A DIY PC builder’s frustration is becoming increasingly common: components that were once straightforward to source are now scarce or prohibitively expensive. The motherboard market, in particular, is facing one of its sharpest corrections in recent years, with manufacturers revising their 2026 shipment targets downward by more than a quarter.
This downturn stems from multiple pressures. The surge in AI data center expansion has siphoned off silicon supply, pushing DDR4 and DDR5 memory prices to new highs—sometimes exceeding 30% of a PC’s total cost. At the same time, consumers have grown hesitant about upgrading to PCIe 5.0 motherboards designed for NVIDIA’s Blackwell GPUs, given both the scarcity and steep pricing of those cards. The result is a double whammy: fewer new builds and a slowdown in GPU-driven refresh cycles.
Major brands are adjusting their expectations accordingly. ASUS, MSI, and GIGABYTE have all slashed their 2026 sales forecasts, with some projecting fewer than 10 million units sold—about a 25% drop from 2025 levels. ASRock is bracing for an even steeper decline, potentially nearing 30%. The ripple effects are spreading across the industry: CPU shortages have left motherboard stocks stagnant, and AMD’s CEO has already signaled that gaming demand will soften further in the second half of the year.
Underpinning this shift is a fundamental change in PC economics. With DRAM now accounting for over 30% of build costs, consumers are prioritizing value over cutting-edge specs. The Blackwell GPU generation, which promised significant performance leaps with PCIe 5.0 support, has become a cautionary tale—its rarity and price tag have made it an expensive proposition for enthusiasts. Meanwhile, the broader supply chain remains uncertain, leaving PC builders in limbo.
The question now is whether this slowdown will persist or if market conditions will stabilize. For now, motherboard manufacturers are navigating a landscape where demand is fragile, prices are volatile, and the path to recovery is unclear.
