A sharply weaker rand and surging global chip prices are set to push tech costs sharply higher in South Africa.

TechCentral

A weakening South African rand combined with surging global RAM and SSD prices is creating a double squeeze on tech buyers in South Africa. Gartner projects a 130% increase in DRAM and SSD prices by end of 2026, pushing PC prices up 17% and smartphone prices up 13% globally. For South African consumers, the currency depreciation compounds these dollar-denominated increases. Rising oil prices driven by Middle East tensions are further inflating shipping costs. Major PC manufacturers including Lenovo, Dell, HP, Acer, and Asus have already signaled steep price hikes, threatening to price entry-level devices out of reach for consumers and small businesses.

Perfect storm for South African tech buyers

Read: Chip shortage hits PCs as AI swallows the world’s memory supply