Laptop Makers Are Our Last Hope For Affordable Computers In 2026

2026 could be the year tech gets a lot more expensive. Thanks to the memory and hardware needs of AI, the market for components is thinning and inventory is running low. However, while AI is going to make your next computer cost a lot more, there may still be hope for affordable laptops. At least, in the short term.

Computer companies that carry a surplus of inventory may be able to shield consumers from the rising costs, perhaps even long enough to get past this AI boom and its high computational demands. Concern over high laptop prices and limited hardware supplies are already showing up in market forecasts for the year. According to a report from the International Data Corporation (IDC), the PC market may shrink as little as 2.4% or as much as 8.9% due to supply constraints, and that will impact prices for consumers.

If you are looking to purchase a laptop in 2026, sooner is better. Laptop makers may be able to temporarily keep their prices the same. It's not certain how long that will last, though, and based on the economy there may be little these companies can do to keep prices reasonable.

One major reason why laptops may stay affordable in 2026 is because of extra inventory. Companies like Intel can have as much as one year's worth of future stock in ready to go. That means the hardware needed for these laptops, hardware needs that AI also shares, are already secured. This can give you hope that you can, indeed, buy an affordable new laptop this year, and even a high-quality brand from our list of the 10 best laptops of 2025.

Some laptop makers may also try to absorb the extra cost elsewhere, rather than pass it directly on to consumers. However, this is more feasible for large-scale companies like Dell or Apple. For the average consumer, that means shopping for a laptop from larger brands and bigger retailers may be your best bet. Smaller laptop makers don't have as much negotiation power or wiggle room when it comes to revenue, and may be forced to raise prices, especially if they don't have a large inventory waiting. Ultimately, this could mean some of those companies go out of business altogether.

While this is a more positive spin on 2026 fears for tech prices, let's not our hopes up too high. Due to AI, the PC market is under constraint. Affordable computers may only last as long as companies have extra stock and can negotiate more reasonable prices. If this AI boom continues, though, the costs could be directly on the average person's shoulders to bear.

The problem lies with choices being made by suppliers. For instance, there are some Nvidia graphics card trends that should worry every consumer in 2026. The company was previously known for primarily providing graphics cards for PCs, especially gaming PCs. Now, it's the dominant player in the lucrative field of AI hardware and more focused on supplying those companies with the technology that they need.

Just because a laptop is priced affordably in 2026 may not mean it comes up to the quality you expect, as well. To deal with increased costs and supply strain, laptop makers may reduce the performance of certain hardware. That could mean less memory storage and less powerful processors overall to lessen the cost production and keep the prices reasonable. No matter which way you look at, this year will be an interesting one to see how much laptop prices and performance are impacted.