Handheld PC Market Struggles as RAM and Storage Prices Surge

Rising RAM and storage costs reduce handheld PC production while limiting availability and slowing market expansion.

Hardware by Shinji Okazaki on Apr 01, 2026

Another person has been killed by RAM. Prices for storage and RAM have gone up, which means there are fewer solutions on the market. The situation shows that there is greater pressure on hardware manufacturing overall, especially in niche areas like handheld PCs.

We weren't particularly big fans of PC handhelds for several reasons. However, some Android-based ones are still interesting to us. People weren't really interested in the Ino Next 2 because it was too expensive. The pricing reached a level at which the company stated it could no longer continue production. They said for sure that the device won't be made in the near future. We will continue to fill existing pre-orders, but we won't have any more units available after that.

Handheld PC Market Struggles, as RAM and Storage Prices Surge, NoobFeed

Price Barriers and Cancellations of Products

There is less competition because fewer products are offered. When rivalry is lower, organizations have less incentive to improve, which slows innovation. That outcome reflects a broader concern across the segment.

Rising Prices Across the Range of Products

We also got word that prices are going up across the board. The statement was both a warning and a sign to buy before the changes go into effect. Some items, like the Conquer Pocket Fit, are no longer available in any form. The corporation aims to bring them back in stages, primarily due to the high cost of storage components.

The method indicates that some products will remain available. Some devices are no longer available, while others may come back later at a higher price. This graph shows how companies are maintaining profits despite rising prices.

Expensive Models and Low Demand

There were three price levels for the Ino Next 2. The base tier started at about $1800, the mid-tier at about $2300, and the high-tier configuration reached $3500 during pre-order, with a predicted retail price of about $4300. The most powerful version had 128GB of RAM and a big battery, which made it useless for several things, including flying.

Interestingly, the lowest-priced tier didn't get any pre-orders. Demand was mostly for higher-end configurations, which suggests that customers in this group often care more about specs than low prices.

The Size of the Market and the Number of Pre-orders

The mid-tier configuration got 112 pre-orders, and the top tier got 30. Across all tiers, fewer than 200 units were pre-ordered. Even though there weren't many people, the campaign raised about $446,000.

These data show how big the manufacture of boutique handheld PCs is. These numbers are minor compared to those of bigger companies. Still, they are in line with expectations for specialized hardware. Earlier devices in this category sold more, notably Android-based ones. PC handhelds usually sell between 10,000 and 20,000 units.

Competition, Iteration, and Fewer Returns

Companies in this area don't get regular income from software ecosystems. After selling a gadget, businesses need to keep making money by producing new gear. This creates a loop in which each new product must perform better than the last one to be worth having.

That cycle makes people want better specs. The rewards become less obvious over time, as the law of diminishing returns predicts. Eventually, prices rise to the point where people don't want to update as often.

Handheld PC Market Struggles, as RAM and Storage Prices Surge, NoobFeed

There is Still Design Innovation

Even with these problems, some new ideas are still being made. The Ino 3 and other devices like it introduced modular controller designs with parts that could be removed. The mechanism offers an alternative method for handheld usability and demonstrates that design experimentation remains feasible within the category.

Final Thoughts

The combination of rising component costs, limited production volumes, and increasing prices is shaping the future of handheld PCs. A limited market is shown by fewer products, selective manufacturing, and higher prices. We will see how long the existing model lasts, but corporations will keep changing their strategy based on costs and demand.

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