Computer prices are increasing.

The global shortage of memory chips due to the AI ​​boom is forcing major laptop manufacturers like Lenovo, Dell, HP, Asus, and Acer to raise product prices simultaneously.

Laptop manufacturers are facing difficulties due to component shortages. Photo: Bloomberg .

According to Nikkei , Lenovo, Dell, HP, Asus, and Acer, the world's top five computer brands, are simultaneously adjusting their product prices. The scarcity of memory chips due to demand from AI systems is driving up production costs and eroding profit margins for these companies.

AI memory chips are "devouring" the supply.

Asus is leading the way in raising prices to offset costs. In January, the brand from Taiwan (China) announced price increases across its entire laptop lineup, including gaming PCs, ranging from 15% to 25%. Acer followed suit in February, announcing increases of 10% to 20% for some product lines.

Lenovo and Dell are not immune to the impact. These two giants increased the prices of their high-end commercial laptop lines by 20% and 25% respectively in January. HP also confirmed that it was forced to adjust prices due to rising memory costs.

Meanwhile, even Apple, with its large profit margins, is struggling to offset rising production costs. MacBook Pro models using the M5 Pro chip start at $200 more than their predecessors. The MacBook Pro M5 Max now costs $3,899 , $400 more expensive than its predecessor.

The AI ​​craze is weighing heavily on many manufacturing industries. Photo: Bloomberg .

The root of the problem lies in the global AI race. Artificial intelligence applications, from servers and workstations to high-bandwidth memory (HBM), are expected to account for over 50% of DRAM consumption by 2025. This figure was only 35% in 2023. The rest of the market, including PCs and smartphones, must compete for an increasingly smaller share of the pie.

Acer's chairman, Jason Chen, frankly admitted at the end of February that memory chip and storage costs had increased by 50-100%. Therefore, the company was forced to reflect this in its pricing.

In the market, a veteran industry expert stated that the price of 1 GB of DRAM has increased nearly 5.5 times in just the last 6 months. The price of NAND is also more than four times higher than the same period.

Stock is running out.

Many companies have been stockpiling memory chips since the third quarter of 2025 to weather the storm. A gaming PC executive told Nikkei that most of their inventory will begin to run out by the end of the third quarter of 2025.

"I'm very pessimistic about the PC industry this year. We're forced to pass this cost burden on to consumers. The price of high-end products will have to increase by about $200-$300 . January is the last time I'll advise my friends to buy a computer this year," the director said.

Jeff Jiann-Shiun Lin, CEO of Wistron, also expressed a negative attitude regarding the supply and price of components.

2026 could be a challenging year for the laptop industry. Photo: Bloomberg .

"The memory chip shortage and soaring prices are having a double impact on the industry. I wouldn't dare make a forecast for 2026 because even our customers are uncertain," said Jeff Jiann-Shiun Lin.

Compal Electronics, the world's largest contract laptop manufacturer, expects first-quarter shipments to fall 15-20% compared to the previous quarter. Under supply pressure, manufacturers are focusing their efforts on the high-end segment. A director at ELAN Microelectronics confirmed this trend.

"Laptop manufacturers are shifting their focus to high-end commercial products instead of low-end ones. Total shipment volume is still down, but the value per unit is increasing," this person said.

Jeff Lin, an analyst at Omdia, succinctly concludes that laptop manufacturers are being forced to raise prices in order to stay afloat. Omdia forecasts the global laptop market could shrink by as much as 12.5% ​​this year.

Source: https://znews.vn/may-tinh-tang-gia-post1634310.html