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DRAM prices forecast to rise 125% and NAND by 234%, pushing organisations toward refurbished technology and flexible IT asset management.
Organisations that continue delaying technology refresh cycles in an effort to protect budgets may be exposing themselves to greater operational and continuity risk, according to Qrent, a provider of IT asset management and sustainable refurbished technology solutions.
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The warning comes as global hardware costs continue to rise amid ongoing supply chain disruption and increased demand for AI infrastructure.
Soaring Memory Prices Drive Hardware Cost Increases
According to Gartner, memory pricing is expected to increase significantly, with DRAM forecast to rise by 125% and NAND by 234% , contributing to widespread increases in IT hardware costs globally.
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According to Kwirirai Rukowo, Managing Executive (MEA) at Qrent, mounting financial pressure is forcing many organisations into challenging procurement decisions.
Kwirirai Rukowo
“Businesses are facing a growing imbalance between operational demand and available budget. Projects are being delayed, refresh cycles are being extended, and procurement decisions are increasingly being driven by cost pressure rather than operational requirements. The role of IT is not to wait for perfect market conditionsâit is to keep the organisation running regardless of them.”
The intensifying market conditions are directly impacting how businesses evaluate their technology options. This includes decisions related to sustainable refurbished technology solutions.
“While these decisions may appear financially responsible in the short term, they often create greater long-term risk by reducing agility, delaying deployment, and placing strain on ageing infrastructure.”
Refurbished Technology as a Practical Alternative
Qrent says refurbished technology is increasingly being adopted as a practical solution that allows organisations to maintain continuity while managing rising procurement costs and hardware shortages.
Unlike new hardware procurement, refurbished technology is less exposed to:
- Manufacturing delays
- Semiconductor allocation challenges
- International shipping constraints
This allows businesses to deploy infrastructure more quickly and predictably.
Financial Flexibility and Performance
Refurbished enterprise-grade devices provide organisations with greater financial flexibility, according to the company. They achieve this by significantly lowering upfront costs. At the same time, they maintain the performance levels required for most business environments and typical workloads.
“Most organisations do not require the latest hardware specifications to maintain productivity. What matters most is having reliable technology available when the business needs it,” says Rukowo.
Short-Term Rental and Bridging Solutions
In addition to long-term procurement strategies, refurbished devices are increasingly being used as short-term rental and bridging solutions where new hardware lead times become impractical.
Qrent says this approach enables organisations to continue operating and scaling without placing additional pressure on already constrained capital budgets.
The Shift Toward Circular Technology Models
The company anticipates continued acceleration in the market shift toward lifecycle extension, refurbishment, and circular technology models.
“Waiting for pricing or supply chains to stabilise is no longer a strategy. Businesses that adopt more flexible sourcing and lifecycle management approaches will be significantly better positioned to maintain continuity and respond to changing market conditions.”
Organisations are increasingly prioritising cost optimisation and sustainability. Operational resilience is also becoming a key driver of this transition.
“Refurbished technology is no longer simply an alternative option. In the current market, it has become an important mechanism for enabling business continuity and smarter technology investment.”
