AMD Says PC and Gaming Demand May Slow Down as RAM Prices Bite
AMD is warning that the PC and gaming market could get rougher in the second half of 2026, and the main villain is something every PC builder already fears: expensive RAM.
During AMD’s Q1 2026 earnings update, the company said its Client and Gaming segment brought in US$3.94 billion in revenue. That is up 23% compared with the same period last year, but down 9% from the previous quarter. So yes, AMD is still doing strong business overall, but the momentum is starting to look less clean heading into the back half of the year.
The PC side is still healthy for now. AMD pointed to solid demand for its Ryzen portfolio, including the Ryzen 9000X3D desktop chips and its Ryzen AI laptop lineup. Big OEM brands like Dell, HP and Lenovo have also expanded their AMD-powered machines, with Ryzen AI 300 and 400 series products covering mainstream laptops, while Ryzen AI Max targets higher-end AI and workstation systems.
Commercial PCs were a bright spot too, with AMD saying Ryzen Pro PC sell-through grew more than 50% year-on-year. That means businesses are buying more AMD-based laptops and desktops, not just gamers and DIY builders.
But here is the problem: memory and component costs are climbing. AI demand is eating up a huge amount of memory supply, especially on the data centre side, and that pressure is now spilling into consumer products. AMD says it still expects Ryzen CPU demand to stay solid in Q2, but it is preparing for lower PC shipments in the second half of 2026 because higher costs may push buyers away.
For Malaysian gamers, this one memang kena watch. If RAM prices continue naik, it will not just affect hardcore PC builders shopping for DDR5 kits. It could also make gaming laptops, prebuilt PCs, mini PCs and creator machines more expensive. Anyone planning a setup from Low Yat, Shopee, Lazada or local PC shops may want to pay closer attention to component prices before assuming “wait later cheaper lah”. Later might not be cheaper.
Gaming is expected to feel an even bigger hit. AMD’s gaming revenue, which includes Radeon GPUs and console-related business, was already down 15% sequentially. The company now expects gaming revenue in the second half of 2026 to drop more than 20% compared with the first half.
That matters because AMD silicon is tied closely to consoles as well. Sony and Microsoft have already announced price increases for current-gen PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. If memory and component costs continue rising, another round of price pressure would not be shocking. For SEA players, where console pricing is already sensitive after conversion rates and local retail markups, even a small global increase can feel painful in RM.
AMD CEO Lisa Su said memory supply is tight across the industry, though AMD has secured enough supply through its memory partners to meet and exceed its targets. The bigger concern is not whether AMD can build products, but whether consumers will still buy them once final prices move higher.
The takeaway is pretty clear: AMD’s products are not the issue. Ryzen is still competitive, AI PCs are gaining traction, and gaming hardware demand is still there. The issue is affordability. If RAM and components keep getting more expensive because AI data centres are absorbing supply, regular gamers could be the ones paying the bill.
If you are planning a PC upgrade in Malaysia this year, especially RAM, SSD, GPU or a full gaming laptop, this is the kind of market signal worth taking seriously. No need panic buy, but also don’t ignore the trend. The second half of 2026 could be a more expensive time to build or upgrade.
Source: Wccftech Gaming
