Survey: 60% of gamers won't build PCs

Tom's Hardware said on May 16 that 60% of more than 1,500 surveyed readers do not plan to build a new PC in the next two years. The outlet framed the result as a measure of how far component inflation has pushed a hobby once defined by incremental upgrades and frequent rebuilds. The survey was published as Tom's Hardware and other industry outlets continued to track steep increases in DRAM prices tied to AI infrastructure demand. The poll result matters because it captures buyer intent at the enthusiast end of the market, where self-built desktops have long been a core part of PC gaming culture. Tom's Hardware said exactly 60% of respondents were waiting two years or more to build their next machine, while only 25% said they had plans to build within the next 12 months. Just 15% said they expected to build in the next six months, and 10% in the next three months. (tech.yahoo.com) ### Who ran the survey, and what exactly did it find? Tom's Hardware said the survey drew responses from more than 1,500 readers in May. The publication did not present the poll as a representative sample of all gamers; it described the respondents as its own readers, which means the results reflect a self-selected audience of PC hardware enthusiasts rather than the broader games market. (tech.yahoo.com) The percentages were still stark. Tom's Hardware reported that 60% expect to wait at least two years before their next build, 25% may build within 12 months, 15% within six months and 10% within three months. Those figures point to delayed purchases rather than a collapse in interest in PC gaming itself. (tech.yahoo.com) ### Why are readers tying this to memory prices? Tom's Hardware linked the survey to a broader memory squeeze that has dominated its recent coverage. The outlet's memory pages and RAM price tracker have repeatedly highlighted rising DDR4 and DDR5 pricing, while its related reports have described a market in which consumer buyers are competing with data-center demand. (tech.yahoo.com) CNBC reported on Jan. 10 that AI hardware demand had pushed the memory market into shortage, citing Micron business chief Sumit Sadana saying demand had outpaced both his company's supply and the industry's capacity. CNBC also cited TrendForce as forecasting average DRAM prices would rise 50% to 55% in that quarter from the fourth quarter of 2025. (tomshardware.com) That backdrop helps explain why readers and commenters have focused on RAM. When core parts of a build become volatile, the total cost of a new system rises well beyond the sticker price of a CPU or graphics card alone. Tom's Hardware said memory, SSD and graphics-card pricing were all under pressure in the current market. (cnbc.com) ### Is the survey really about RAM, or about the whole build cost? Tom's Hardware described the problem as broader than memory alone. Its May 16 article said SSDs, graphics cards and RAM had all remained at elevated prices, and argued that new processor launches had not been enough to revive demand for fresh builds. (tech.yahoo.com) The article's own framing put RAM at the center because DRAM pricing has become a visible symbol of the squeeze. Tom's Hardware's memory coverage in recent weeks has included reports on continuing shortages, retail disputes tied to price spikes and daily pricing updates for DDR4 and DDR5 kits. ### How much of this is tied to AI data centers? (tech.yahoo.com) CNBC reported that Nvidia, AMD and Google were among the companies driving demand for large amounts of memory used alongside AI chips. The report said the three main memory suppliers — Micron, SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics — were benefiting from that surge, even as downstream buyers faced tighter supply and higher prices. (tomshardware.com) Tom's Hardware has made the same connection across multiple stories. Its memory coverage has described AI data centers as a major force behind the shortage, and one March report cited SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won saying the global memory shortage could last another four to five years. ### What should readers watch next? Tom's Hardware's next updates are likely to come through its news feed and RAM Price Index, which it updates regularly with DDR4 and DDR5 pricing. (cnbc.com) The publication's memory coverage was updated again within the last week, and CNBC's Jan. 10 report said analysts were already projecting further near-term DRAM increases. (tomshardware.com)