TL;DR: Microsoft’s Windows 11 licensing hike is landing right on top of a RAM and SSD shortage, and PC prices are already climbing as a result. If a hardware refresh is on your radar, planning now could save your Essex or London business money later.

If a new PC or laptop refresh is on your business plan for the year ahead, it might be worth moving that decision higher up your list. Two separate pressures are pushing hardware prices upward together.

Microsoft has reportedly raised the licensing fees it charges PC manufacturers for Windows 11, landing on top of a RAM and SSD shortage that has already pushed component costs higher through 2026.

For Essex and London businesses weighing up a new PC, understanding why prices are moving could make a real difference to your budget.

Why PC Prices Are Rising

PCMag reports that Microsoft has raised Windows 11 licensing fees for PC manufacturers by between 7% and 10%, a much steeper rise than the low single-digit increases original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) usually see.

The fee scales with the processor inside each machine, so premium laptops carry a bigger increase than budget models with simpler chips. For manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer and Asus, that’s an extra cost folded straight into the price of every machine they sell.

This licensing rise lands at an awkward time for anyone shopping for a new PC in Essex or London, since RAM and SSD prices have been climbing sharply through 2026 as manufacturers redirect production towards the memory chips used in AI data centres.

Analyst firm IDC has reported that major PC makers, including Lenovo, Dell, HP, Acer and Asus, have warned clients of price increases of up to 20% as a direct result of these shortages.

Together, these pressures mean budgets for business IT hardware in Essex and London that felt comfortable a year ago might not stretch as far now.

What This Means for Essex and London Businesses Budgeting for Hardware Refreshes

For any business planning a hardware refresh this year, these price pressures change the maths behind the decision. A batch of desktops or laptops that might have cost a set amount a few months ago could carry a noticeably higher price tag by the time an order goes in.

That matters most for growing businesses working through structured upgrade cycles, where a short delay can mean paying considerably more for the same specification of business IT hardware in Essex and London.

Budgeting for a refresh now means building in some flexibility. A few practical steps are worth considering before your next order goes in.

·       Get quotes early, since today’s prices may not hold for long.

·       Build in a contingency margin, because prices may already have moved since your last budget was set.

·       Review your refresh cycle to flag which devices genuinely need replacing now.

·       Talk to your provider of business IT hardware about phased rollouts to help spread cost.

A short review of upgrade timing and current pricing helps you avoid unwelcome surprises when quotes come back higher than budgeted.

Should You Buy Now or Wait?

This is the question many Essex and London business owners are weighing right now, and there’s no single right answer for every business. The case for buying sooner rests on the pricing pattern described above.

If licensing costs and component shortages continue pushing prices upward, waiting could mean paying more for the exact same specification of new PC later in the year. Suppliers, including Asus and Acer, have already signalled retail price increases in response to the OEM fee changes.

The case for waiting usually comes down to genuine business need. If your current fleet is performing well and meeting your team’s needs, there’s little value in replacing it early. A local, trusted IT support provider can help you separate urgent replacements from devices with useful life left.

Alternatives to Consider

Buying new outright is only one route to a working fleet of machines. Here are a few alternatives worth weighing up before committing to a full refresh.

·       Extending device lifecycles through proactive maintenance keeps ageing machines reliable for longer.

·       Leasing hardware spreads the cost over a fixed term and protects your business against sudden price swings on future upgrades.

·       Choosing refurbished or managed devices, sourced and maintained by IT services in Essex and London, often costs less upfront than buying new.

·       Shifting more workloads to cloud services can reduce how much processing power individual devices need locally, extending the useful life of existing hardware.

Cloud services can be a cost-effective way to stretch the life of ageing hardware without a large upfront spend. The right combination usually depends on your budget cycle and your team’s performance needs.

How the Right IT Partner Helps You Plan Hardware Spend

A good IT partner takes the guesswork out of hardware budgeting. The right IT support in Essex and London builds hardware refreshes into a wider technology plan, one that accounts for device lifecycle timing and shifting market conditions well before a purchase becomes urgent.

That typically includes reviewing your device estate for what’s nearing the end of life, benchmarking pricing across suppliers, weighing up buying against leasing, and timing purchases around known pricing changes.

Working with established IT services means someone is tracking market shifts like the Windows 11 licensing changes on your behalf. The aim is to help your business plan hardware spend with confidence, avoiding rushed and expensive decisions caused by a device failing without warning.

Ready to Plan Your Next Hardware Refresh?

Book a free IT hardware review with Net Platforms and get ahead of rising PC prices before your next purchase.

FAQs

1.      Why is a new PC in Essex or London more expensive right now?
Microsoft has raised Windows 11 licensing fees for PC manufacturers by between 7% and 10%, and RAM and SSD shortages have been pushing component costs up throughout 2026. Together, these factors mean a new PC is likely to cost more now than it did earlier in the year, and prices may continue rising as manufacturers pass costs on to buyers.

2.      When should I contact IT support in Essex or London about a hardware refresh?
The earlier, the better, ideally before your existing devices start showing signs of age or slowing down. Contacting IT support ahead of time gives your provider room to review your fleet and benchmark pricing, then plan your refresh around your budget.

3.      Can IT services help reduce hardware costs?
Yes. Established IT services in Essex and London can advise on leasing, refurbished options, phased rollouts, and ongoing device management that spreads cost over time. They can also negotiate supplier pricing on your behalf and help you avoid paying over the odds during a period of rising prices.

4.      What should I look for when budgeting for business IT hardware in Essex and London?
Build in flexibility and avoid relying solely on last year’s figures. Factor in current pricing trends and get quotes early, then separate urgent replacements from devices that can wait a little longer. Your IT provider can help assess which business IT hardware needs prioritising first.

5.      Are cloud services a good alternative to buying new hardware?
Cloud services in Essex and London can reduce the processing demands placed on individual devices, which may extend the useful life of your existing fleet. Shifting more workloads to the cloud is a practical way to delay some hardware purchases while prices remain high, without needing to overhaul everything at once.