Expensive PCs and smartphones: AI is absorbing chips

Context

TL;DR

• AI absorbs RAM and memory allocated to data centers
• In Switzerland, some models are unavailable or much more expensive
• MediaMarkt reports average price increases of 40% to 120%
• Interdiscount expects stable availability in the coming months

Key facts

• Cause → global demand for RAM and storage systems
• Products → notebooks, desktop PCs, tablets and smartphones
• Fust → growing scarcity since mid-2026
• MediaMarkt → procurement difficulties since late 2025
• Prices → average increases of 40% to 120% since the start of the chip crisis
• Interdiscount → sporadic shortages of processors and high-capacity memory

In Lugano, anyone who has saved money for a new mobile phone or needs to retire their laptop may face two problems: the model is unavailable, or the configuration with more memory costs several hundred francs more. The difficulty affects stores and online platforms, and the phenomenon has also reached Switzerland.

The explanation given is global: the strong expansion of data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence is absorbing RAM and storage systems. Demand for these components is said to be driven by the growth of AI, while an increasing share of production is said to be destined for data centers and the infrastructure they require. For PCs, notebooks and other devices, the result is less certain availability, with repercussions for the choice of models and configurations.

A problem that starts with the components

Retailers describe a situation that is not uniform. Interdiscount reports sporadic shortages of certain processors and high-capacity memory modules across the market. The difficulty varies depending on the model and configuration; according to the company, the most delicate point is the dynamics of supply and prices. The forecast communicated is for stable availability in the coming months.

Fust reports observing, since mid-2026, growing scarcity of notebooks, desktop PCs and devices with high memory capacities. It does not yet speak of a general interruption, but of longer restocking times and rising prices.

MediaMarkt dates the difficulties to late 2025. The first reports, it explains, concerned Windows OEM manufacturers and then Apple. In its assessment, the problem is not limited to notebooks and PCs: it also includes smartphones. For those looking for a phone, comparing offerte mobile therefore does not replace checking the device's availability.

The three responses show a non-uniform market: for some components, the shortage remains sporadic; for others, lead times are getting longer, while price pressure is affecting more categories. The situation affects notebooks, desktop PCs, tablets and smartphones, but with intensity linked to the configuration.

Operational details

For Swiss consumers, the comparison cannot stop at the device name. Retailers' responses link availability and price to manufacturer, model, processor, memory and configuration. The same product family can therefore present different conditions when the required capacity changes.

Capacity becomes the decisive variable

MediaMarkt observes that those who only want to browse online and reply to emails often do not need 16 GB of RAM. Likewise, for many uses, a 256 or 512 GB SSD may be sufficient instead of 1 TB. The assessment should be made before paying the premium for a higher-capacity configuration, without automatically considering the minimum capacity suitable for every need.

Companies are reacting in different ways. Interdiscount focuses on forward-looking planning and alternative configurations. Fust speaks of proactive inventory management, diversification among distributors and advance volume planning; if a model is unavailable, it proposes equivalent alternative configurations. MediaMarkt orders larger quantities in advance because it expects price increases on a quarterly basis, thereby maintaining more advantageous prices for a longer period.

For buyers, the practical consequence is that the alternative is not simply to wait or give up. You can ask whether the problem concerns the exact model, the processor, the RAM or the SSD storage, and assess an equivalent configuration. This distinction is also relevant for smartphones, which MediaMarkt includes among the affected products.

The time factor should also be viewed with caution. Interdiscount expects stable availability in the coming months; Fust, on the other hand, reports significantly longer restocking times and rising prices. MediaMarkt links its ordering policy to quarterly price increases. These indications do not produce a single answer valid for everyone: waiting may mean finding more choice according to one forecast, but it does not guarantee spending less.

The responses collected do not indicate a certain window for Black Friday or Cyber Monday and do not set a purchase date valid for everyone. For a family or a worker, the expense must therefore be included in planning for costo della vita in Svizzera: the price to compare is that of the configuration actually needed, not that of the highest-capacity model seen online.

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Key points

The most practical way to approach the market described by the retailers is to turn the research into a configuration check, rather than a hunt for the commercial name alone. The process can be applied to notebooks, desktop PCs, tablets and smartphones, categories mentioned in the responses.

Five checks before ordering

1. Start with the actual use. If the need is to browse online and respond to emails, consider MediaMarkt's indication regarding configurations with 16 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD. The assessment should be made before settling on a higher capacity.

2. Write down the requirements for the model you are looking for: processor, RAM, SSD capacity and overall configuration. The shortages reported by Interdiscount in fact vary precisely according to the model and configuration.

3. Check availability both in stores and online. A model may not be available in a specific configuration, while the retailer may offer an alternative. Therefore, do not stop at the series name: check the device's complete specifications.

4. If the exact configuration is not available, ask for an equivalent proposal. Interdiscount indicates alternative configurations, Fust equivalent alternatives and MediaMarkt also simpler configurations to keep products in different price ranges.

5. Compare the timing of the purchase with the signals from the retailers. Interdiscount expects stable availability over the coming months; Fust reports longer lead times and rising prices; MediaMarkt orders in advance in anticipation of quarterly increases. These are factors to consider alongside the price of the chosen configuration.

Before concluding, note down the model, processor, RAM, storage space, price and availability. The same check applies to a smartphone, because MediaMarkt also includes this category among the supply difficulties. This way, the search remains anchored to the features that are genuinely necessary and not merely to the highest capacity offered.

If you want to relate the expense to your personal budget, complete the check with calcolatore stipendio.

Source: tio.ch