Intel’s 12th to 14th Gen CPUs See Sharp Price Increases in South Korea

Intel’s recent processor lineup – including the 12th-gen Alder Lake, 13th-gen Raptor Lake, and the refreshed 14th-gen models – is witnessing a rapid surge in retail prices across multiple regions, and South Korea has now joined the trend. What initially seemed like an isolated price bump in Japan has now spread, showing that Intel’s CPUs are becoming increasingly expensive for budget-conscious buyers.

This is especially concerning for the mid-tier and entry-level segments that have long been Intel’s competitive sweet spot.

According to South Korea’s well-known price comparison site Danawa, several Intel CPUs have jumped in price over the past month, with some increases happening within mere weeks. The once-affordable Core i5-12400F, a popular choice for gaming builds, has seen an 11% rise, moving from around 159,000 Won to approximately 177,000 Won. The Core i3-13400F, another mainstream favorite, surged 14% in less than three weeks, while the Core i3-14100F now sells for 140,000 Won – up 15% from September. Even the slightly higher-end Core i5-14600KF climbed 13%, while the Core i5-14400F’s smaller 6% jump looks almost modest by comparison.

Interestingly, not all SKUs are following this inflationary trend. The Core i7-13700K has maintained a relatively stable price since September, and older models like the i5-12600K and i7-12700K remain unaffected. However, enthusiasts looking at the high-end market might not be so lucky – the once-premium but somewhat accessible Core i9-12900K has skyrocketed from 967,000 Won to nearly 1.25 million Won, representing a staggering 30% leap in just a few weeks. This steep jump places it in the same territory as newer flagship chips and may discourage buyers who were considering a last-gen upgrade.

For now, the North American market appears insulated from these rapid fluctuations, with Intel CPUs there maintaining relatively steady prices. But if global supply chain pressures, regional demand spikes, or localized shortages persist, the U.S. and European markets could soon follow suit. Historically, pricing movements in East Asia have often acted as early indicators of broader market shifts.

Analysts speculate that part of this increase may be driven by rising local demand – particularly from Korean gaming cafés and competitive players who still prefer Intel’s single-core performance for latency-sensitive titles. With AMD’s Zen 5 rumored to suffer from reliability issues and Arrow Lake not expected to outperform Raptor Lake in real-world gaming, Intel currently faces little practical competition in these performance tiers. That market imbalance allows resellers to push prices higher without fear of losing buyers.

For gamers and PC builders, this trend could signal a challenging winter season for new builds. Unless AMD or Intel intervene with official pricing adjustments, these inflated costs may become the new normal – at least until next-generation CPUs hit shelves in 2025.