Buying a gaming laptop or GPU could soon become significantly more expensive, especially when you look at MSI hardware. Accordingly Business daily newsMSI has announced that it plans to increase the prices of gaming laptops, desktops and graphics cards by about 15% to 30% as the company struggles with rising component costs.
The announcement reportedly came during an investor meeting where executives acknowledged increasing pressure from the ongoing global storage shortage. The update was shared by MSI CEO Huang Jinqing, who warned investors that the broader PC market could shrink by 10% to 20% in 2026 due to ongoing component shortages and rising manufacturing costs.
Why is MSI preparing a price increase?
The main pressure point is the global memory shortage, which has driven up DRAM module prices sharply over the past year. According to the report, MSI currently only has one to two months of secure storage inventory, leading to uncertainty regarding future production planning.
At the same time, major DRAM suppliers such as Samsung and SK Hynix are reportedly reluctant to commit to long-term supply contracts, making it more difficult for manufacturers to secure stable component prices. Furthermore, the increase is not just limited to laptops. MSI executives said rising component prices could also impact prebuilt gaming desktops and handheld gaming devices, both of which rely heavily on DRAM availability.
How is MSI responding to the market slowdown?
In addition to price increases, MSI appears to be adjusting its broader product strategy. During the briefing, Huang said the company plans to prioritize high-end products while reducing its focus on lower-margin hardware. The strategy could shift MSI’s product lineup toward premium gaming systems, where higher prices are easier to justify.
MSI is also ramping up production of AI servers to capitalize on booming demand for AI infrastructure and hopes its data center business can offset volatility in the consumer PC market. However, if the component shortage continues into 2026, gamers could soon expect noticeably higher prices for laptops, GPUs and other PC hardware.
