Volatile hardware prices upend IT planning

Servers surge as memory costs soar

- SUCHIT LEESA-NGUANSUK

Dell AI servers at the Astronomical Digital Technology and AI Applications Laboratory in Chiang Mai. Some enterprises are adopting the systems to handle growing AI workloads.

Purchasing IT equipment, particularly servers, has become significantly more difficult due to market volatility, said a veteran IT executive who requested anonymity.

In the past, hardware prices were stable and price quotes were valid for 30 days. Now the duration has shrunk to 14 days.

Before issuing a quote, vendors must strictly verify inventories with their supply chains, as production and delivery lead times have drastically stretched from 1-2 weeks to 3-4 months, noted the source.

Given these extended timelines and increased costs, IT project planning has fundamentally changed. Customers are being forced to adjust in several ways, the source said.

Budgets set midyear or in the previous year are often no longer sufficient to cover the higher current prices.