Dell to hike commercial laptop prices by up to 30% amid global RAM shortage

Dell is set to increase prices across its commercial laptops and desktops from December 17, citing a global RAM shortage driven by AI demand, with higher costs expected for systems featuring larger memory, storage, GPUs, and select professional monitors.

Dell is preparing to raise prices across its commercial laptop and desktop portfolio starting December 17, as a global shortage of memory components pushes up hardware costs. The move will impact only Dell’s corporate and enterprise customers for now, leaving consumer pricing unchanged.

The increases will largely affect systems configured with higher RAM and SSD capacities, reflecting intense demand from AI hyperscalers that has strained global DRAM supplies. On average, affected products are expected to see price increases ranging between 10 and 30 percent.

Commercial laptops and desktops equipped with 32GB of RAM will become noticeably more expensive, while systems with 128GB memory — the company’s top-tier configurations — will see the steepest hikes. Devices ordered with higher internal storage capacities will also cost more following the revision.

GPUs, monitors and sales strategy also impacted

Beyond core computing systems, Dell is also increasing prices on certain professional monitors and GPU upgrades. Some high-end commercial displays will see notable increases, even though they do not directly rely on memory components. Graphics options, particularly higher-capacity professional GPUs, will also carry additional costs.

According to internal communications, Dell has advised its sales teams to move quickly with large enterprise accounts and warn customers that placing orders now will not lock in current prices for future delivery. The company is also tightening discounting practices, limiting the bulk concessions traditionally offered to major corporate buyers.

Dell’s commercial business accounts for a significant majority of its overall client sales, making the pricing shift particularly consequential. Industry analysts say the move reflects broader pressure across the technology sector, as prolonged shortages in memory and storage components continue to disrupt supply chains and threaten higher enterprise IT costs well into the coming years.