Prices for Previous-Generation Intel and AMD Processors Begin to Climb

In early November, the PC component market encountered unexpected price increases for processors from Intel and AMD. According to industry sources, the price surge began in the final days of October and has impacted a majority of popular models. Potential reasons cited include rising demand from adjacent sectors, including those related to artificial intelligence, which could lead to future shortages.

Significant price increases for Intel processors on the wholesale market have been reported. The price hike has affected a wide range of models, primarily from previous generations. The only exception, based on available information, appears to be the newest Core Ultra 200 series, whose prices have remained stable. For AMD, the primary driver behind the price increase is likely a shortage of components for production. The manufacturer has already notified its partners of an increase in the cost price for Ryzen 5000 series processors. The increase amounts to $5 to $20 per unit, which has already been reflected in wholesale prices.

Some major distributors have even temporarily suspended shipments of these product lines, awaiting market stabilization. Prices for these models are expected to continue rising in the coming weeks, while the pricing strategy for the newest Ryzen 9000 series remains unchanged. Analysts suggest the wave of price increases could also affect Ryzen 7000 series processors, as reports do not explicitly state their exclusion. For end consumers, this means that building systems with previous-generation CPUs could soon become noticeably more expensive.

This situation raises questions for many about the advisability of buying outgoing generations of processors. Against the backdrop of their rapid price increase, new platforms like AMD's AM5 with Ryzen 9000 processors or Intel with Core Ultra 200 may prove to be a more worthwhile investment in the mid-term, especially considering the sales events beginning in November.

This wave of processor price increases is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader market trend. In parallel, there is a rise in memory prices, also linked to booming demand from the AI industry. Major manufacturers have almost completely retooled their production capacity to output memory for AI servers, causing a shortage and a 20-40% price increase for consumer-grade DDR5 modules.