--- title: "Double blow to the PC market: component shortage and rising Windows prices from Microsoft" description: "💻 **PC market in shock: Microsoft raises Windows prices** In August 2026, computer manufacturers faced a double blow. Microsoft increased the cost of Windows OEM licenses by 7–10%, tying the price to processor power. 📉 **Why this matters:** • Hardware prices are already rising due to shortages and the AI boom. • ASUS and Acer have warned of further price increases of up to 5%. • ASUS PCs have already risen by 30% since the end of 2025. Buyers risk being left without new computers or having to pay astronomical sums for them. #Microsoft #PC #Technology #Economy" date: 2026-08-10T22:55:30.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/double-blow-pc-market-component-shortage-windows-price-hike-microsoft tags: [microsoft, windows, pc-market, technology, inflation, hardware] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Double blow to the PC market: component shortage and rising Windows prices from Microsoft ![Microsoft logo on office building against circuit board background, symbolizing Windows price hike and PC component shortage](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/11/ms-windows-price-hike-pc-market-august-2026/ms-windows-price-hike-pc-market-august-2026-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Microsoft raised prices on Windows OEM licenses by 7–10% starting in July 2026. - License cost now depends on processor power. - PC manufacturers (ASUS, Acer) warn of price increases on devices. - Component shortage due to AI industry demand exacerbates the situation. In August 2026, the personal computer market faced unprecedented pressure from manufacturers. While consumers previously complained about a shortage of "hardware" and rising prices for processors and graphics cards, the software component has now been added to the factors driving inflation. Microsoft, the largest supplier of operating systems, has decided to revise its pricing policy for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). ### New Microsoft pricing policy: tied to processor power According to United Daily News, since July 2026, the average cost of Windows OEM licenses has increased by 7–10%. This is not just a linear tariff increase but a change in the pricing structure itself. Now, the cost of the license depends directly on the specifications of the central processing unit (CPU) installed in the computer. The more powerful the chip, the higher the price of the operating system for the manufacturer. Although Microsoft regularly reviews its rates, the current move is one of the most significant in recent times. Previously, increases usually stayed within single-digit percentages, but the current market situation has forced the corporation to take more decisive measures. For PC manufacturers, this means that margins on powerful gaming and workstations are significantly reduced, which inevitably gets passed on to the end consumer. ### The domino effect: AI industry and component shortage Microsoft chose an extremely unfortunate time for the price hike from the manufacturers' perspective. The market is already experiencing an acute shortage of memory, SSD drives, and processors. The main reason lies in the artificial intelligence boom: the AI industry is consuming huge volumes of semiconductor products, crowding out consumer electronics manufacturers from the market. Prices for key components are already rising, forcing buyers to pay more for every gigabyte of memory and processor clock cycle. Now, rising software costs are added to the rising "hardware" prices. Experts expect that in the third quarter of 2026, final PC prices could increase by another approximately 5% due to these factors alone. ### Manufacturer reaction: ASUS and Acer warn of price hikes Major market players have already begun preparing for another wave of inflation. Companies ASUS and Acer have officially warned of further price increases on their products in the current quarter. The situation vividly demonstrates how quickly economic reality changes: ASUS computers have already increased in price by an average of about 30% compared to the fourth quarter of 2025. Such a price jump threatens demand. Against the backdrop of shrinking PC shipments, the situation looks increasingly worrying: hardware is getting more expensive, Windows is getting more expensive, and buyers' desire to purchase a new computer at such a pace may disappear before the component shortage is overcome. Manufacturers fear that the market may enter a period of stagnation if prices continue to rise at an accelerating rate. ### Contradictory data There are discrepancies in estimates of the scale of the price increase. According to United Daily News, the increase in license costs is 7–10%. However, market analysts note that for the high-performance PC (High-End) segment, the actual increase could be higher, as Microsoft's new calculation formula focuses on powerful processors, which are significantly more expensive than basic versions. At the same time, some manufacturers are trying to cushion the blow using their own stockpiles, so not all models have received a price increase yet, creating a gap in the perception of the situation across different markets. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Why did Microsoft raise Windows prices? **A:** Microsoft revised its pricing policy by tying the license cost to processor power. This decision was made against the backdrop of general component price increases and demand for AI technologies. ### Q: How much will computers get more expensive? **A:** It is expected that in the third quarter of 2026, PC prices will rise by another approximately 5% due to rising license and component costs. ### Q: Which companies have already warned of price increases? **A:** ASUS and Acer have officially announced price increases on their products in the current quarter.