The surging costs of memory, combined with a recent increase in prices for CPUs, especially those for entry-level laptops, could prompt retail price increases as high as 40% for mainstream notebooks, according to an analysis by TrendForce.
“TrendForce estimates that to preserve existing margin structures for both notebook brands and distribution channels, the retail price of a mainstream notebook with an original MSRP of US$900 could rise by nearly 40%,” they said in a Tuesday report.
This possible price spike stands at odds with Apple’s (AAPL) newly released, low-cost MacBook Neo, which launched last week starting at $599. It is powered by the A18 Pro chip built on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing’s (TSM) advanced 3 nm process.
DRAM and SSD typically account for 15% of a mainstream notebook’s bill of materials, TrendForce said. However, after several consecutive quarters of price increases, it is expected to account for 30%. The higher prices stem from staggering AI data center demand, which is absorbing much of the memory production and supply chain.
At the same time, some CPUs are also seeing higher prices. Intel (INTC) recently increased the price on some of its entry-level and older-generation notebook CPUs by 15%, TrendForce said. Intel also plans to increase its CPU prices for mainstream and mid-to-high-end platforms during the second quarter of 2026.
“As demand for AI-related computing workloads continues to grow, upstream advanced process and packaging capacity has increasingly been prioritized for high-performance computing products, crowding out supply for some entry-level and lower-end CPUs,” TrendForce noted. “This shift has begun to limit supply for certain entry-level and lower-end CPUs, leading to tighter availability for Intel’s entry-level notebook platforms.”
However, the report noted that tier-one brands, such as Apple, have an advantage due to long-term contracts and larger purchasing volumes, which help them secure more stable prices despite market volatility.