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Building a PC from scratch has already become a lot more expensive, thanks to skyrocketing RAM and storage prices driven by rising AI data center demand. Now, a new report suggests motherboard prices could soon push costs even higher, with boards from Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte rumored to see price hikes of at least 50 percent.
Your next PC upgrade could get a lot pricier
According to a report from Taiwanese supply chain forum Board Channels (via VideoCardz), the cost of printed circuit boards (PCBs) used in motherboards could climb by at least 50 percent by the end of 2026. The report also points to higher prices for other key motherboard components, including surface-mounted capacitors, copper heatsinks, controller chips, and VRMs, all of which are expected to increase manufacturing costs.
To offset those rising costs, Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte are reportedly preparing a fresh round of price increases as soon as the third quarter of 2026. The timing is far from ideal. Memory prices have already been climbing for months as manufacturers shift production toward high-bandwidth memory used in AI servers. Those supply changes are expected to keep RAM and SSD prices elevated through the rest of the year. If motherboard prices rise as reported, building a PC could become significantly more expensive than it already is.
Lower demand doesn’t mean lower prices
The reported hike comes as demand for prebuilt and DIY desktops keeps sliding. Asus is reportedly struggling to hit a 2026 motherboard shipment target it already cut earlier this year, while MSI and Gigabyte are expecting double-digit drops in shipments.
That slump may get worse, as the math on building a gaming PC has stopped adding up for many enthusiasts. None of the three manufacturers has confirmed a price increase, and the reported 50 percent figure could still shift before any hikes take effect. But if the report proves accurate, a new motherboard could soon cost hundreds more, making an early expensive PC build even harder to justify in 2026.
