Buying IT in 2026 requires a different kind of plan
Supply chain pressures from the AI boom, rising memory costs and geopolitical disruption are reshaping how IT purchases need to be made, across servers, storage, networking and beyond. The numbers tell the story.
Here is what is happening to IT hardware costs and lead times right now:
- ~ 90% DRAM price increase forecast Q1 2026
- Weeks => Months: typical hardware lead times, now stretching to months
- 2027 when supply chain pressures are likely to ease
Working closely with a wide portfolio of strategic vendors including HPE, Dell, Hitachi Vantara, IBM and Park Place to find the best route for every customer.
Talk to our experts to confirm you have the right strategy for your IT investments in 2026. Book an assessment now.
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Three forces making IT procurement harder in 2026
Memory cost pressure
DRAM contract pricing is forecast up approximately 90 to 95% quarter on quarter for Q1 2026, driven by AI demand and tightening supply. These increases feed into quote validity windows, availability and the likelihood of last-minute substitutions across a wide range of infrastructure purchases.
Logistics disruption
War-related surcharges, emergency fuel surcharges and insurance disruption on key trade routes are adding cost and uncertainty to hardware delivery timelines. Lead times that were weeks are becoming months for some categories. The delivery date on your current quote may not be as firm as it looks.
Vendor consolidation risk
M&A activity across the IT software space is changing the landscape for customers relying on a single vendor route. Enterprise hardware providers each have different levels of exposure to the current supply constraints. Knowing which route gives you the best combination of price, availability and lead time requires an up-to-date view of the market.
Five things to check before your next tech purchase
Based on what we are hearing from vendors and customers across multiple verticals, these are the five areas that matter most right now.
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Keep Options Open
A distributed procurement plan across multiple vendor routes reduces your exposure when one tightens.
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Think Hybrid
A dependable cloud footprint acts as a buffer when on-premises hardware delivery slips.
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Think Serverless
Containerising key applications improves portability across environments and reduces single-route dependency.
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Plan 18-24 Months Ahead
Organisations managing disruption best are not reacting to it. They are running procurement and technical roadmaps in lockstep.
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Sweat Assets Sensibly
Third-party support, component replacement and water cooling of existing hardware can buy time and reduce cost exposure while the market stabilises.
Our Hybrid Cloud and Data Presales Technical Director at Trustmarque and Ultima, Neel Dev, has shared insights on navigating this uncertain scenario in our latest article. Click the button below to find out more.
Most procurement surprises are avoidable. We help you see them before they happen.
What to expect from the assessment
Trustmarque and Ultima have been working with customers across multiple verticals throughout this period of disruption. We have broad relationships across hardware vendors, hyperscalers and specialist third-party providers, and we use that network to find the best route for each customer’s specific situation.
We map your requirement against current stock, lead times and pricing across multiple vendor routes simultaneously
We give you a like-for-like, cost-down and fastest-delivery option so you can decide what matters most
We work closely with our vendor partners to get preferential access to stock and favourable pricing windows
We can help you sweat existing assets safely with third-party support, minimising risk while the market stabilises
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