Asus, MSI and Gigabyte Cut Motherboard Production. What Is Happening in the Market?

The reason is very simple, and we have already covered it in several articles on our blog. The market is simultaneously facing rising prices for memory and storage devices, declining interest in upgrading home computers, and a reallocation of resources in favor of server infrastructure for artificial intelligence. As a result, it has become more profitable for manufacturers to cut production of consumer models and focus on more profitable areas.

Numbers that speak for themselves

If we assess the specific plans of leading market players, the resulting picture is quite telling. Asus, which has confidently led the market for many years, now expects to ship around 10 million motherboards this year, down from 15 million last year. By the first half of 2026, the company has already sold just over 5 million units. MSI is cutting its forecast to 8.4 million units, down from 11 million a year earlier. Gigabyte is adjusting its expectations from 11.5 million to roughly 8–9 million. ASRock took the hardest hit: it is set to drop from a planned 4.3 million units to 2.7 million, a loss of more than a third of its volume. In total, the four largest manufacturers stand to lose between 25% and 28% of their previous shipments.

This is no ordinary plan adjustment tied to seasonal demand fluctuations. This marks a significant turnaround across the entire industry. Manufacturers are cutting production of consumer motherboards to avoid building up excess inventory amid declining interest in upgrading home PCs. At the same time, companies are reallocating resources to more profitable segments, first and foremost server equipment and artificial intelligence infrastructure platforms, where demand continues to grow rapidly.

On top of that, the market has long stopped delivering truly compelling new products in the consumer segment. Graphics accelerator and CPU manufacturers are increasingly shifting their focus to corporate and server solutions, leaving ordinary enthusiasts with no significant breakthroughs to look forward to. As a result, demand for pre-built systems and standalone components is declining, and motherboard manufacturers are forced to adjust their plans to avoid operating at a loss.

How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping the Balance of Power in the Components Market

This is where AI enters the scene, exerting a massive impact on the entire consumer market. Data centers are devouring massive volumes of high-end RAM and specialized storage. According to estimates from memory manufacturers, as early as 2026, more than 50% of global DRAM and NAND shipments will be allocated specifically to AI infrastructure needs. What previously primarily went to regular PCs and laptops is now being prioritized for server farms, which are willing to pay far more for these components.

Motherboard manufacturers have also felt this "wind of change". Rather than desperately fighting for every percentage point of the desktop market, they are increasingly investing in AI server platforms. Margins are far higher in this segment, and order volumes from large clients are much more stable. For Asus, Gigabyte and other major industry players, revenues from the server business have already become a key growth driver, allowing them to relatively easily weather the decline in the consumer segment.

These changes affect not only current production volumes. Companies are increasingly focusing their efforts on developing and releasing server solutions, as that is where the most stable demand is concentrated today. For manufacturers, this is a clearer and more profitable market than the consumer segment, where sales depend on buyer sentiment and the overall economic situation.

What about regular users?

The rise in component production costs inevitably impacts the final price of finished computers and laptops. Analysts have long warned of average assembly costs rising by significant percentages, and in some segments this figure may exceed 10–12%. Major vendors like Lenovo, Dell, and HP have already notified customers of upcoming price hikes. Early component purchases at the start of the year slightly softened the blow, but going forward, price pressure will only intensify.

In the long term, this will lead to people updating their device fleets less frequently. Old hardware will last longer, and repairing and upgrading individual components will become more popular options. Those who are used to building systems themselves are already facing a choice: either pay extra for memory and storage, or look for compromises in their configuration. Branded pre-built solutions are also not getting cheaper, and the component shortage is forcing people to make do with leftovers from last year's product lines or consider options on the secondary market.

Moreover, this dynamic is shifting consumer behavior overall. Many people now carefully weigh every purchase and more often opt for minor upgrades instead of fully replacing their platform. In stores, outdated models or leftover stock from previous product lines are easier to find than new configurations with current memory, which further slows the natural hardware refresh cycle.

What's the end result?

It's all quite simple. The motherboard market is undergoing a period of significant restructuring. Companies that until very recently competed primarily for the mass market consumer are increasingly expanding segments focused on server systems, cloud platforms, and artificial intelligence infrastructure. The cut in consumer model production has become one of the most visible indicators of these shifts.

Manufacturers' financial results are growing increasingly reliant on orders from large corporate clients, rather than sales of home PCs and laptops. This makes their business more stable, and allows them to respond more calmly to drops in retail demand without sacrificing investments in the development of new products and technologies.

For regular users, the coming months may mean a narrower selection of motherboards and a gradual rise in prices for individual models. However, it is premature to talk about the market's sunset. Rather, the industry is adapting to a new demand structure, in which a significant share of production capacity and components is shifting to data centers. Over time, the situation will stabilize, but for now, the reduction in motherboard production remains one of the most noticeable signs of how rapidly the priorities of the entire computer industry are changing.