For the first time, HP, Dell, Acer and Asus look towards China for hardware that is threatening their product launches

PC giants HP, Dell, Acer and Asus – for the first time – are mulling to purchase memory chips from Chinese manufacturers, a report has said. The move comes as the semiconductor market is hit by an increased demand for High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) to be used in AI infrastructure, leaving traditional consumer electronics brands fighting for survival. Companies like Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix have pivoted their production to high-margin HBM for AI infrastructure while the standard DRAM and NAND chips required for laptops and PCs have become dangerously scarce.

Citing industry insiders, Nikkei Asia reported that Chinese chipmakers are increasingly being viewed as a “lifesaver” for the consumer electronics sector. Currently, the “Big Three” memory makers are prioritising capacity for AI leaders such as Nvidia, Google, and Amazon.

China’s memory industry on a rise

While Western brands have been cautious in the past due to geopolitical tensions, China's memory industry has already reached a level of scale that is difficult to ignore, the report said, adding that the PC titans have already begun qualifying products from Chinese manufacturers:

Asus and Acer are leveraging their Chinese contract manufacturing partners to expand their sourcing networks, the report added.

“We do not disclose our suppliers, but that we keep in close contact with multiple global manufacturers and suppliers to dynamically adjust operations to manage component prices changes. We work with multiple manufacturers and suppliers to enhance our supply chain resilience,” Acer was quoted as saying.

HP is said to have been in contact with ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), and are said to monitor the supply through mid-2026 and may start sourcing CXMT chips for all non-US markets if prices continue to surge. Dell is similarly evaluating CXMT’s DRAM products, fearing that memory price hikes.

“Amid the massive global shortage of memory, this dynamic is changing, with PC makers now hoping their manufacturing partners can help leverage their own supply chain connections to expand memory sourcing options,” one of the supply chain executives told Nikkei Asia.


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