Leading PC manufacturers are facing the necessity of increasing product prices. ASUS is among the first to announce a significant hike, raising computer costs by up to 30%. This increase will initially impact the Taiwanese consumer market, but experts predict the trend will extend to other regions. Other major players, such as Acer and Dell, are expected to follow ASUS’s lead.
The primary reason for the price surge is the prolonged shortage of Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM), which is exerting significant pressure on the entire tech industry. Previously, manufacturers managed to keep prices stable due to existing component inventories. However, the situation has shifted: DRAM access has become challenging, and its cost has risen considerably, directly impacting the production cost of final devices.
Additional contributing factors worsening the situation include rising prices for SSDs, as well as shortages of processors and graphics cards. These issues collectively create a complex supply chain environment, forcing companies to balance ensuring stable supplies with maintaining profitability.
According to analysts, under current conditions, price increases are becoming an unavoidable step. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the budget segment of personal computers could significantly shrink or even disappear in the coming years if current trends persist. Forecasts also indicate a double-digit decline in PC shipments this year.
In response to this crisis, many manufacturers, including ASUS, Acer, and Dell, are actively diversifying their businesses. They are increasing their presence in server solutions and contract manufacturing to capitalize on the growing demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure.