As the AI-induced memory shortage continues to put strain on tech companies, Microsoft has significantly increased the price of its Surface range in the United Kingdom.
The price increases are not small, either, with the 13-inch Surface Laptop seeing a price hike of £200 and the 12-inch Surface Pro’s price tag increasing by £220.
Below are the old and new prices of currently available Surface Laptops in the UK:
| Device | Old Price | New Price | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Laptop 13-inch | £899 | £1,099 | 22% |
| Surface Laptop 15-inch | £1,349 | £1,529 | 13% |
| Surface Pro 12-inch | £779 | £999 | 28% |
| Surface Pro 13-inch | £1,029 | £1,199 | 17% |
The increase was less substantial for the more expensive Surface devices, but the fact remains that if you were planning to buy one of these devices in the UK, you are now set to pay far more than just a few months ago.
Price increases appear to have been implemented worldwide, with Windows Central first reporting on the changes in the United States, where prices rose by an even bigger margin than in the United Kingdom.
The cost of hardware components, especially memory, was directly cited by the company as the cause of these price hikes.
“Due to recent increases in memory and component costs, Surface is updating pricing on Microsoft.com for its current‑generation hardware portfolio,” Microsoft told Windows Central.
“We remain committed to delivering value to customers and partners while upholding our standards for quality and innovation.”
Global component shortage drives up prices
These prices hikes will be an unwelcome development for consumers in the UK, but likely not unexpected.
The ongoing demand for DRAM from AI data centres has already resulted in price increases to a range of devices, and it is not abating any time soon.
PC gaming company Valve’s upcoming range of gaming hardware has been officially delayed, with the company directly citing the shortage of memory components, and these will certainly be priced higher than initially expected when they do eventually hit the market.
Console gamers have also been affected by the effects of AI data centres hoarding memory and other important components.
PlayStation 5 consoles just received big price hikes in the UK, and it is increasingly likely that Xbox and Nintendo consoles will follow suit.
The global shortage of memory is exacerbated by the rising cost of living in the UK, as well as the effects of the conflict in Iran, which is expected to impact inflation and energy prices.
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