2026 Student Laptop Buying Guide Amid Surging RAM Prices
As RAM and storage prices surge, how are student laptop options changing? A rundown of recommended specs and standout models.
AFFILIATE_PRODUCTS: MacBook Neo
Impact of Rising RAM Prices on the PC Market
According to an August 14 report by Antonio G. Di Benedetto of The Verge, RAM and storage supply shortages are having a serious impact on the PC market. The article calls this situation “RAMageddon” and points out that laptop prices have diverged significantly from conventional levels. Some products are now slightly more expensive than before, while others have seen dramatic price increases.
According to the same article, price increases are expected to continue into 2027. There are reports that nearly all memory to be produced through 2027 has already been fully allocated. As a result, the current moment is becoming the last opportunity to obtain an inexpensive PC.
Criteria for Choosing When to Buy
For students, especially those about to enter university, the article warns that “one should not casually choose the cheapest product.” The reasoning for investing in a higher-performance laptop lies in the lifespan of the equipment. A MacBook Air or a comparable product has enough performance headroom to fully cover four years of university life and remain usable even after graduation.
Several writers and editors at The Verge reportedly still use the M1 MacBook Air released in 2020. If the 2020 model can remain in active service for more than five years, current models can be expected to have a similar lifespan. Products that are slow from the start or feel sluggish to operate should be avoided, as their performance degradation accelerates with each year of use.
Recommended Specs: 16GB RAM Is the Minimum
The minimum recommended specs in the article are 16GB of RAM and 512GB or more of storage. For university students in particular, this specification is effectively a mandatory requirement. Even with 8GB of RAM, products such as the MacBook Neo can run macOS, but on Windows PCs, 8GB of RAM can hardly be called sufficient.
In Windows environments, applications and the OS itself consume a large amount of memory, and with 8GB, running multiple applications at once or opening many browser tabs leads to severe performance degradation. As of 2026, it is reasonable to position models with 16GB of RAM as the standard choice for new purchases.
MacBook Neo: Recommended Model Starting at $699
The Verge’s strongest recommendation is Apple’s MacBook Neo. Starting at $699, the article positions it as “the best option in an affordable price range.” The Apple Silicon MacBook Neo delivers high build quality and ample performance headroom at a $699 price point.
The appeal of the MacBook Neo lies not in being inexpensive but in its low long-term cost of ownership. Compared with inexpensive Windows PCs, the limited performance degradation after several years delivers real economic benefits to students. In terms of the balance between performance and durability, it is a standout option in this price range.
Recommended Windows PC Configurations
When choosing a Windows PC, the article provides clear criteria for processor generations. Products equipped with Intel’s 13th-generation “Raptor Lake” or later, or AMD’s Ryzen 7000 series or later, are recommended. Models from before 2022 should be avoided.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X is also listed as an option. The Snapdragon X is a chip with excellent battery life and cost performance, but students who use specialized software at university need to watch for compatibility issues with Windows on Arm. Certain applications may not run on the Arm architecture, making compatibility checks before purchase essential. The Snapdragon X also still has challenges when it comes to gaming.
Low-Budget Option: The Practicality of Chromebooks
Chromebooks continue to be recommended for budget-conscious students and younger grade levels. Chrome-based laptops perform adequately in cloud-centric usage environments, and practical models exist for under $500.
The article states that even with a budget under $500, there are “tolerable” PCs available, and that an investment of around $700 will get a product with sufficient performance. However, given that the macOS-based MacBook Neo is available from $699, a cost-performance comparison with Windows PCs becomes an important deciding factor.
Editorial Opinion
Short-Term Impact The RAM and storage supply shortage has the potential to fundamentally change the pricing structure of the laptop market from late 2026 through 2027. With nearly all memory production already allocated ahead of schedule, securing inventory will become difficult even for models with next-generation processors from Intel and AMD. OEMs will try to maintain prices by reconfiguring mid-range models or shifting to lower-spec models, but this simultaneously means the return of “disposable PCs.” In the student market, demand for used and refurbished units will rise even further.
Long-Term Perspective The recovery of the memory market after 2027 will come with structural changes in the PC industry. DRAM and NAND prices reverting to 2007 levels vividly illustrates demand forecasting failures in the semiconductor supply chain and the skewed capital allocation driven by AI demand. The structure in which HBM demand for AI training and inference squeezes the supply of DRAM for general PCs makes it difficult to improve the short-term supply-demand balance. Sustained high PC prices carry the risk of further widening the digital divide in education.
References
- “A RAMageddon guide to back-to-school laptop shopping”, by Antonio G. Di Benedetto — The Verge, 2026-08-14T18:32:47.000Z (ARR)
- Source URL: https://www.theverge.com/tech/979996/best-laptops-students-middle-high-school
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