The most intense wave of price increases in the PC market may have passed. Asus has signaled that it expects product price hikes in the third quarter of this year to narrow to a single-digit range, offering some breathing room for OEMs and consumers under cost pressures.

Asus General Manager Liao Yixiang recently stated that overall Asus product prices have accumulated an increase of 30% since Q4 2025. Looking ahead to the second half of the year, however, he anticipates price adjustments in Q3 will be confined to a single-digit range (0% to 9%). The primary reasons are recent declines in prices for core components like memory and storage, coupled with the fact that further significant price increases could exceed market tolerance.

This statement could have a ripple effect across the entire PC industry. Market observers expect other OEM manufacturers will follow suit in announcing a slowdown in their price increase cadence. Concurrently, overall PC market shipments have already declined by 10% to 15%. The dual pressures of high prices and low sales volumes are eroding revenue expectations for companies reliant on this segment—revenue targets for several manufacturers are expected to remain flat or see only marginal growth due to price increases.

Component Price Softening Forms Core Rationale for Asus's Slower Hikes

Liao Yixiang indicated that the recent pullback in memory and storage prices is the direct catalyst for Asus moderating its price hike outlook. He emphasized that, given limited market tolerance, sustaining significant price increases is becoming untenable—excessively high end-user prices would further suppress consumer demand, exacerbating the already pressured decline in shipments.

This assessment is closely tied to Asus's own product mix adjustments. Currently, high-end and flagship products account for 60% of Asus's total PC sales, offering relatively ample room for premium pricing. However, the mass consumer market is more price-sensitive, leaving far less room for continued price increases compared to the high-end segment.

Despite industry-wide pressures, Asus still recorded a 25% year-over-year revenue increase, primarily driven by its high-end and flagship product lines. During the supply shortage, these products were either chronically out of stock or sold at substantial premiums, significantly boosting overall revenue.

Industry Warning: Memory Price Pressure Could Persist Until 2028

Asus's optimistic forecast is not without controversy. Analysts warn of a risk that memory prices could rise by 50% again per quarter, with related pressures expected to last until 2028. Spot market data also shows that consumer-grade DRAM and SSDs are still recording double-digit price increases, with memory prices having risen by as much as 89% compared to the previous quarter at one point.

Regarding DRAM manufacturers, reports indicate that as HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) revenue nears its peak, some manufacturers are moving to expand capacity for general-purpose DRAM for PCs. This could alleviate supply pressure in the medium to long term—but in the short term, market trends have yet to show clear signals of a rapid return to normalcy for either DRAM or the overall PC market.

Whether Asus's statement heralds an industry inflection point or merely a fleeting, temporary respite will likely require another one or two quarters of data for verification.