The hardware market faces significant challenges as Asus has announced price increases for select SSDs and DRAM kits, effective January 5, 2026. The Taiwanese manufacturer is responding to the rising costs of memory chips, which have surged due to a combination of structural changes in the global supply chain and heightened demand for AI hardware.
Asus confirmed that its price adjustments come as a direct result of absorbing substantial cost pressures over time. The company stated, “After carefully reviewing market conditions, supply stability, and our product quality commitments, Asus plans to make strategic price adjustments for certain product combinations.” This move is part of a broader response to ensure stable supply while maintaining quality and service levels.
Memory Chip Prices Skyrocket
The price of memory chips has risen sharply, with reports from the market research firm TrendForce indicating that DRAM component prices increased by as much as 171 percent by early November 2025, while NAND flash prices saw an increase of up to 246 percent by mid-December. These escalating costs now account for nearly 20 percent of the total material costs for personal computers.
The overall impact on the PC market has been significant. TrendForce has revised its forecast for notebook shipments in 2026, anticipating a decline of between 5.4 percent and 10.1 percent compared to the previous year. As a consequence, both new purchases and upgrades are becoming increasingly costly for consumers.
Asus is not alone in implementing price increases; Dell had previously raised prices by up to 30 percent in mid-December. Laptop manufacturer Framework has also adjusted its pricing and ceased the individual sale of RAM.
Shifts in Consumer Behavior
In light of these rising costs, many PC users are opting for older generations of hardware to bypass the premium associated with DDR5 memory and current PCIe 5.0 SSDs. For instance, processors from the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X series are seeing renewed interest because they offer a favorable price-performance ratio. This trend is influencing the second-hand market, where used Ryzen 7 5800X3D models are sometimes priced higher than newer counterparts like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
Some system integrators are now selling PCs without pre-installed RAM, allowing customers to utilize their existing modules. Asus is also extending the availability of DDR4 motherboards as part of its strategy to provide more economical alternatives.
Asus co-CEO, Samson Hu, remarked that the company is adapting its product mix and specifications to accommodate the volatile market conditions. For consumers, this means either facing higher prices or continuing to rely on existing hardware until supply chain stability improves.
The current price situation is not expected to ease until at least the second half of 2026, leaving consumers and manufacturers alike to navigate these challenges in the memory market.
