Your Next Windows PC Is Getting More Expensive, and it’s not RAMageddon to blame

If you were already wincing at PC prices, here is another reason to wait before upgrading.

Microsoft has raised the cost of Windows 11 OEM licences for PC manufacturers by a much higher amount than usual. According to a report from Taiwanese publication United Daily News, certain manufacturers are seeing licensing price hikes of between 7 and 10 percent, starting from July 2026. In previous years, annual licence increases were generally in the low single digits, making this year’s jump significantly steeper.

On average, PCs, laptops, and other devices affected by the higher Windows 11 OEM licence prices are expected to become around 5 percent more expensive as a result. A PC that costs $1,000 could increase to $1,050, while a $2,000 machine could rise to $2,100. e

The cost of buying a Windows 11 licence as an individual consumer remains unchanged, at $99 for Windows 11 Home and $199 for Windows 11 Pro. The increase only applies to manufacturers building hardware that ships with Windows preinstalled.

The timing is particularly painful. PC brands are already facing increasing operational challenges from higher RAM, SSD, and CPU costs, and the Windows licence increase is now adding software pricing pressure on top of existing hardware price pressure. PC end-product prices are expected to rise by another 5 percent in the third quarter.

For anyone shopping for a laptop or desktop in Uganda right now, grey-market and refurbished options are looking more attractive by the month.

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