[News] Intel Reportedly Raises Prices Up to 20% for Intel 7-Based Raptor Lake, Alder Lake; Asia Market Hit Hard

While Intel has just unveiled Panther Lake, its first major product built on the 18A process, the company is reportedly raising prices for Alder Lake and Raptor Lake processors, which are manufactured on Intel 7, ijiwei reports.

Earlier rumors suggested price adjustments of up to 10% for 13th-generation Raptor Lake and 14th-generation Raptor Lake Refresh chips. The latest wave, however, appears to hit international markets even harder, with some regions seeing hikes of up to 20%, as per ijiwei. Notably, the adjustments also extend to 12th-generation Alder Lake processors, the report adds.

Despite the launch of the Core Ultra 200S (Arrow Lake), 13th- and 14th-gen Core processors remain highly popular. EE Times China notes that even two generations old, Raptor Lake continues to excel on desktops, delivering the fastest gaming performance as Arrow Lake struggles to meet expectations.

Given strong demand, ijiwei reports that Intel has focused price hikes on select strategic models rather than its entire Alder Lake or Raptor Lake lineup—targeting mid-range favorites like the Core i5-14400 and Core i3-14100F.

Prices Surge in Japan and Korea

EE Times China reports that Intel reportedly planned a 10% price hike in late September, and 13th- and 14th-gen Core chips in Japan have already jumped, especially popular models. The Core i5-14400F, a budget-friendly favorite, surged from ¥19,800 in September to ¥23,780 in October—a 20% increase, the report suggests.

Citing South Korea’s top price-tracking platform Danawa, ijiwei reports that from late September to mid-October, the Core i3-14100F jumped 15% in Korea. During the same period, the Core i5-14600KF and Core i5-12400F climbed 13% and 11%, while the Core i5-14400F rose 6%.

A similar trend is emerging in the Japanese market. Ijiwei indicates that the Core i3-14100 and Core i3-14100F have seen price increases of 10% and 2.6% in Japan, respectively. Popular Core i5 models, including the Core i5-14400 and Core i5-14400F, jumped 20% and 11%. Meanwhile, high-end Core i7 and Core i9 processors experienced more modest fluctuations in Japan, with price hikes around 5%, the report notes.

Rationale Behind Intel’s Price Hikes

As ijiwei highlights, the recent price hikes for Alder Lake and Raptor Lake processors could help boost Intel’s profit margins, as these chips are produced using Intel 7 process nodes, which are now fully mature and likely running at full capacity. In contrast, Arrow Lake relies on external foundry support from TSMC, leaving less flexibility in pricing, the report adds.

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(Photo credit: Intel)