Laptop prices have been plummeting over the past year, with many models hitting an all-time low. In fact, it's now possible to find budget-friendly options for under $700, a price point that hasn't been seen in years.
The latest MacBook Air is just one example of this trend. Normally priced at $999, Apple recently dropped its prices on the M2 model to as low as $749. Even more impressive are discounts offered by retailers like Best Buy and Walmart, which have knocked down the price of the same laptop to under $800.
Another budget-friendly option is the Dell 14 Plus, which has seen significant price cuts to under $700. This ultraportable laptop features a 2560 x 1600 resolution display, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of storage, and impressive battery life - all at an unbeatable price.
But while these discounts are welcome news for consumers, they're not expected to last forever. A looming RAM shortage is brewing, with prices skyrocketing by over 100% in recent months. This has already started to affect PC gamers and desktop users, who are now facing increased costs as a result of the shortage.
Major laptop manufacturers like HP and Lenovo have begun warning that they'll need to reduce memory configurations and raise prices due to the shortage. It's not clear when exactly this will happen, but it could be as early as May 2026.
A related issue is also affecting storage, with flash storage shortages expected to last for at least the next decade. This has implications for Apple products like iPhones and Macs, which rely heavily on Phison's solid-state drive technology.
For now, though, laptop prices remain relatively low. If you need a new laptop, it's definitely worth taking advantage of these discounts - but be prepared for potential price increases in the future.
The latest MacBook Air is just one example of this trend. Normally priced at $999, Apple recently dropped its prices on the M2 model to as low as $749. Even more impressive are discounts offered by retailers like Best Buy and Walmart, which have knocked down the price of the same laptop to under $800.
Another budget-friendly option is the Dell 14 Plus, which has seen significant price cuts to under $700. This ultraportable laptop features a 2560 x 1600 resolution display, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of storage, and impressive battery life - all at an unbeatable price.
But while these discounts are welcome news for consumers, they're not expected to last forever. A looming RAM shortage is brewing, with prices skyrocketing by over 100% in recent months. This has already started to affect PC gamers and desktop users, who are now facing increased costs as a result of the shortage.
Major laptop manufacturers like HP and Lenovo have begun warning that they'll need to reduce memory configurations and raise prices due to the shortage. It's not clear when exactly this will happen, but it could be as early as May 2026.
A related issue is also affecting storage, with flash storage shortages expected to last for at least the next decade. This has implications for Apple products like iPhones and Macs, which rely heavily on Phison's solid-state drive technology.
For now, though, laptop prices remain relatively low. If you need a new laptop, it's definitely worth taking advantage of these discounts - but be prepared for potential price increases in the future.