[News] ASUS Reportedly Warns PC Prices Could Jump 25–30% in 2Q, Rising Further in 3Q Amid CPU, Memory Costs

Amid surging memory and CPU costs, PC makers are gearing up for another wave of price hikes. ASUS, citing local reports from Commercial Times and TechNews, noted that the overall PC market is expected to see price increases of 25–30% in the second quarter, with upward momentum expected to extend into the third quarter.

The Economic Daily News adds that Taiwanese PC brands Acer, MSI, and Gigabyte are also preparing price increases, with average hikes expected in the double-digit percentage range. The move, as per the report, means that for a laptop with an average selling price of $1,000, buyers may end up paying roughly NT$10,000 more.

Memory, CPU crunch to blame

Soaring prices for memory and solid-state drives (SSDs), alongside an ongoing CPU shortage, are rapidly inflating cost pressures for PC vendors. Citing Jose Liao, general manager of systems business at ASUS, Economic Daily News highlights the scale of the surge: 32GB memory modules that sold for just over NT$3,000 last year could spike to nearly NT$20,000 in the second quarter.

At the same time, tightening supply at Intel and AMD has pushed CPU allocation toward mid- to high-end models, further driving up costs across the PC supply chain, Liao added.

According to TrendForce, the combined bill-of-materials (BOM) share of CPUs and memory in notebooks is set to climb to 58% in 1Q26, up sharply from 45% in 1Q25. These cost pressures could translate into retail price increases approaching 40% higher if brands and distribution partners maintain their existing margins, TrendForce notes.

Price Surge Sparks Early Buying

Notably, expectations of further price hikes are already triggering a pull-in effect in Taiwan’s PC market, with both consumers and distributors accelerating purchases and lifting near-term demand. Citing Samson Hu, co-CEO of ASUS, Commercial Times reports that the company’s overall PC shipments are projected to grow about 10% in 2026.

However, Hu cautioned that additional price increases in the third quarter could start to weigh on demand, clouding visibility for the second half and the full-year shipment outlook, the report notes.

Apple’s launch of the MacBook Neo is also drawing attention to whether PC vendors will follow suit amid soaring component costs. Commercial Times reports that entry-level and low-end PCs—expected to be hit hardest by price hikes—have prompted Taiwan-based MSI to scale back roughly one-third of its lineup to soften the impact.

At the same time, ASUS stressed that the entry-level segment remains large and cannot be ignored. While rising component costs will squeeze margins, the company plans to navigate the challenge with careful product planning rather than retreat from the market, according to Commercial Times.

Read more

• [News] ASUS’s Reported 15-20% Price Hike Triggers Domino Effect as Retailers Raise Rivals’ Prices Jan. 5
• [News] Acer and ASUS Reportedly to Pass Surging Memory Costs to PCs in 1Q26, Hot on Dell’s Heels

(Photo credit: ASUS)