It looks like even power supplies and CPU coolers are set to rise in price, but AI isn't to blame this time
We already know the memory supply crisis is bad, but a new challenger threatens to further put the screws on PC gamers' wallets. If you were still hoping to upgrade your hardware this year, you'd better do it soon, as a leaked letter suggests PSUs and CPU coolers may soon go up in price by as much as 10%.
While you may think AI is yet again to blame, data centres don't typically use consumer-grade kit, and are otherwise operating with an amount of hardware that pales in comparison to the millions of PCs consumers buy every year. No, something even more fundamental may be to blame here.
The leaked missive is reportedly from Guangzhou Xinhongzheng Electronic Technology to its partners and claims price increases are the result of rising upstream raw material costs for copper, silver, and tin (via Videocardz). The letter goes on to explain that new orders for CPU coolers will see a price increase ranging from 6% to 8%, and power supplies will be subject to an uptick between 6% and 10%.
It's worth noting that the leaked letter has yet to be independently verified. That said, copper, aluminium, and nickel have all seen surging prices this side of the new year, with both mine disruptions and the Trump administration's import tariffs playing a role, according to Bloomberg.
The demand for copper in China has reportedly evaporated due to the volatile pricing situation (to say nothing more of geopolitical relationships), further impacting supply and distribution pricing. Furthermore, the street price consumers eventually see will likely be just as impacted by distribution and supply as the bill of materials (BOM) cost.
While the lower end of the leaked letter's projected range is about double the rate of global inflation, the price hikes aren't immediately dire news, even though they're annoying to see.
So, assuming the letter is legitimate, what may that mean practically? Well, for instance, the fanciest CPU coolers with all-singing, all-dancing LCD screens already cost a pretty penny, so could potentially absorb rising BOM costs without increasing in price. Unfortunately, more budget power supply and CPU cooler options don't enjoy that same wiggle room—in other words, the $35 cooler you had your eye on may cost closer to $40 very soon.
Trying to be ever so slightly optimistic, that doesn't sound completely awful. However, there's always the chance that vendors will also try to account for a dip in sales by raising prices even further. For instance, Chinese media sources already claim that the sales of big ticket items, like motherboards, dipped by up to 50% last year—could even less pricey gear follow suit?
It stands to reason that many will be thinking long and hard about their next upgrade. While PC gaming has always been expensive, 2026 is shaping up to be a year where even fewer gamers can ignore the squeeze.