Dell's XPS 14 has become a pricey proposition, with its base price now topping $2,000. The high cost is attributed to the PC industry's struggle to cope with soaring RAM prices, which are expected to drive up costs across the board this year.
The rising demand for memory from AI datacenters has led to a severe shortage, causing prices to skyrocket. According to Samsung's marketing leader, Wonjin Lee, semiconductor supplies will be affected, resulting in higher prices even as we speak.
Dell's latest XPS 14 and XPS 16 models are among the first to feel the impact of these demands. Initially marketed as more affordable options at $1,650 and $1,850 respectively, the new models now start at $2,050 and $2,200, respectively.
While Apple remains unmoved on its MacBook Pro pricing, with the 14-inch model still holding out at $1,599 and the 16-inch variant at $2,499. However, Dell offers a more affordable option in comparison.
AMD's David McAfee expects that PC builders will likely opt for piecemeal upgrades rather than building entirely new systems this year, citing the longevity of their AM4 and AM5 platforms as a boon to gamers. This will enable them to upgrade individual components without having to replace the entire system.
The company also predicts that prices will settle within the first three to six months of the year. McAfee attributes this to the high amount of onboard cache in AMD's X3D chips, which mitigate the impact of slower RAM speeds.
However, it's worth noting that every PC manufacturer refused to comment on the volatile state of the memory industry ahead of CES. This lack of transparency highlights the industry's dependence on an increasingly limited supply of RAM, which will likely have far-reaching consequences for consumers.
The rising demand for memory from AI datacenters has led to a severe shortage, causing prices to skyrocket. According to Samsung's marketing leader, Wonjin Lee, semiconductor supplies will be affected, resulting in higher prices even as we speak.
Dell's latest XPS 14 and XPS 16 models are among the first to feel the impact of these demands. Initially marketed as more affordable options at $1,650 and $1,850 respectively, the new models now start at $2,050 and $2,200, respectively.
While Apple remains unmoved on its MacBook Pro pricing, with the 14-inch model still holding out at $1,599 and the 16-inch variant at $2,499. However, Dell offers a more affordable option in comparison.
AMD's David McAfee expects that PC builders will likely opt for piecemeal upgrades rather than building entirely new systems this year, citing the longevity of their AM4 and AM5 platforms as a boon to gamers. This will enable them to upgrade individual components without having to replace the entire system.
The company also predicts that prices will settle within the first three to six months of the year. McAfee attributes this to the high amount of onboard cache in AMD's X3D chips, which mitigate the impact of slower RAM speeds.
However, it's worth noting that every PC manufacturer refused to comment on the volatile state of the memory industry ahead of CES. This lack of transparency highlights the industry's dependence on an increasingly limited supply of RAM, which will likely have far-reaching consequences for consumers.
just saw that Dell's XPS 14 is now $2,000+ I know some ppl might say it's worth it for the specs but omg $400 more than last year's price? 
. It's not just Dell and the XPS line... what does this mean for all of us who want to upgrade our rigs?
I just saw the new XPS 14 by Dell and I'm like totally shocked at the price! $2k+?! That's crazy right?! 
But what about now?! Shouldn't Dell be giving us a better deal since their RAM is affected too?! It's so unfair when we're the ones getting stuck with the price hike! 
it feels like they're all just sitting back and letting the prices get out of control. I hope they start being more open and honest about what's going on soon 
u guys remember when dell xps 14 was like, super affordable? now it's already over $2k 
. anyone else noticing how apple is still holding out on its macbook pro pricing? seems kinda weird to me 
I guess it shows they're not feeling the heat as much as everyone else.
?
their XPS 14 is literally outta reach for some people's budget. But at the same time, it's not all doom and gloom 
I mean, AMD's prediction that prices will settle down in the next few months is a total game changer! That means gamers can finally upgrade those individual components without breaking the bank 
and it's all because of those pesky RAM prices 
the shortage is crazy! 
AMD says PC builders will do piecemeal upgrades instead, so that's something 
what's going on?! 
. The PC industry should really work on finding more affordable options for people like me who just want to upgrade their laptop without breaking the bank 
. This is gonna have a major impact on consumers and I'm not sure if anyone's really prepared for it 
. And can we talk about how none of the PC manufacturers are commenting on the whole memory industry thing? That just smells like they're hiding something 
.
anyone got a source on this? 
But seriously, it's not like we're running out of memory or something... oh wait, apparently we are 
. And yes, the onboard cache thingy does help mitigate the issue with slower RAM speeds 
.
. I mean, I know AI and gaming are getting more popular, but 2K is still a pretty penny