kind of thing, it will probably reach equilibrium once again before the year is out.
    Reply
  • Stardude82
    Why did RAM jump so much. Also, recent video card offerings are disappointing. Intel is obviously holding back to keep AMD around since the i5's are so lack luster. How can the i5 memory controller suck so much.
    Reply
  • TheDuke
    so when are memory prices projected to go down
    Reply
  • XZaapryca
    Things are turning around? Really? Really? Lets not forget that the value of the dollar tanking makes imports more expensive.
    Reply
  • matt87_50
    meh, they didn't burn down the factories did they? can't imagine it would lag too much. now volitility, and uncertainty about future numbers needed...
    Reply
  • porksmuggler
    IC and LCD Manufacturers Price Fixing Again, Says Real Analysts

    TFTFY
    Reply
  • joshthor
    not suprised... about the memory part anyway last year ddr3 was just budding and ddr2 was super cheap, now ddr3 is being the norm and less ddr2 is being made so the prices increased drasticly for ddr2 and decreased slightly for ddr3
    Reply