PSUs and CPU coolers could be the next victims of the AI boom

The “AI tax” on PC hardware is spreading beyond silicon. After the cost increase for RAM and SSDs, the industry is now bracing for a significant price hike in other fundamental parts of a build: power supplies and cooling solutions. According to a warning issued by Guangzhou Xinhong Zhengdian Electronic Technology, a leading Chinese electronics firm, the surging cost of raw materials, specifically copper, silver, and tin, is forcing an immediate adjustment across the supply chain.

According to the letter shared by MyDrivers (via NotebookCheck), these increases are a direct side effect of the global AI infrastructure boom. While memory makers are busy reallocating wafer capacity to HBM, the construction of massive AI data centres has sent the price of industrial minerals to historic highs. Copper, the primary conductor in PSU transformers and cooler heatpipes, reportedly broke through the $13,000/tonne barrier in early January. Combined with surging silver and tin prices, manufacturers are no longer able to absorb the ballooning production costs.

As such, PSUs will see a 6% to 10% increase, while CPU coolers are slated for a 6% to 8% jump. Upstream suppliers reportedly stopped accepting orders at previous price points as of January 6th, meaning that any stock currently entering the channel is already being calculated at the new and higher rates.

Perhaps more concerning for the average consumer is the impending “promotional purge”. The notice from Guangzhou Xinhong Zhengdian states that all current promotional pricing and vendor discounts will terminate on February 1st. After this date, over 90% of products in these categories are expected to revert to a higher “standard” MSRP, with some products also subject to additional per-item surcharges. This creates a narrow window for builders to secure current inventory before the 2026 pricing baseline resets across the board.

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KitGuru says: We've already seen the impact of the AI boom on the high-end GPU and memory markets, but seeing it trickle down into copper-heavy components like PSUs and air coolers is a grim sign for the 2026 DIY market.

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