5 secrets and techniques to getting a very good PC deal in 2026

PC {hardware} costs are up, however not throughout the board. RAM costs have been the primary to skyrocket, then SSD costs adopted. It’s affecting every kind of stuff now—like Nvidia skipping new shopper GPUs this yr—and the AI-driven crunch is fanning the flames of 2025’s tariff chaos.

You may assume PCs have now turn into prohibitively costly… nevertheless it’s extra nuanced than that. Respectable PCs aren’t completely out of attain simply but if you understand the place to look and what to keep away from.

In case you’re going to purchase a brand new PC this yr, right here’s what you should know to ensure you get a very good deal.

Don’t construct. Go along with a prebuilt PC

I’ve been constructing my very own PCs for many years, however these days are gone. No extra placing collectively a listing of parts and price-matching to get one of the best offers from my native PC ironmongery shop. Our recommendation if you happen to’re pondering of constructing a PC in 2026? Simply don’t.

Moderately than assembling a PC from components, search for a prebuilt desktop PC or a laptop computer. Shops like Costco, Finest Purchase, and Walmart nonetheless supply wonderful offers on every part from prebuilt gaming desktop PCs to workstation laptops. Value out the parts and also you is perhaps shocked.

For instance, one in every of Costco’s least costly desktop gaming PCs is that this CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme system. For $1,100, it comes with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 GPU. In case you have been shopping for components, you’d be spending one thing like $360 for the RAM, $280 for the SSD, and $360 for the GPU at present costs. That’s already as much as $1,000 and we haven’t even included the CPU, motherboard, case, or the opposite stuff.

Now, if you happen to caught a system like this on sale, it will be a fair higher worth. However my level is, you aren’t going to economize by shopping for components proper now. Prebuilt programs are the place the worth is.

PC makers need their PCs to promote

As we speak, prebuilt PCs are usually inexpensive as a result of {hardware} producers have stockpiled parts and are ready to maneuver models. Whereas some firms (like Micron) are discontinuing their shopper manufacturers to give attention to enterprise prospects, consumer-focused PC producers don’t have any selection however to maintain promoting PCs.

Based on stories, PC producers like Lenovo have stockpiled RAM and different parts forward of the scarcity. Although Lenovo is reportedly elevating costs anyway, not all PC producers are doing so throughout the board. It’s very completely different from what we’re seeing occur to RAM and SSD costs, that are largely following the market. Whereas PC makers might increase costs, numerous current machines on retailer cabinets haven’t seen worth will increase… and possibly received’t.

Certainly, most PC makers haven’t raised costs on current laptops or desktop PCs. They could have agreements with retailers stopping them from doing so. And but, these machines nonetheless include the identical RAM and SSDs that they had at launch, which makes them an incredible worth—a much better worth than they was, for positive.

In the long term, it’s unclear what’ll occur to PC half costs. PC makers are already on the lookout for new sources of RAM, however for now a minimum of they aren’t instantly elevating costs to match the market worth of mentioned parts. So, now’s nonetheless a very good time to purchase.

Store the gross sales for severe worth

PC gross sales have at all times been an incredible supply of worth. Earlier-generation programs usually get massive worth cuts—and even get placed on clearance—to make room for newer machines.

My recommendation? As a substitute of on the lookout for the newest and biggest {hardware} at full retail worth, scoop up an older-gen system at a giant low cost. That’s the place the true worth is. In case you’re out there for a solid-value laptop computer, try our record of one of the best laptop computer offers (up to date day by day).

I can’t emphasize this sufficient: within the PC market, you possibly can usually save tons of money by snapping up machines on sale. In actual fact, retail costs are sometimes inflated to make room for mentioned worth cuts later.

Don’t improve your PC in 2026

I’ve beforehand inspired upgrading your PC. You may give an previous PC a brand new lease on life with some new RAM, and it was as soon as inexpensive to purchase a base-model laptop computer and improve its SSD and RAM than to purchase a higher-spec system proper off the shelf.

This recommendation doesn’t maintain water anymore in 2026. In case you’re shopping for a brand new PC, guarantee it has the {hardware} you need whenever you purchase it. It’ll possible be inexpensive to get a machine that comes outfitted with extra RAM now than to purchase further RAM at market worth later.

Likewise, if in case you have an previous PC that wants new {hardware}, think twice earlier than upgrading its parts. For the worth of a RAM and SSD improve, you could possibly get a complete new mini PC as an alternative. (Take a look at our roundup of one of the best mini PC offers value leaping on.)

Embrace last-generation {hardware}

Whereas I’m impressed by Intel’s new Panther Lake {hardware}, you don’t want it for good efficiency. Final-gen Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake CPUs are nonetheless good. And, if you happen to’re shopping for a mini PC or gaming PC, you might not even discover whether or not it’s a 2025 mannequin or 2026 mannequin.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

Intel’s Lunar Lake (Core Extremely Collection 2) is an attention-grabbing piece of this puzzle, although. Lunar Lake {hardware} comes with on-package reminiscence—both 16GB or 32GB of RAM—which PC producers get from Intel together with their CPUs. Whereas Core Extremely Collection 3 is now right here, Core Extremely Collection 2 {hardware} will nonetheless be on the cabinets. And, because it’s last-generation {hardware}, it’ll additionally possible see gross sales and offers.

I simply reviewed the Acer Aspire 16 AI laptop computer, which comes with 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage for $1,099—and that worth hasn’t gone up even with the present {hardware} scarcity. In actual fact, I guess you’ll be capable of discover machines like this one on sale for even much less now.

Plus, laptops and desktop PCs with last-gen {hardware} usually go on clearance to make room. Even when they’re not on clearance, they’re extra prone to go on deep low cost. Final yr’s PCs are nonetheless nice and I guess most individuals might be very happy with them. That is actually among the best methods to outsmart the present RAM disaster.

Don’t hand over!

Social media is stuffed with doom and gloom round PC costs. Don’t get sucked into the concept that the PC’s golden age is behind us as {hardware} shifts to AI knowledge facilities and enterprise computing.

Sure, it’s a tough time to purchase parts proper now, particularly if you wish to construct your individual PC. But it surely’s not the tip of the world but. You possibly can nonetheless discover numerous nice offers and PCs at nice costs if you happen to put in a bit of legwork. We’re nonetheless within the golden age, and I refuse to imagine in any other case.