Intel has unexpectedly raised the prices of several 12th, 13th, and 14th generation processors. The company's focus is clearly shifting towards the mid-range segment, including the popular Core i5-12400, which may be an attempt to increase profits.
The move follows a less than successful launch of the Arrow Lake lineup.
Intel's position in the CPU market has long been a concern: the company has repeatedly acknowledged weak results compared to AMD. In the gaming PC segment, AMD has taken a significant portion of Intel's customers, and Intel now appears somewhat desperate.
According to numerous reports, prices for 12th-14th generation processors have increased from 6 to 20% in various countries. For example, the Core i3-14100F has increased by 15%, and the Core i5-14600KF by 13%. In Japan and Europe, increases of up to 20% are recorded for popular models, including the Core i5-14400. At the same time, the cost of top-end Core i7 and Core i9 has changed minimally.
The mid-range segment, Core i5, is particularly affected, where the price increase appears strategic and is related to the decline in Intel's popularity. The main reason cited is weak sales of Arrow Lake against AMD Zen competitors.
Now it remains to be seen how the market will react: Core i5-12400 remains popular due to its affordability, but price increases may push even more users to choose AMD.
