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It's Not Just RAM: Windows Licenses Are Also Pushing Up PC Prices (cnet.com) 54

Posted by EditorDavid from the Windows-tax-brackets dept.
It's not just RAM prices that are going up, writes CNET. "Reports suggest the cost of Windows licenses for manufacturers is rising by up to 10%." Several sites that closely follow Microsoft news, including Windows Central and Windows Latest, have published articles citing a report from Taiwan's Economic Daily News that claims some PC manufacturers are seeing a 7% to 10% increase in the cost of Windows 11 licenses...

Because they buy licenses in bulk, they get a sizeable discount over what a consumer would pay for a new copy of Windows 11. But given the existing cost pressures from other components, a big Windows 11 price hike could lead them to pass on some of the added cost to PC buyers. According to the EDN story, PC makers could raise prices by about 5% over the next quarter due to the reported Windows price hike. .. A translated version of the Economic Daily News article contains information from an unnamed PC brand executive. It says that while Microsoft typically raises licensing costs every year by single-digit percentages, that hike has reached 7% to 10% this year, a significant increase.
"A representative for Microsoft declined to comment on the report," according to the article.

But it also notes that three weeks ago laptop maker Framework blamed price hikes and reconfigurations for some of their models on processor, memory, storage, "and other silicon costs — but also "an increase in Windows license costs."

Thanks to Slashdot reader joshuark for sharing the article.

It's Not Just RAM: Windows Licenses Are Also Pushing Up PC Prices More | Reply

It's Not Just RAM: Windows Licenses Are Also Pushing Up PC Prices

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  • Oh no (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jhoegl ( 638955 ) on Saturday August 15, 2026 @02:07PM (#66290236)
    Our forced AI roll out abusing our Monopoly is not working to generate money, wont somebody please think of Microslop?

  • Most people don't need Windows (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Valgrus Thunderaxe ( 8769977 ) on Saturday August 15, 2026 @02:15PM (#66290250)
    They should wipe the drive and install Mint, and take MS up on their promise for a refund, as stated in their license agreement between them and the purchaser.

    • Have you ever tried to get a Windows refund? Virtually impossible. The problem with the PC price going up is that the OEM bundles it, so unless you're on eBay and there's a windows/no-windows competitive marketplace you're going to have to suck up the OEM pricing.

      • Big Picture Costs. (Score:5, Insightful)

        by geekmux ( 1040042 ) on Saturday August 15, 2026 @03:04PM (#66290350)

        Have you ever tried to get a Windows refund? Virtually impossible. The problem with the PC price going up is that the OEM bundles it, so unless you're on eBay and there's a windows/no-windows competitive marketplace you're going to have to suck up the OEM pricing.

        It appears that Microsoft normally increases the license cost every year. I'm guessing this particular increase will amount to a 1-2% impact in the big picture, since most consumers don't go home with only an OS license and no hardware.

        No. I'm not justifying Microsofts increased greed. Just questioning the clickbait hype around manufactured MSRP 'panic'.

        Meanwhile, RAM prices could increase by 1-2% by the end of this fucking sentence. Because a cat can play Beethoven reggae better than you ever could, and you had no idea how bad you needed cats playing Beethoven reggae.

        • You aren't wrong. I can't wait for the AI bubble to pop.

          • You aren't wrong. I can't wait for the AI bubble to pop.

            At this point I wouldn’t be shocked to find the MAFIAA funding an AI bailout fit for a Influencer Beast-King.

            Because ja need to see dem catz playin da classicat reggae mon..dey’re #1 in the charts according to Rolling Stone, a highly respected source known for its BOGO-combo humor/All-Time Bestest Guitar God GOAT lists that include Milli Vanilli..

    • Except it's not MS's offer for anything other than a license you purchased directly from MS. To refund an OEM license you effectively are at the sole mercy of the OEM. Most will not offer you a refund of the license and you rejecting the EULA will result in you needing to return the device. They will cite something like being unable to provide support or warranty for a product when using non Windows. This isn't a problem for most of us, but it's a big problem for the average consumer to buy a device cut off

      • Or just ask for the hardware to be delivered without ANY operating system and spend the 5 minutes to pop in a USB thumb drive and install whatever you'd like.

        Or buy a Mac.

        Or build your own system from scratch.

        Or.....

        There's plenty of choices out there.

        • Or just ask for the hardware to be delivered

          Most of the entire PC market is dominated by companies who you don't get to "ask" for anything. You get a selection menu with limited choice.

          Better still, companies which *DO* objectively offer Linux as an option don't even do that in all regions. For example you can select Ubuntu on the Dell XPS 13 on the USA site, but you can't do the same on the France, Germany, or Netherlands site. Oh and only that model by the way. You want an XPS 15, fuck you you're paying for Windows. - Dell.

      • They will cite something like being unable to provide support or warranty for a product when using non Windows.

        It's groovy when the representative of a corporations admits deliberate violation of the Magnusson-Moss act. It's always nice when they confess in writing.

    • Have you ever considered that if people actually wanted to use that crap... you wouldn't have to tell them.

  • Microchips, the internet and information have transformed the economy for fifty years through cheaper information.

    https://www.scry.llc/2025/09/1... [scry.llc]

    Cost Of Information: Assume the declining cost of information (COI) has driven economic activity for fifty years. Then the stagnation or increase of COI could be disasterous for the economy. The preceding graph shows an inflection point in Internet user growth, implying that Internet growth is slowing and will soon stagnate.

  • This is what inflation looks like in a single product category.

    Something happens to break the former equilibrium; in this case, a few things happened - Covid, then LLMs, and now rapid changes in international commerce stability. This causes uncertainty, disruption and shortages, all of which spikes prices.

    Then the opportunists see an opportunity. (And to be fair, prices are going up on everyone, even opportunists.) Prices are already going up and the bulk of buyers have no good reason to be knowledgeable

    • This is what inflation looks like in a single product category.

      When AI becomes Good E. Nuff, AI Agent For Hire and dismisses human employment completely, it will be very hard to argue "single" categories being impacted. Forget the timeless mantra of "Just go re-educate yourself and find another job." That advice is dead in the era of AI replacing the human brain.

      Buckle up, this is going to be "normal" for a long time.

      Nothing, is "normal" anymore. Not even when we have a Revolution. And it's going to take a lot more than a buckle for people to accept that. We won't even know how to define "inflation" in the era of 25% g

    • This is what inflation looks like in a single product category.

      Well, yes, increases in prices are to be expected year over year due to inflation in general (and not just because it is software), but this year the increases were reportedly in the 7-10% range, which is somewhat higher than in some previous years with somewhat equivalent inflation numbers. And for manufacturers, who only pay $50-80/device, that is not a huge increase, but when your margins are being cut all across the board due to other cost increases, every dollar increase in your licensing costs makes

      • ..every dollar increase in your licensing costs makes a difference, until you have to raise your prices to the end user.

        This is true, but lets zoom the lens out a bit and really look at the problem.

        When the one licensing a PC planet is a card-carrying member of the Magnificent Seven Stocks shoring up the rest of the market, how exactly does one put a reasonable value on their profit margins when Demand on the Magnificent side of the business is represented by the bloodthirsty ticker-sucking stock junkie investor horde screaming "MOAR! MOAR! MOOOOOOAAAARR!" directly into the soul of every retirement fund?

        Needless to say that'

  • Because they buy licenses in bulk, they get a sizeable discount over what a consumer would pay for a new copy of Windows 11. But given the existing cost pressures from other components, a big Windows 11 price hike could lead them to pass on some of the added cost to PC buyers.

    no, it should be:

    Because they buy licenses in bulk, they get a sizeable discount over what a consumer would pay for a new copy of Windows 11. But given the existing cost pressures from other components, a big Windows 11 price hike will lead them to pass on some of the added cost to PC buyers.

  • But at least you know who sets the price on Apple products, no hiding behind third parties, bulk licenses, collaborative marketing, etc, etc, etc.

  • Everybody has an excuse to raise prices so they do. That's the mechanism. Anyone claiming to give a better reason is full of shit.

  • The OEM price of Windows going up could raise a computer price like 2... maybe even 3$!

    Let's add a little more FUD to that article before you post it next time.

    • Let's add a little more FUD to that article before you post it next time.

      In the article it says Windows retail is $139 for Home and $200 for Pro. Math says the increase is $14-$19 for retail. I am not sure that tracks with your $2-$3 estimate.

      • Let's add a little more FUD to that article before you post it next time.

        In the article it says Windows retail is $139 for Home and $200 for Pro. Math says the increase is $14-$19 for retail. I am not sure that tracks with your $2-$3 estimate.

        In three months, we can ask those selling computers who had to discount their products a third time before Black Friday never fiscally justifies itself about that $2-3 estimate. Much like all of new car hype, no one is lining up in viral droves to pay that new PS5-FU price just in time for Christmas.

        PC Greed might find itself running face-first into the new car sales problem with ever-increasing MSRP; It drops, or it rots.

  • Since the TFS doesn't mention how much they actually cost and just gives the percentage increase (I wonder whyâ¦.) I had to RTFA.

    An extra ten bucks for the Windows license pales in comparison to RAM prices tripling.

    • Since the TFS doesn't mention how much they actually cost and just gives the percentage increase (I wonder whyâ¦.) I had to RTFA.

      The article says Windows 11 Home is $139 and Pro is $200 currently. A 10% increase would mean prices of $153 and $220..

      • But that's retail, you will be shocked what the bulk rate is for a manufacturer. For tricked out setups like overpriced gaming rigs the OS cost to the manufacturer is almost a rounding error.

      • The article says Windows 11 Home is $139 and Pro is $200 currently. A 10% increase would mean prices of $153 and $220..

        No the article says: "for consumers who aren’t OEM manufacturers , the cost of the operating system is $139 for the Home version and $200 for the Pro version."

        This article is not about consumers, it's about OEMs. The article also explicitly mentions that isn't the same price OEMs pay. Seems you managed to read to the end of the article (good for you), but forgot the content 5 paragraphs earlier on the way.

  • If people don't like your product, sales are down, and there's negative press almost daily describing it as bloated, convoluted, and filled with ads, just increase the price in order to make up the difference.

    I'm sure it'll work great, and I can't see how this could possibly backfire spectacularly.

    *gets popcorn*

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by PPH ( 736903 )

      just increase the price in order to make up the difference.

      It's all about perception. Higher price means product has more value. Gotta have one now!

  • Whether it's market forces, tariffs, or anything else, all components of PCs have dramatically risen in price.

    RAM prices have shown the fastest and most dramatic price increases by several orders of magnitude.

    • RAM prices have shown the fastest and most dramatic price increases by several orders of magnitude.

      RAM prices are what happens to a market when Demand is driven by AI.

      Which is a bit uh, Meta..when you think about it this first literal iteration of that as we expend trillions to physically build moar AI.

      Which that AI will then be abused to brainwash us into believing we need to build moar AI.

      By that time your name will be Soylent Green. Prices won't matter much unless you're over 200 pounds dressed and they get a bulk discount. Mmmmm. AI fishing food..

  • A 5% price increase for a computer due to a 10% licensing fee increase for the OS would imply that half of a computer's price is for Windows. That is so wrong it is just silly. Try again to explain why you are increasing the cost of the computer.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by PPH ( 736903 )

      Calculated with Excel.

    • Corporate math has always worked like that. Any increase of %x of a component justifies an increase of up to %x in the total price, regardless of what percentage of the total BOM the component represents. Because consumers will keep paying it after not doing the math themselves after an article sets the tone, 'prices on $component have risen x%!'. Be happy it's only 5%.

  • Windows 98, 28 years ago, cost $209. https://news.microsoft.com/sou... [microsoft.com] Accounting for inflation, that would be $428 in today's dollars.

    The summary doesn't mention this, but the article says the price of the home version of Windows 11 now costs $139. Maybe that's up from what it was, but way, way down from a long-term perspective.

    • I paid $99 for a fully legit copy of Windows 7 Pro, system builder's edition. That's simply intended to be sold alongside parts for a new PC, which in fact is what I was doing. Therefore I'm confident that an OEM license for Windows 7 Home was less than that.

  • there was a free operating system that would require no licence and work like a charm on now- obsolete (by w11 standards) hardware, right?

  • This will be the year of the Linux Desktop

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