Intel plans another ~10% CPU price rise from Oct. 5, sources say

Supply-chain sources told DigiTimes that Intel plans to increase CPU prices by roughly 10% effective October 5 of this year, though the specific affected models were not identified.

The same sources said several lower-core product lines are approaching end-of-life, without naming which processors would be impacted. The report follows recent coverage of a desktop CPU sales slump for both Intel and AMD.

Rising PCB costs, which have pushed up motherboard prices, and a memory supply crunch are cited as contributors to the broader price increases that have progressed since late 2025. Sources additionally say Intel CEO Chen Liwu is reviewing pricing and profit in the CPU segment.

DigiTimes’ supply-chain contacts also claimed further layoffs at Intel could occur, potentially cutting 5–10% of the workforce and reducing the company’s global headcount to around 70,000; those cuts would be in addition to recent data-center group layoffs.

Sources said Intel’s own fabs are prioritising server CPU production because of AI-driven demand and higher margins. Fab capacity constraints might lead Intel to enlist TSMC to scale server-processor output. If Intel fills its fab capacity with server CPUs, PC CPU production could be crowded out, reducing supply for desktop processors.

The report notes recent price increases affected the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core 5 250K Plus. Intel said last month it intends to keep Raptor Lake CPUs available for years as a cheaper option to DDR5-capable chips, and Nova Lake processors with X3D‑rival cache and gaming performance are expected later this year.