- An Asus executive has warned of big price increases on PCs
- Prices could rise 25% to 30% in the second quarter in Taiwan, we’re told
- This is likely to be reflected globally, and with other increasingly gloomy predictions hanging over the PC industry, it looks like the time to buy is now
Asus has warned that its laptops will be much more expensive in Taiwan, and while this may not necessarily apply globally, you can bet that it reflects the situation worldwide – and the scale of the increase is seriously worrying.
As reported by UDN in Taiwan (highlighted by VideoCardz), Asus said that PC prices in the country will increase by an average of 25% to 30% in the second quarter of this year (with varying increases depending on the exact model, of course).
This prediction came directly from Liao Yi-hsiang, who is the General Manager of Asus United Technology Systems Business, during an interview conducted after a press conference for a new Zenbook laptop.
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The Asus executive made it clear that double-digit price increases would apply to all PC makers, as they’re obviously all suffering from the same RAM and storage price headwinds (and the rising costs of other components besides, like GPUs).
The report also notes that component price increases “may continue into the second half of the year,” and so Liao suggests that consumers looking to upgrade their PCs should buy them as soon as possible. (Note that this is a translation of the article from Chinese, but the gist is pretty clear).
Analysis: don’t get stuck at this point
Granted, the report specifically notes that Asus didn’t say whether this price increase would apply globally, but it didn’t say that either would not — and I think you can safely draw your own conclusions there. Yes, there will likely be some regional variation, but Taiwan is not in a bubble, and warnings of price increases of almost a third over the next quarter are a very worrying sign of what’s to come for the entire PC market.
Meanwhile, we’re hearing gloomier forecasts around PC prices and the latest twists on the RAM crisis on a weekly – if not daily – basis. Here’s another nugget of doom from this week, for example, where memory chip maker Micron tells us how bad the supply has gotten in no uncertain terms. It’s getting awful out there, to the point where hardware is getting cancelled—witness Kotaku’s report about the Ayaneo Next 2 being canned because the price of the handheld at this point would be around four grand.
I totally agree with the Asus executive that if you think you will need a new desktop PC or laptop in the near future, it makes sense to buy now. These devices are sure to only get more expensive as 2026 roars ahead, with supply issues around memory not expected to improve for a long time. (Some actually believe the RAM market won’t be back to normal until 2030, and they include another major memory chip maker).
I think you’ll regret waiting, honestly, especially if you can get a good deal on a laptop now and there are still some tempting deals floating around. These offers may not be nearly as compelling a few months down the line, because if Asus is right, serious price jumps could be here before we know it.
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