Gaming monitors are next in line for a price hike as manufacturers can no longer absorb costs

Q: Which monitor models from KTC or AOC are mentioned as likely to increase in price?

The article does not mention any specific KTC or AOC monitor models that are likely to increase in price. It states KTC warned of price increases across its product lineup and that AOC informed distributors of adjustments beginning in August, but no models or timelines were confirmed.

Q: When did AOC notify distributors about monitor price adjustments?

AOC informed distributors that monitor price adjustments will begin in August.

Q: What reasons did KTC give for impending monitor price increases?

KTC said the continued rise in prices of core components globally has pushed monitor production costs up significantly, and the company can no longer absorb that pressure internally. The article also links those component cost increases to the broader memory crisis, with DRAM and NAND shortages driven by AI infrastructure demand rippling through the market.

Q: How is the DRAM and NAND shortage connected to rising monitor prices according to the article?

The article says DRAM and NAND shortages, driven by AI infrastructure demand, have increased global component costs, pushing monitor production expenses up. KTC and AOC warn they can no longer absorb those higher costs, so manufacturers are passing them on as higher monitor prices. Monitors are therefore "catching up" to price rises already seen across the rest of the tech market.

KTC and AOC are warning that gaming monitor prices are set to rise as rising component costs and the memory shortage spread to displays.

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Hassam Nasir

Tech Reporter

Published Aug 17, 2026 7:32 PM CDT

1 minute & 15 seconds read time

TL;DR: KTC and AOC warn gaming monitor prices will rise as global component, panel and memory costs push production expenses beyond manufacturers' ability to absorb. KTC is negotiating with suppliers and recommends buying now; AOC plans price adjustments from August. The increases stem from DRAM and NAND shortages linked to AI demand.

Voice: Hassam NasirSpeed

0:00 / 2:26

Gaming monitors have been one of the last remaining bright spots in an otherwise brutal period for PC hardware prices. While RAM, storage, laptops, smartphones, and gaming PCs have all climbed sharply over the past year, displays stayed relatively affordable, with OLED panels and high refresh rate monitors dropping to prices that would have seemed impossible a few years ago.

KTC, a Chinese monitor manufacturer that holds around 17% of the global mini LED monitor market, has issued a formal warning that price increases are coming across its product lineup. In its announcement, the company said rising global costs for components have pushed monitor production expenses to a point where it can no longer absorb them internally.

"Due to the continued rise in the prices of core components globally, the production cost of monitors has increased significantly, and we can no longer absorb this pressure on our own," KTC said.

Gaming monitors are next in line for a price hike as manufacturers can no longer absorb costs 4

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No specific models or timelines have been confirmed yet. KTC says it is still negotiating with suppliers in an effort to delay the increases as long as possible. In the meantime, the company is advising anyone already planning to buy a monitor to do so now. "For users with a clear need to purchase a device in the near future, the current pricing window offers excellent value for money, and we recommend planning your purchase time accordingly," the company said.

AOC recently informed distributors of monitor price adjustments beginning in August, citing higher costs for panels, components, power-related hardware, and manufacturing. With two manufacturers now issuing warnings within a short window of each other, it is reasonable to expect others to follow.

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Question #1

Which monitor models from KTC or AOC are mentioned as likely to increase in price?

Question #2

When did AOC notify distributors about monitor price adjustments?

Question #3

What reasons did KTC give for impending monitor price increases?

Question #4

How is the DRAM and NAND shortage connected to rising monitor prices according to the article?

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The underlying cause is the same memory crisis that has been driving up prices across the tech industry. DRAM and NAND shortages triggered by AI infrastructure demand have rippled outward, and monitors are catching up to what the rest of the market has already been dealing with.