PCs are still available: premium laptops are becoming more expensive in Russia
Premium laptops have started to become more expensive in Russia - in less than a month, prices for them have increased by 5-6%, by the end of the year, experts and market participants expect an increase in cost by about 10% more. These devices occupy about 20% of the market today. The reason is the underestimated demand by retailers, which is only increasing against the background of currency volatility and logistical disruptions. As a result, there has been a shortage of such electronics. Given the trend towards more technologically advanced and durable devices, experts predict further price increases.
How much have premium laptops gone up in price?
There is a shortage of premium laptops in Russia (usually costing from 150,000 rubles), which has already led to higher prices for them, market participants told Izvestia. In less than September, such models have risen in price by 5-6%, one of them said. According to him, the cost may increase by another 10% by the New Year.
In early autumn, the average price of gaming laptops exceeded 132 thousand rubles, which is 5-6% higher than at the end of August, another source in the home appliance and electronics market confirmed. The dynamics were influenced by exchange rate fluctuations and the growth of associated costs in the market, he claims.
— In November and December, there is traditionally a surge of interest in premium laptops due to promotions and New Year's purchases. With continued demand and limited supply, prices may rise by another 8-10% by the end of the year, the Izvestia source predicts.
In general, the share of models costing over 80 thousand rubles decreased from 21% a year ago to 14% in the last weeks of September, he continues. At the same time, it is this segment that continues to generate more than a quarter of the turnover in rubles. Such dynamics indicate limited availability of premium devices against the background of continued demand, the source states.
— Modern top-end and premium gaming laptops are distinguished by the availability of new fifth-generation Nvidia graphics cards with mid-range and above-average graphics. The demand for such models exceeds the supply, which affects the price. We believe that the limited availability of this product will continue until the New Year's Eve sales period, which means that it is quite possible to increase prices by 10%," says Irina Babina, head of Laptops at diHouse.
However, not all market players agree with this assessment. According to Avito, in the third quarter of 2025, the new laptop market as a whole remains stable in price dynamics, and some popular brands even fell in price. Thus, the average price of a MacBook decreased by 11% quarter—on-quarter, while that of an ASUS decreased by 6%. At the same time, some brands have seen a slight increase in prices: the cost of Lenovo laptops increased by 3%, and MSI and Acer — by 2%, Pavel Komarov, head of the Electronics and Home Appliances business area of the trading platform, told Izvestia.
— We are indeed seeing increased demand for gaming laptops, and it is also growing for game consoles. This is due, among other things, to the seasonal factor — in autumn and winter, people spend more time at home, including playing video games," said Alexey Zaitsev, head of Electronics at Wildberries & Russ. — At the same time, there is no shortage of goods on the marketplace: a wide range of products with different characteristics from different brands is presented, including brands new to the Russian market from China.
What are the reasons for the price increase?
The rise in price is primarily due to expensive loans. Previously, many people bought premium equipment in installments or on credit, but now this format is no longer profitable, explained the company Fplus, engaged in the manufacture of electronics. To stimulate sales, retailers themselves have to subsidize the rates, and they also include these costs in the price of the product.
— The increase in cost will be influenced by the dynamics of exchange rates and more expensive logistics. The minimum bar here can range from 10 to 15%," the company added.
According to her representative, the shortage is now felt not as a lack of goods on the shelves, but as a limited range of models with certain characteristics. This is a temporary situation: by the New Year period, retail chains have already ordered new devices or are ordering them now, he believes.
In addition, the weakening of the ruble and logistical difficulties are affecting the increase in the cost of this category of laptops, a source in the online electronics trading segment added.
Rising prices for premium laptops and their shortage are indeed taking place — very few are being imported, and demand for them is growing — users are hedging against rising prices for everything and want to purchase a laptop that will be relevant and technologically advanced for several more years, confirms Eldar Murtazin, a leading analyst at Mobile Research Group.
According to his calculations, the average life of a laptop in Russia is about nine years now, compared to six years three years ago. Currently, premium laptops account for about 20% of the laptop market, he added. Over the past couple of weeks, due to exchange rate differences, such devices have risen in price by 5-6% and growth will continue, he agrees. He cited the period of fees to schools and universities, as well as the beginning of the business season, as the reasons, the expert believes.
By raising prices for laptops and other equipment, sellers are playing ahead of the curve, says Sergey Polovnikov, head of the Content-Review project.
— Both investment bank analysts and financial officials agree in their forecasts that the exchange rates of the world's largest currencies will rise. Accordingly, sellers are already putting an increase in the exchange rate, for example, of the dollar in prices. If such risks are not taken into account, retail may face a shortage of funds for the purchase of new equipment. If you resort to using credit instruments, the indexation may be even higher," he explained.
It is possible that growth will stop when there is clarity with a more or less stable exchange rate in the medium term, the expert concluded.
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