The explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) is creating major changes in the computer industry, and one of the most obvious impacts may be the sharp increase in laptop prices in the near future.
According to a new report from TrendForce Company (a unit specializing in analyzing the market for semiconductors, DRAM, NAND, monitors, PCs, servers, energy and technology supply chains), high component costs, especially CPUs, could cause retail prices of laptops to increase by nearly 40% in 2026.
The laptop industry, which has been under pressure from weak consumer demand and increased production costs, continues to face a new wave of price increases.
The report said Intel has increased the price of some low-end laptop CPU lines and older generations by 15%.
Not stopping there, this company is said to be preparing to increase the price of mid-range and high-end processors in the second quarter of 2026.
Meanwhile, competitor AMD is also adjusting its supply to focus more on high-performance chip lines serving AI tasks.
This change makes the supply of low-end CPUs, which are commonly used in cheap laptop models, more limited.
As chip manufacturers prioritize powerful processors serving AI, the popular computer segment is at risk of shrinking significantly.
Pressure from the supply chain is also predicted to significantly affect small laptop brands. Large companies often have an advantage thanks to long-term cooperation with chip manufacturers and large-scale orders.
Conversely, small manufacturers may have to buy components at higher prices, while facing the risk of supply shortages.
In addition to the CPU, the cost of other important components is also increasing rapidly. Just a year ago, DRAM memory and SSD storage only accounted for about 15% of the total component cost of a laptop.
However, analysts believe that this number may exceed 30% in the near future.
When the CPU cost increases, the total component cost (BOM) of a laptop can account for 45% to 58% of the product selling price.
This means that a model that used to cost about 900 USD can increase to about 1,270 USD to ensure profits for the manufacturer.
Experts believe that this trend reflects a major shift in the computer industry as AI becomes the center of modern computing systems.
Personal devices are increasingly in need of stronger processors to run artificial intelligence applications directly on the machine.
Previously, market research company Gartner also predicted that cheap personal computers could gradually disappear by 2028.
According to this forecast, the cost of RAM and SSD may increase by up to 130% by the end of the decade due to the explosive demand for AI.
If the forecasts become reality, consumers in the coming years may have to spend significantly more to own a laptop, especially devices optimized for artificial intelligence tasks.
