Microsoft just found another way to make PCs more expensive, because apparently they weren’t pricey enough

Microsoft has unexpectedly increased the licensing fees for Windows on PCs this year, potentially raising their cost by up to 5%, according to a Taiwanese publication. The steep hike is higher than usual, with fees jumping between 7% and 10% this time, compared to the typical 1% increase. This additional cost comes on top of the ongoing AI chip shortage, further squeezing PC prices.

Microsoft typically raises its Windows OEM licensing fees annually, but this year's increase is notably higher than in previous years. The pricing varies based on the CPU tier in the machine, with higher-end CPUs such as i7 chips paying more in licensing fees than lower-end options like i3 or i5. Many consumers have not noticed this cost increase, as component prices, especially memory, have already risen significantly this year, making the additional fee blend into the overall cost of the PC.

ASUS and Acer both announced price hikes this quarter, with some of their products now costing nearly 30% more compared to the same period last year. This trend is expected to continue, with Counterpoint Research predicting a 4% decrease in global PC shipments in the second quarter of 2026, marking the first decline since early 2025.