[Digital Today reporter Kyung-min Hong (홍경민)] A global artificial intelligence boom has driven a surge in computing demand. With production prioritised for server processors, consumer PC CPU supplies are tightening and price rises of up to 15 percent are being flagged, putting the hardware market on alert.

TechRadar reported on March 25 that multiple outlets, including Nikkei Asia, said the processor market is facing price pressures of 10 to 15 percent on average across server and PC CPUs. Intel and AMD have told customers they plan to raise supply prices for all CPU series from March and April this year, respectively.

Beyond higher prices, delivery lead times are also rising sharply. Waiting periods that typically took weeks from order to receipt are now trending to several months or more. An executive at a gaming PC maker predicted PC CPU supply would shrink further from the second quarter. This is seen as major semiconductor companies focusing capacity on more profitable AI server CPUs and reducing allocations for general PC use.

The CPU shortage is increasingly being likened to past disruptions in memory semiconductors. Industry officials say they face difficulty securing sufficient volumes even if they pay more, and they are voicing concerns that shortages are worsening by the day. As companies prioritise sales to data centres that can generate higher profits, an imbalance in supply and demand felt by consumers has become hard to avoid.

Price and supply conditions for other key components beyond processors are also becoming more serious. Apple Stores have recently seen the price of a SanDisk 1TB external SSD triple. High-end gaming device maker AYANEO has reportedly halted pre-orders for its portable game console, the Next 2, effectively cancelling the launch due to sharp rises in storage and RAM prices. Reflecting the increases would push the device price to about $4,000, leading it to judge the product would not be marketable.

Moves by global PC makers to raise prices for finished products are also becoming more concrete. Asus has projected PC prices in Taiwan will rise about 25 to 30 percent in the next quarter. This trend is seen as likely to spread to markets worldwide.

Intel recently unveiled a relatively affordable consumer CPU lineup through an Arrow Lake refresh. Analysts broadly say actual supply to the market will be very limited given current component availability and the prevailing trend of rising prices.

Experts see a very bleak outlook for the overall PC parts market, including CPUs and storage devices. They said consumers planning a PC upgrade or a new laptop purchase would be better off deciding to buy now or in the near term before prices rise further.