AI servers are soaking up memory and chip supply, and ordinary laptops are paying for it. TrendForce estimates that for a mainstream notebook retailing at US$900 in 3Q26, the CPU, DRAM and SSD together made up about 68% of a laptop's bill of materials
TrendForce's notebook industry research for October 2026 looked at the bill of materials (BOM) for a mainstream notebook. For a model with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$900 in 3Q26, the CPU, DRAM and SSD together made up about 68% of the BOM cost. TrendForce expects DRAM supply to stay tight in 2027 as AI server applications keep absorbing advanced-process capacity.
Verified 2026-10-21
Track with InsiderWhy it matters
When processors and memory are most of a laptop’s cost, AI-driven chip shortages flow straight into consumer prices and weaker PC demand.
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