PCB, capacitor and Wi‑Fi module costs rise up to 50%, pressuring motherboard prices

GG Brief Editorial Desk · AI-assisted, source attributed

Upstream raw material costs for motherboards have jumped, with PCB prices up 15–50%, capacitors about 50%, and Wi‑Fi modules 10–20%. Supply disruptions tied to the Strait of Hormuz crisis and an April attack on SABIC's Jubail plant have constrained petrochemical supplies used in PCB production. Manufacturers say the higher component costs add at least 10% to motherboard production expenses. August saw modest retail adjustments (~3% overall), with MSI raising prices broadly and Asus and Gigabyte applying small increases to select models.

• Motherboard PCB costs increased between 15% and 50%.
• Capacitor prices rose roughly 50% and Wi‑Fi module costs climbed 10–20%.
• Supply bottlenecks involve petrochemical inputs (PPE resin) linked to Strait of Hormuz shipping disruption and an April attack on SABIC's Jubail plant.
• Higher component costs add at least 10% to motherboard production costs; August retail changes averaged about 3%, with MSI raising prices across its lineup and Asus/Gigabyte increasing select models by roughly 5–50 yuan.