Intel CPU Prices to Rise Again in May: A Third Increase This Year

In 2026, Intel has already raised the price of its CPUs twice, with a third increase expected as early as next May. In February, Intel processors saw a price increase of 10% to 15%. In the second half of March, immediately after launching its new Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus processors, another 15% price hike was applied. Now, reports from China confirm a new price increase will take place next May.

According to reports from China, Intel has publicly confirmed these price increases to its partners. The company attributes these hikes to rising manufacturing costs driven by the current supply and demand situation. However, with very low demand in the consumer market, Intel—much like AMD—is focusing heavily on the AI server market. This strategy is leading to an artificial scarcity of consumer processors, which in turn drives up prices. Consequently, PCs and laptops, already expensive, will become even more so in the coming months.

While RAM Prices Stabilize, Intel CPU Costs Continue to Climb

Indeed, Intel states that the supply and demand situation has changed. As anticipated, the company is prioritizing the server CPU business, where they are selling everything they produce. For the consumer market, they have virtually stopped manufacturing low-end and entry-level processors, as these are no longer profitable in the current climate. They are only producing high-end and mid-range chips, and even these are in limited supply, a factor that further encourages price increases.

Reports indicate that Intel is experiencing a surge in global orders for server-grade CPUs, specifically a 50% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Intel's production capacity is reportedly at 95%, with the majority focused on producing processors for data centers and AI-related servers. This clearly explains why a scarcity of consumer CPUs is being generated, which not only limits market supply but also drives up prices.

It's also important to understand that this isn't solely about Intel. AMD is doing exactly the same, and this trend has been ongoing for a long time. Consequently, the consulting and research firm Gartner forecasts a global decline of 10.4% in PC shipments for 2026, alongside a 17% increase in PC prices due to rising component costs. A clear example is that laptops that once cost $900 could now have a base price of around $1,260 if the entire industry chain attempts to preserve its profit margins. So, we no longer only need to worry about RAM, GPU, or storage prices; this problem is now extending to virtually all components.