Laptop price increases are arriving sooner than expected. Asus confirmed on January 5, 2026—just ahead of CES 2026 in Las Vegas—that it would implement what the company calls “strategic price adjustments” on select product portfolios, citing relentless upward pressure on memory and storage components. The move signals the start of an industry-wide correction that will ripple across Dell, Lenovo, Framework, MSI, and other major manufacturers, with some warning of hikes reaching 30 percent.
Key Takeaways
- Asus, Dell, Lenovo, and MSI are raising laptop prices starting January 5, 2026, due to AI-driven component shortages.
- Taiwan retailers raised prices 15–20% on mainstream notebooks and gaming laptops immediately after Asus’s announcement.
- Memory (DRAM) and storage (NAND/SSD) costs have surged due to AI demand, forcing manufacturers to absorb costs or pass them to buyers.
- TrendForce predicts laptop shipments will contract 5.4–10.1% in 2026 as higher prices deter buyers.
- Industry experts warn of a potential second wave of increases, with memory costs unlikely to normalize before 2027 or 2028.
Why Laptop Price Increases Are Happening Now
The culprit is straightforward: artificial intelligence has created unprecedented demand for memory chips and storage components. Asus’s official statement to partners, released via TrendForce, explains the reasoning bluntly. “After carefully reviewing market conditions, supply stability, and our commitments to product quality, and while continuing to invest in technical R and D, Asus plans to implement strategic price adjustments for certain product combinations starting January 5, 2026. This adjustment is a necessary decision after absorbing and responding to cost pressure over an extended period.” The company specifically cited “upward pressure on costs for key components, particularly memory (DRAM) and storage components (NAND and SSD)” alongside rising costs for aluminum, gold, tin, power modules, and printed circuit boards.
The timing is deliberate. January 5 lands one day before CES 2026, giving manufacturers a clean break before they unveil new models at the world’s largest consumer electronics show. Taiwan retailers—including Guanghua Shopping Mall, Sanjing 3C, and Moxun—immediately raised prices on Asus, HP, MSI, Gigabyte, and other brands by 15–20% the same day. In Taiwan specifically, Asus mainstream notebooks are climbing by NT$3,000–NT$5,000 (roughly 15–20% on models priced NT$14,000–NT$30,000), while gaming laptops are jumping NT$8,000–NT$10,000 (approximately 20% on models exceeding NT$35,000–NT$50,000).
How Widespread Are Laptop Price Increases Across the Industry?
This is not an Asus-only problem. Dell has signaled price increases up to 30 percent, while Lenovo is hiking its entire notebook lineup starting January 5, 2026—a broader move than Asus’s “select portfolios” approach. MSI plans 30 percent increases on gaming products, and Acer is expected to follow suit. Framework, the modular laptop maker, has already raised RAM module prices twice and stopped selling standalone memory kits, with further increases likely in early 2026. Samsung hiked Galaxy Book 6 pricing by 20 percent with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips. Even gaming peripherals are feeling the squeeze—the ROG Xbox Ally X saw a AU$200 price increase in Australia, with US and Taiwan markets potentially facing similar adjustments.
The gap between announcement and implementation varies by region. Taiwan retailers acted immediately on January 5, but US retailers are still working through existing inventory at old prices. This creates a narrow window for buyers in North America and Europe to purchase current-generation models before the hikes propagate through supply chains. However, the window is closing fast.
When Will Laptop Prices Stabilize?
Not anytime soon. An Asus representative told researchers that “nobody wants to be the first one to lower prices,” meaning that even if memory costs normalize—which industry forecasts suggest could happen by 2027 or 2028—manufacturers will have little incentive to reduce pricing. Senior notebook executives quoted by Mirror Daily warn this could be just the opening salvo, with a potential second wave of increases driven by soaring memory and SSD costs. Market research firms are already bracing for impact. TrendForce predicts laptop shipments will contract 5.4–10.1% year-over-year in 2026 due to memory price pressures, while IDC estimates a 5 percent drop in PC shipments under moderate scenarios, with worst-case forecasts reaching 9 percent.
Should You Buy a Laptop Now?
The math is straightforward. If you need a laptop in the next 6–12 months, purchasing before January 5, 2026, could save you hundreds of dollars depending on the model. Current-generation machines from Asus, Dell, Lenovo, and others are still available at pre-hike prices through most retailers outside Taiwan. Gaming laptops and premium ultrabooks—the segments hit hardest by the increases—represent the biggest savings opportunity. Budget and mainstream models will see smaller percentage jumps but still meaningful dollar increases.
The counterargument: waiting for CES 2026 announcements might reveal new models with better performance-per-dollar, even at higher prices. However, those new machines will almost certainly carry the higher pricing from day one, offering no advantage to the buyer. Unless you are specifically waiting for a processor generation or feature that has not yet been announced, delaying your purchase is a financial mistake.
Is the laptop price increase only affecting certain brands?
No. While Asus made the public announcement, the price hikes are industry-wide. Dell, Lenovo, MSI, Acer, Framework, HP, Gigabyte, and Samsung are all raising prices on January 5, 2026, or have already done so. The underlying cause—AI-driven demand for memory and storage—affects every manufacturer equally. Some companies are being more transparent about the increases than others, but the outcome is the same across the board.
Will laptop prices ever come back down?
Unlikely in the near term. Memory prices would need to fall significantly—and stay fallen—for manufacturers to justify cutting laptop prices. Industry experts estimate that memory costs may stabilize by 2027 or 2028, but manufacturers have explicitly stated they will not lower prices first. Once a price increase sticks, it typically becomes the new baseline. Buyers should not expect meaningful price reductions until component costs drop by at least 20–30 percent, which could take years.
The laptop price increases arriving January 5, 2026, represent a permanent shift in the market. The AI boom has created a supply crunch that will reshape PC pricing for years to come. If you have been considering a laptop upgrade, the window to buy at current prices is closing. After January 5, expect to pay significantly more for the same hardware.
This article was written with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
Source: TechRadar
