Intel processors are reportedly facing another price hike in October. They are expected to increase by another 10 percent

The year of price hikes may not be over yet. According to a new report from the Asian supply chain, Intel processors are set to increase in price by another approximately 10 percent on October 5th – and this time, people buying pre-built laptops and PCs might feel the impact too.

Third Price Hike Since Last Year

The report was brought by the Taiwanese server DigiTimes, citing sources from the supply chain, and subsequently picked up by websites like Notebookcheck or Tom’s Hardware. According to them, this would be the third price increase since the end of 2025 – following an approximately ten percent increase in the first quarter of this year and another round in July this year.

July’s adjustments for selected consumer and server chips ranged from several tens of dollars to over a thousand dollars per unit. For two desktop models, Intel officially confirmed the increase: Core Ultra 7 270K Plus increased from $299 to $349 (approximately 6,200 to 7,300 Czech crowns converted), Core Ultra 5 250K Plus from $199 to $229.

What the report does not specify are the particular models that the October price hike would affect, nor whether it would impact desktop PCs and laptops equally. Furthermore, Intel itself has not yet officially announced anything, so caution is warranted with this information.

Why is Intel Raising Prices?

The main reason is an effort to boost margins at a time when the PC market is rather stagnant. The company itself hinted at this – its CFO David Zinsner attributed the 13 percent year-over-year revenue growth from client chips in July to a higher average selling price, not a greater number of units sold.

Intel processors are reportedly facing another price hike in October. They are expected to increase by another 10 percent Adam Kurfürst News Adam Kurfürst News

Another factor is that memory, motherboards, and other components are becoming more expensive, so the cost of an entire computer is rising even without Intel. According to CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s strategy, the company is to focus more on more profitable products – and the less profitable “Small Core” power-efficient core line is reportedly facing a gradual end-of-life (EOL).

Who Might Benefit? The Arm Camp

The “Small Core” power-efficient cores are not aimed at regular computers, but primarily at industrial PCs, embedded systems, and Internet of Things devices. If the manufacturer scales back a portion of them, it will open up space for chips with Arm architecture – specifically for Qualcomm and MediaTek. In these segments, they attract customers with high integration and low power consumption, which customers often appreciate more than maximum performance.

It won’t just be about prices. According to the report, Intel is preparing a major annual launch for March 2027 – a new generation of Nova Lake is expected – while AMD is set to introduce new chips between June and July of the same year. Until then, the simple balance holds: if the October price hike is confirmed, PC and laptop prices are unlikely to fall further.

Are you buying a new computer now, or will you wait to see how processor prices develop?

Sources: DigiTimes, Notebookcheck, Tom’s Hardware