New PC sir? That'll be $6m please

Morning, it's Thursday April 16 2026. Today... 20% PC price increases... use AI to improve margins... and managed services continue to grow. Let's do Thursday, shall we?

🔴 “Empty your wallet”: Your clients' next PC refresh is going to cost more than they thought

If you’ve got hardware refreshes coming up for clients in the next six months, probably best to talk to them now. Because when the invoice arrives, they’re going to need to have a good sit down. Maybe even a shot of vodka.

IDC is projecting average PC prices will increase 15-20% in 2026. Teal

The culprit is, of course, memory. Up to 70% of global memory production is now directed toward AI data centres, leaving just 30% for, y’know, the stuff we use every day… PCs, servers, and everything else. Teal

Add tariffs on top, and you’ve got a proper squeeze. Gartner’s analysts describe the supply constraint as structural and persistent, not cyclical, meaning it could potentially last well into 2027. Computerworld

So this isn’t a blip. It’s the new normal… at least for a while.

A suggested practical move: get quotes locked in now, have the budget conversation with clients before they see prices go up, and consider whether any refresh cycles can be pushed or whether kit can be life-extended.

Clients who went through Windows 10 end-of-life without upgrading are going to feel this hardest. Yes, you and I both know… you told them!!

🟡 Use AI to expand your margins and remove friction

The real opportunity for MSPs isn’t selling AI to clients, it’s using AI internally to expand margins, eliminate daily friction, and deliver consulting services without losing the recurring revenue model underneath.

That’s what Kaseya’s EMEA boss Dermot McCann said at an event in London this week. IT Pro

The warning he attached to that: the threat landscape right now is a “hacker’s dream,” with AI-generated phishing now the baseline for attackers, not an advanced technique. IT Pro

So the same technology that helps you scale is also helping the people trying to breach your clients. Something to keep front of mind.

🟢 This is reassuring… the IT spending tap is still on

With the Iran conflict, tariff chaos, and memory shortages all making headlines, it would be easy to assume businesses are freezing IT budgets.

Global IT spending was forecast to hit $6.15 trillion in 2026 before the conflict broke out. IDC has since cut its growth forecast. But there is some good news. Analysts say AI investment is cushioning the blow. Computerworld

Managed services specifically continues to grow (woohoo!). The businesses that need help managing increasingly complex environments aren’t suddenly going to stop needing that help just because oil prices are high. If anything, when budgets get squeezed, outsourcing looks more attractive, not less.

See you tomorrow, bright and early. Don’t worry, it’s nearly the weekend 😃