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When it comes to investing in expensive items, the best plan of action is typically to wait for a sale. Whether it’s a large appliance like a refrigerator or smaller electronics like a tablet, they can easily cost close to $1,000 or more. And with hefty price tags, what seems like even a small discount can potentially save you big.
However, with price hikes hitting a variety of categories, there are some items you might want to purchase now rather than later. Laptops are one of them, and while it can be difficult to find a solid deal on one on a whim amidst rising prices, we spotted the Sgin S18 15.6-Inch Laptop on sale at Walmart. With 70% off and a clippable coupon, the $1,000 laptop is now only $300.
Sgin S18 15.6-Inch Laptop
Courtesy of Walmart
Why are laptops getting so expensive?
A laptop is already a pricey purchase. While some are more budget-friendly, costing a few hundred dollars, many can set you back well over $1,000, if not over $2,000 for premium, upgraded options. But if you’ve been in the market for a new laptop as of late, you’ve likely seen the concerns over rising prices. The cause? A memory chip shortage and AI data centers.
DRAM and NAND are the most common memory chips found in laptops, smartphones, and tablets; however, there’s a growing demand for memory in AI data centers. Due to an imbalance in supply and demand, memory chip prices have skyrocketed, making the devices they’re used in more costly.Â
Various brands have increased their prices this year, with Apple being one of the latest. In late June, the company upped the price of its Macs and iPads, with CEO Tim Cook stating that the increases were “unavoidable,” according to The Wall Street Journal. One of the models impacted by Apple’s price hike was the newly released MacBook Neo. Just launched in March 2026, the MacBook Neo was touted as Apple’s new budget-friendly option; however, its starting price increased by $100 from $599 to $699.
Experts say the chip shortage might last until 2027, but a chairman of one of the leading memory chip manufacturers, SK Hynix, said it could last until 2030, Reuters reported. With a continued shortage and increased demand, laptops are expected to get more and more expensive.
Walmart’s budget-friendly $300 laptop
Despite rising prices, there are still opportunities to save on laptops. Walmart’s Sgin S18 15.6-Inch Laptop is a performance-ready budget laptop that’s ideal for simple, everyday computing tasks, whether you’re a student, working professional, or casual laptop user. It’s equipped with 12 gigabytes (GB) of DDR4 RAM, a quad-core Intel Celeron processor, and 256 GB of SSD, giving it ample storage and speed to store all of your files and handle multitasking. The laptop uses the Windows 11 operating system that’s user-friendly and has built-in AI tools to make computing tasks easier. The 15.6-inch high-definition screen also makes it easier to multitask with multiple windows and apps open at the same time, while maintaining its portability. And it has a long battery life of up to 8 hours, which is more than enough to get you through a school or work day before you have to recharge.
Is now a good time to buy a laptop?
With rising laptop prices, if you find a reliable laptop that suits your needs, it might be best to buy it sooner rather than later. Big laptop brands have already raised price tags, or they expect to in the near future, and even though it might be tempting to hold out until big shopping events over the next few months, like Labor Day or Black Friday, there’s a good chance you’ll be paying more, even with holiday discounts.Â
More laptops
Nimo N156 15.6-Inch Laptop
Courtesy of Amazon
Dell 15.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop
Courtesy of Walmart
HP 15.6-Inch Laptop
Courtesy of Walmart
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