Brace for higher laptop prices as PC component shortages looms

Digitimes is warning that shipments of laptops and PCs are set to disappoint in Q2 2017, due to ongoing component shortages which would see price rises in crucial components such as DRAM being passed on to consumers, and therefore dampen demand and sales.

The news from upstream suppliers suggests the issue will escalate through the rest of the year, with 18:9 full-screen a-Si panels expected to see a nearly 10% price increase in the third quarter and shortages in the fourth quarter also expected to be worse than in the third.

Some major OEMs have exacerbated the issue by overbooking components to ensure supplies will remain stable, but such a strategy has caused component prices to rise even more.

Component suppliers, on the other hand, have enjoyed better revenue performance.

While Windows OEMs may appear to suffer from poorer sales, they have benefitted from increased margins due to higher prices, and Microsoft itself seeing Windows revenue outperform shipment growth for the same reason.