Japanese shops halt desktop PC orders until 2026 as memory shortage intensifies — built-to-order systems hamstrung by component shortages and skyrocketing prices

Every facet of computing seems to be consumed by the growing appetite of the AI boom. It's already snatched enough production lines that DDR5 memory now costs 4x as much, while most SSDs have also doubled in prices. Now, we're seeing reports from Japan where PC vendors are closing orders for the remainder of the year because they simply cannot keep up with the demand.

Shops in the region that sell pre-assembled builds, known as Build-to-Order (BTO), are struggling to fulfil even existing commitments as RAM and storage gets more expensive by the day, with dwindling inventories exacerbated by the inability to procure new parts at consistent prices. This makes it difficult for these BTO shops to offer quotes to customers.

IT Home remarks that at least three popular stores in its coverage, have implemented some sort of a halt, along with late delivery alerts. First up is Sycom that momentarily paused orders on its website from December 16 to December 19, but they've since reopened, but it remains to be seen for how long. Even so, the shop has warned that delivery times will take longer than before.

Next, we have the iconic TSUKUMO retailer who has two in-house brands known as G-Gear and eX.computer, think of the former as a local iBuyPower or CyberPower stand-in. Both of these brands have stopped taking new orders entirely. The store in general has also paused ordering for delivery for the remaining days of 2025.

Lastly, we have Mouse Computers who announced on December 16 that sales for some products will soon face suspension, while also citing "delays in shipping and delivery." That was followed up with another announcement on December 19. This time, Mouse Computers warned that their consultation counters are congested and that some items available on their website currently have "undecided" shipping dates.

Today, Mouse Computers posted a dedicated statement on X, saying PC products from NEXTGEAR, G TUNE, and DAIV PC brands are the ones going on a sales hiatus. Specifically, they'll stop being sold between December 23, 2025, to January 4, 2026. When orders resume on Monday, January 5, 2026, they'll bring with them inflated prices.

All that is on top of the typical, seasonal rush of the holidays. It's clear the situation has reached a critical point, one not too dissimilar from the GPU shortage we had a few years ago where the community would scour stores and sites for stock updates.

Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.