The End of Cheap Endpoints: How Rising Costs Are Forcing a Endpoint Strategy Reshape

A market reality check for IT leaders in 2026

The IT sector is facing an unexpected component crisis that is driving up the cost of consumer IT platforms, just as many companies are planning or implementing large-scale migrations to Windows 11.

The latest signals from the sector indicate that prices for random access memory (RAM) and storage devices (SSDs) are rising sharply due to a shift in global memory production toward artificial intelligence infrastructure. The shortage of DRAM, a key component in modern PCs, is forcing system manufacturers to rethink their configurations. Some are even reverting to 8 GB of RAM in new laptops due to cost and supply constraints. This, in turn, is creating significant performance bottlenecks for modern Windows 11 workloads, even as businesses are expected to ramp up their productivity and security capabilities.

What’s driving costs up

• Demand for AI infrastructure is absorbing a disproportionate share of memory production capacity, particularly high-performance DRAM and NAND flash memory, traditionally used in PCs and SSDs, leaving fewer resources available for client devices.
• Memory prices have more than doubled in some segments, and shortages could persist until 2027 as supply chain capacity struggles to catch up.
• Storage prices (NAND/SSD) are not spared, the same industrial dynamics are driving up the cost of high-performance SSD storage, which is essential to the responsiveness of Windows 11.

Together, these trends mean a higher cost per device for Windows 11-compatible hardware. For IT budgets spread across thousands or tens of thousands of devices, even a modest increase in the price of RAM or SSD storage can translate into tens of millions of euros in additional investment.

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Windows 11 at Scale: The Real Cost Multipliers Behind the OS

At the boardroom level, migration to Windows 11 is often presented as a necessary upgrade in terms of security and compliance. In reality, for large enterprises, it translates into increased costs on several levels, not only because of the operating system itself, but also because of everything that must accompany it to make it ready for use in the enterprise.

A “Fresh” Windows 11 Install Is No Longer a Bare OS

An initial installation of Windows 11 may seem straightforward on paper, but in real-world enterprise environments, it is anything but.

Beyond the operating system itself, a production-grade Windows 11 endpoint typically requires:

• Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR/XDR)
• Local antivirus and behavioral analysis engines
• Device compliance and posture assessment agents
• Encryption management and key protection services
• Device management (MDM/Unified Endpoint Management)
• VPN or Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) clients
• Data-loss prevention (DLP) agents
• Monitoring and telemetry collectors for SOC and compliance teams

Each of these layers is justified, often imposed by security frameworks and regulations, but together they consume a significant and continuous portion of the system’s resources.

The Invisible RAM Tax on Business Productivity

In practical terms, this means that Windows 11 terminals are increasingly “preloaded” with non-business workloads.

On a modern business laptop:

• Security and management agents can easily consume 30–50% of available RAM on an 8 GB system before the user opens a single business application.
• Background services increase memory pressure over time, leading to paging, performance degradation, and user frustration.
• Storage is equally impacted, with logs, local databases, cached policies, and update payloads continuously expanding SSD footprint.

The result is a shrinking pool of resources available for:

• Collaboration tools (Teams, WebRTC)
• Browser-based SaaS platforms
• Virtualized or containerized applications
• Line-of-business software

This creates a paradox for IT managers: the more secure and compliant the device is, the less effective it is at meeting user needs, unless hardware specifications are continuously improved.

Why 8 GB Is No Longer a Viable Baseline

This is why the industry’s forced return to 8 GB RAM configurations, driven by memory shortages and pricing pressure, is particularly concerning.

In a Windows 11 enterprise context:

• 8 GB is no longer a “minimum viable configuration”
• It becomes a structural bottleneck
• IT teams are forced to upgrade to 16 GB (or more) just to maintain acceptable user experience

At scale, this shift dramatically inflates:

• Hardware procurement costs
• Refresh cycle urgency
• Power consumption
• Embedded carbon footprint

What appears to be a minor upgrade per device becomes a major financial and environmental multiplier when applied to tens of thousands of terminals.

Tooling Sprawl Drives Hardware Dependency

Another often overlooked aspect is tool redundancy. As companies add security, management, and compliance tools to Windows 11, they inadvertently increase their dependence on ever more powerful hardware.

This has three strategic consequences:

• Reduced hardware flexibility : Older devices that could otherwise remain operational are taken out of service due to RAM or storage constraints, even though their configurations allow them to meet business needs.
• Planned obsolescence : devices are replaced not because they are defective or unsafe, but because they can no longer absorb the satellite software stack required by company policy.
• Budget mismatch : Investment spending is being redirected toward hardware inflation rather than innovation, cloud modernization, or security architecture improvements.

The Strategic Question for Decision Makers

The real question is no longer “Can Windows 11 run on this device?”

But rather “Can this device sustainably support all the security, management, and compliance demands we place on it, without depriving business applications of resources?”

For many organizations, the honest answer is increasingly “no,” unless they continuously upgrade hardware configurations, which hurts ROI and strategic agility.

This is precisely where alternative endpoint architectures, such as IGEL’s specially designed software-defined OS approach, are changing the game by reducing the density of the local software stack, minimizing resource consumption, and decoupling security and management from the constant escalation of hardware.

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IGEL: Turning Constraint Into Strategic Advantage

At first glance, a lack of memory seems to be a hardware problem, but for IT managers, it is an opportunity in terms of architecture.

1. Mitigate Cost Pressure by Extending Device Lifecycles

One of the pillars of IGEL’s strategy is to reuse existing terminals rather than constantly seeking to upgrade hardware.

• With a lightweight operating system, IGEL extends the life of devices by transforming old PCs, thin clients, and laptops into secure terminals that offer a modern work experience without requiring the latest configuration specifications.
• Studies show that extending the life cycle by 4 to 8 years not only reduces environmental impact, but also avoids millions of dollars in costs associated with purchasing new equipment, representing a double benefit for sustainability and total cost of ownership.

For an organization planning to upgrade thousands of Windows 11 clients, delaying or reducing hardware replacement cycles can free up significant capital expenditure for strategic projects (cloud, security, AI).

2. Improve Security Posture with a Hardened Endpoint OS

Security is a top priority for executives. IGEL OS offers a platform specifically designed for endpoints, with minimal attack surface and centralized management, which is an architectural advantage when device diversity is high and endpoint risks are significant.

Rather than relying on large-scale Windows updates across diverse hardware, IGEL enables :

• Immutable configurations
• Strong encryption and secure boot
• Centralized updates and policy enforcement

This reduces the workload for security teams and decreases the burden on user support teams.

3. Boost IT Manageability and Operational Efficiency

IGEL’s Universal Management Suite enables centralized remote control of endpoints, regardless of their age, which is a significant advantage for organizations juggling hybrid work, multiple formats, and geographically dispersed assets.

By decoupling endpoint management from specific device classes, IT teams can :

• Apply consistent policies across remote and on-site devices
• Reduce onsite maintenance visits
• Deploy updates in minutes rather than weeks

This helps reduce operating expenses (OPEX) even when hardware budgets are constrained.

4. Sustainability as a Strategic KPI

Forward-thinking CIOs and CISOs are increasingly being held accountable not only for operational efficiency and security, but also for environmental performance and compliance. Sustainability has evolved from a corporate aspiration to a regulatory reality imposed on major markets, particularly in Europe.

France’s AGEC Law: Regulation That Redefines IT Responsibility

In France, the Anti-Waste and Circular Economy Act (AGEC) is a landmark piece of legislation aimed at rethinking the way products are manufactured, used, repaired, and ultimately disposed of. Enacted in 2020, it accelerates the transition from a linear consumption model (“produce-use-dispose”) to a circular economy by reducing waste, encouraging reuse, promoting repairability, and integrating sustainability into the product life cycle.

Key aspects of the AGEC law that are directly reflected in the sustainable IT and terminal strategy include :

• Mandatory repairability and durability ratings for electronic and electrical products, ensuring that equipment is easier to maintain rather than prematurely replaced.
• Restrictions on waste disposal practices, requiring producers to prioritize repair, reuse, or recycling over incineration or landfill disposal for unsold or end-of-life products.
• Expansion of extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs to more product categories, including electronic devices, which give producers financial and operational responsibility for end-of-life management.
• Promotion of reuse and circular consumption, supported by incentives such as repair bonus programs, the availability of second-hand components, and traceability mechanisms that inform consumers about repair options and product lifespans.

For multinational companies that operate or market their products in France, as well as those that align with the EU’s circular economy goals, the AGEC law is not incidental. It is a strategic turning point that indicates the likely direction of future regulation.

IGEL enables organizations to turn regulatory pressure into a strategic advantage. By extending the lifecycle of endpoints, reducing e-waste, and lowering embedded carbon emissions, IGEL aligns IT operations with public initiatives such as France’s AGEC law and broader ESG expectations. Its software-defined endpoint model supports circular procurement strategies while providing measurable sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs) for board-level reporting. Against a backdrop of rising RAM and SSD costs, this approach reduces hardware dependency and cost volatility. Ultimately, IGEL helps IT managers transform the constraints of Windows 11 migration into a more sustainable, secure, and value-driven endpoint strategy.

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From Windows 11 Cost Pressure to Endpoint Strategy Reset

Migrating to Windows 11 is no longer a simple operating system upgrade. Against a backdrop of rising costs for RAM and SSD drives, it highlights a deeper structural problem: modern devices are increasingly overloaded with security, management, and compliance tools that silently consume resources and accelerate hardware obsolescence. What appears to be a necessary investment in protection and governance quickly turns into a complex cost model, fueled by inflation, shorter device lifecycles, and limited user performance.

IGEL offers a fundamentally different approach. By decoupling security, management, and workspace delivery from hardware escalation, it enables organizations to absorb the constraints of Windows 11 without having to constantly upgrade their endpoints. Existing devices can be reused, pressure on resources is reduced, and IT regains control over the lifecycle, cost predictability, and operational complexity.

Beyond the economic aspects, this architectural evolution is directly aligned with public policy and ESG expectations, particularly initiatives such as France’s AGEC law, by extending the lifespan of devices, reducing electronic waste, and enabling measurable results in terms of sustainable development. In doing so, IGEL is transforming the endpoint strategy from a cost center to a lever for security resilience, regulatory compliance, and long-term value creation.

For decision-makers, the message is clear : the challenge lies not in Windows 11 itself, but in the legacy endpoint model that underpins it. Those who are rethinking device architecture today will not only mitigate cost and procurement risks, but also build a more secure, sustainable, and future-ready digital work environment.