Early 2026 has arrived with unwelcome news for those who delayed upgrading their hardware. Tech giant Asus has officially announced an upcoming surge in retail prices.
The company has informed its distribution partners of “strategic price adjustments” set to take effect on January 5. While the specific list of products and the exact margin of the increase remain undisclosed, it is widely expected to hit premium devices hardest—including the ROG Ally X, which already commands a price tag near $1,000.
Asus cites the rising cost of raw materials and significant shortages in DRAM, NAND, and SSD components as the primary drivers behind this decision.
This upward pricing pressure is fueled by the global AI explosion. Semiconductor manufacturers are pivoting their production capacities toward high-demand artificial intelligence hardware, severely limiting the availability of components for the traditional consumer market.
Experts warn that this is merely the beginning of a broader trend. Insider reports suggest that NVIDIA and AMD are also contemplating price hikes for their graphics cards later in 2026. Furthermore, persistent memory shortages could jeopardize the production timelines for next-generation consoles, including the PlayStation 6 and the successor to the Xbox Series X.
All indicators suggest that 2026 will be a testing year for gaming enthusiasts. This initial move by Asus serves as a warning of a potential wave of price increases sweeping across the entire tech industry.
Source: iXBT.games