Windows license price hikes could make PCs even more expensive, report says

Windows laptops just can't catch a break. As the memory chip shortage rages on, a new report from the Taiwanese newspaper United Daily News (UDN) says PCs are facing further price hikes as Microsoft raises its Windows 11 licensing fees for device manufacturers.

According to a PC brand executive who spoke anonymously to UDN, Microsoft normally bumps its Windows license fees for PC makers by small margins every year. However, the latest increases are much higher than usual.

"In the past, licensing fees mostly increased by single digits each year, but starting in July this year, the average increase has reached 7 percent to 10 percent," UDN wrote. Other brand executives interviewed by the newspaper noted that the licensing fee increases vary by processor type; more powerful devices with higher-end CPUs have seen bigger increases than lower-end models.

These licensing fee changes are already impacting current PC prices, per UDN's sources. That would make sense since most Windows laptops and desktops sold to consumers come with their operating systems pre-installed. (In a win for DIYers, pricing for individual Windows 11 licenses remains unchanged.)

When reached for comment by Mashable, a representative for Microsoft said the company "has nothing to share at this time."

If true, UDN's report means PC makers are facing unprecedented financial challenges on the software and hardware fronts. The AI boom has caused a shortage of physical computer components like RAM and SSD storage chips, forcing brands like Dell, Framework, and Microsoft itself to jack up their laptop prices in recent months. Some experts predict that this crisis, often referred to as "RAMageddon," will continue to worsen later this year and into next.