Prepare for Motherboard Price-Hike

[btarunr]

With the entire PC motherboard industry concentrated in Taiwan and China, it is valid to say that PC prices are pretty-much pegged to Taiwan's economy. Following a wave of labor-reforms in China and Taiwan coupled with deficit of skilled labor, and inflation added to the mix; key motherboard manufacturers are finding it difficult to cope with competitive motherboard pricing. A much smaller contributor to this is Intel's decision to phase out cheap G31 chipsets, making manufacturers buy slightly costlier G41 ones for the most common motherboard models.

Industry sources told Digitimes that the big three in the motherboard industry - ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI, will be hiking prices of their motherboards shortly, to cope with increasing raw-material, labor, and component costs. The price-hike is likely to increase prices by 10% on average in the next three months. Some higher-end models could increase by as much as 20%, if labor costs in China continue to rise. Another factor here is bulk manufacturers of printed circuit boards (PCBs), who have hiked their prices following increase in price of high-grade copper by a whopping 50% (from US $6000 /ton to $9000 /ton).

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[blu3flannel]

This is not good, I can't afford this kind of thing. :shadedshu

 

[Steevo]

Fine with me as long as they are planning on incorporating better QC standards, and items like copper traces to help dissipate heat on standard motherboards.

 

[buggalugs]

Hopefully the Chinese workers will get a decent wage and better working conditions.

 

[caleb]

They forgot to mention that we will run out of fuel in 2 years.

Some higher-end models could increase by as much as 20%, if labor costs in China continue to rise. ​

As long as theres an if I wouldn't care much.

Another factor here is bulk manufacturers of printed circuit boards (PCBs), who have hiked their prices following increase in price of high-grade copper by a whopping 50% (from US $6000 /ton to $9000 /ton). ​

Oh Please. There is more fuel being used to get the motherboard to you than copper. And copper prices are expected to drop soon as the price was created by high demand lately
http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/quickchart/quickchart.asp?symb=copper&sid=0&o_symb=copper

 

[HXL492]

But..but..what will the price of AM3+ motherboards be when they come out

 

[bear jesus]

This is not exactly so bad, if you are paying $300+ on a motherboard alone then an extra $60 wont break the bank yet for people buying motherboards under $100 it would probably be $10 or less.

Anyone here think that would really cause any of us a big problem when it comes to upgrading?

 

[pantherx12]

Ehh not fussed, hopefully fairer wages for the factory workers, hopefully better living conditions, hopefully better products.

Seems good to me, I don't mind paying and extra 20 ontop of a 100 for example if the product is good.

 

[blobster21]

Hopefully the Chinese workers will get a decent wage and better working conditions.

sorry to burst your bubbles, but the chinese workers and their wages are not part of the equation, there's no financial emancipation to expect for the poor guys out there.

As usual Inflation means more profit for the big ones

 

[InnocentCriminal]

Wonder how this will effect Foxconn (and their employees)?

:/

 

[LittleLizard]

HAPPY NEW YEAR (sorry, had to do it)

Well, at least we know that we will need to hang on our computer a lil bit longer (im at 2 and a half years now)

@Innocent Criminal: Foxconn employees kill themselves not because the hard working conditions but because they had a policy in which, if they died at work for any reason, their families gets a monetary compensation equivalent to A LOT of hours of work.

EDIT: Didnt quoted as im lazy right now

 

[Mussels]

Wonder how this will effect Foxconn (and their employees)?

:/

macs will now cost an extra $50.


mac customers will assume its because they used extra glossy plastic.

 

[trickson]

With the entire PC motherboard industry concentrated in Taiwan and China, it is valid to say that PC prices are pretty-much pegged to Taiwan's economy. Following a wave of labor-reforms in China and Taiwan coupled with deficit of skilled labor, and inflation added to the mix; key motherboard manufacturers are finding it difficult to cope with competitive motherboard pricing. A much smaller contributor to this is Intel's decision to phase out cheap G31 chipsets, making manufacturers buy slightly costlier G41 ones for the most common motherboard models.

Industry sources told Digitimes that the big three in the motherboard industry - ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI, will be hiking prices of their motherboards shortly, to cope with increasing raw-material, labor, and component costs. The price-hike is likely to increase prices by 10% on average in the next three months. Some higher-end models could increase by as much as 20%, if labor costs in China continue to rise. Another factor here is bulk manufacturers of printed circuit boards (PCBs), who have hiked their prices following increase in price of high-grade copper by a whopping 50% (from US $6000 /ton to $9000 /ton).

Sources: DigiTimes, OCWorkbench

Well Intel is still made here in the good old USA . Maybe if we stopped shipping every job and all our money overseas we wouldn't be seeing this shit happening ? God we are so stupid . But we will pay for this stupidity and Taiwan and China get the cash !

 

[Nailezs]

Well Intel is still made here in the good old USA . Maybe if we stopped shipping every job and all our money overseas we wouldn't be seeing this shit happening ? God we are so stupid . But we will pay for this stupidity and Taiwan and China get the cash !

due to higher labor wage in the US, i doubt it would save anything. might increase MB prices even further. lower labor wages is the primary reason US companys outsource to other countrys

 

[trickson]

due to higher labor wage in the US, i doubt it would save anything. might increase MB prices even further. lower labor wages is the primary reason US companys outsource to other countrys

Yes I know this . But Intel still makes there CPU's here and we get them for a good price Intel also makes there MB's here in the USA don't they ?

 

[Nailezs]

a quick google search did not reveal any verifiable info on where intel makes their boards. i saw people say that foxxconn made them, biostar, and dell(though i think the dell statement was a misunderstanding in the thread i was reading).

 

[hv43082]

Well this increase of mobo price will be balanced out by the decrease of RAM price. Yesterday I was able to get 2x4GB of Patriot DDR3-1600 for less than $50 from newegg.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Fine with me as long as they are planning on incorporating better QC standards, and items like copper traces to help dissipate heat on standard motherboards.

No. They are not going to do stuff that cost them more money when they have to raise the prices now for several reason's they can't control. It is going to be the same stuff, just more expensive.

due to higher labor wage in the US, i doubt it would save anything. might increase MB prices even further. lower labor wages is the primary reason US companys outsource to other countrys

While labor wages would be higher, they would save a lot on import fees and shipping from overseas. Unfortunately, I don't know any company with a factor in the US that builds Mobos.

Maybe we can get a US grant to build one as a derivative of an existing brand like Gigabyte. TPU could have its own factory to help the economy and have its own line of motherboards.

 

[InnocentCriminal]

When you say factor, d'you mean Factory?

 

[TheLaughingMan]

When you say factor, d'you mean Factory?

Yes. Dream big I always say.

 

[Nailezs]

While labor wages would be higher, they would save a lot on import fees and shipping from overseas. Unfortunately, I don't know any company with a factor in the US that builds Mobos.

yes but aren't the import and shipping fees less than the cost of higher labor wages in the US?

 

[_JP_]

Wonder how this will effect Foxconn (and their employees)?

:/

I think it won't have much effect on the suicide numbers (to lower it, that is). Their employees will be working the same hours, with the same conditions and with the same philosophy. The only difference is that Foxconn will try to get more skilled workers.

 

[de.das.dude]

oh man f*** this!! i was gonna get to ddr3!!

 

[runnin17]

macs will now cost an extra $50.


mac customers will assume its because they used extra glossy plastic.

LULZ, as I am a mac owner I will attest that most mac owners are the typical fanbois. Not me though, not me

The price increase doesn't really bother me. Hopefully when the AM3+ boards come out I will have the foresight to have saved up a little extra cash.

 

[suraswami]

Yes I know this . But Intel still makes there CPU's here and we get them for a good price Intel also makes there MB's here in the USA don't they ?

Show me one mobo that is made in USA, I will be glad to pay premium to buy it to support US workers.

Except food 95% of things are made outside of US and consumed in US.