A new report from research firm Gartner predicts that the market for computers priced under $500 could vanish by 2028 due to a significant surge in the cost of RAM and SSD storage. This price increase, projected to be around 130 percent for these components, is expected to drive up overall PC prices by approximately 17 percent. The same economic pressures affecting smartphone prices will impact the PC market, potentially leading consumers to hold onto their devices longer, making it difficult for manufacturers to absorb rising costs. This trend could also slow the adoption of AI PCs, which Gartner forecasts will not reach 50 percent of the market until 2028, while smartphone prices are expected to rise by about 13 percent by the same year.