Global PC shipments rose 4 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, defying expectations of weakening demand, as suppliers and distributors built inventory ahead of higher memory costs, Gartner said. While PC DRAM prices are still climbing, the pace of increases is easing, IBK Investment & Securities said. Intel and AMD are expanding AI PC lineups, while premium monitor displays are gaining traction, adding to focus on second-half demand.

Prices for PC components are again under upward pressure, with signs of increases spreading across graphics cards, memory and storage. Some Asus Radeon RX 9070 XT models have seen sharp price rises in the United States, including Prime 9070 XT OC and TUF overclocked versions. Framework said RAM and SSD costs are rising further and price volatility could persist through the rest of 2026, citing higher SSD costs and already higher pricing for some drives.