Global laptop shipments are expected to decline in 2027 due to rising costs for key components, including processors and DRAM. Analysts at TrendForce suggest that if manufacturers pass these costs to consumers, shipment volumes could drop by nearly 10 percent.
The market in 2026 was supported by early component procurement and advanced purchasing cycles, which may dampen future demand. As low-cost inventory is depleted, manufacturers face pressure to either raise retail prices, accept lower margins, or reduce device specifications.
For a mass-market laptop with an MSRP of $900, processors, DRAM, and SSDs account for approximately 68 percent of the total component cost. Further price hikes in these areas will significantly impact the final production cost of devices.
Manufacturing geography is shifting as well. The share of laptops produced outside China is projected to fall from 24 percent in 2025 to below 20 percent by 2027. Rising logistics and supply chain management costs may prompt companies to return production capacity to China.
Supply constraints for DRAM are expected to persist due to high demand from AI servers, while NAND Flash availability may improve in the second half of 2027. Additional pressure on the industry comes from the costs of PCBs, MLCCs, and PMICs.
