This Black Friday may disappoint as RAM prices stay high
Black Friday may be less exciting this year as the RAM crisis pushes prices for laptops, tablets, SSDs, and many other electronics higher than in past seasons.
- Black Friday may feel subdued this year because prices for many electronics, especially smartphones and game consoles, have risen.
- The memory crisis driven by the AI industry makes deep discounts unlikely on devices that use a lot of RAM.
- Robot vacuums, headphones, and other devices that depend less on RAM may see better prices.
- IDC expects prices to stay high through 2027, and possibly 2028.
- Track price history, consider refurbished units, and buy only what you really need.
Table of Contents
Electronics prices keep climbing
Black Friday, the sale that kicks off the year-end shopping season, may be less lively than usual this year. The reason is that prices for many products are going up, especially smartphones and game consoles. According to Wired, the memory crisis created by the AI industry is one of the major pressures weighing on the global economy.
Many promotions have already started, but the prices on offer are unlikely to feel as good as in previous years. Products that use a lot of RAM will have a hard time landing deep discounts. By contrast, robot vacuums, headphones, and other devices that depend less on memory may be priced more kindly.
Jitesh Ubrani, Research Manager for Consumer Devices Research at IDC, says prices will keep rising through 2027, and possibly 2028. In his view, PCs and tablets are the hardest hit categories. Amazon has already raised prices on its latest Kindle, tablet, and Echo speaker models, so upcoming sales on these lines are unlikely to impress.
How to hunt for deals wisely
Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate, still believes Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the best shopping days of the year. He cautions, however, that an item advertised with a steep discount is not necessarily at its best price. He advises tracking Amazon prices with sites that archive price history, such as CamelCamelCamel. Google's Chrome browser also has a built-in price tracking tool, and there are plenty of third-party extensions as well.
Dworsky predicts that laptops, desktops, and SSDs will still be discounted. However, prices will not be as low as before. Another option is to buy used or refurbished hardware. Sean Cleland, Vice President of Mobility Tech at BStock Solutions, says some manufacturers are pushing refurbished sales harder than ever. They are even buying products back from resellers such as BStock to fill gaps in the budget phone segment.
What to buy so it lasts
According to Wired, the clearest beneficiaries of Black Friday are probably the retailers themselves, since they decide the prices. In an uncertain economy, many companies have skillfully passed extra costs on to buyers. Ubrani notes that there is no good news for consumers right now.
Still, this year's deals may be the best you can find for a while. The memory crisis will not end anytime soon. Ubrani advises buying only what you truly need and choosing the most powerful configuration you can afford so the device lasts longer.
The discount printed on a promo banner no longer reflects how good a deal really is. Before you check out, compare the product's price history to see whether it is truly a good price. For laptops, tablets, and SSDs, where RAM and storage make up a large share of the cost, waiting longer is unlikely to help if prices are climbing. Official refurbished units are also worth considering if you want to save money.
Source: Wired
Reviewed by: Hero Association
