The fallout from the Brexit decision is, naturally enough, all we've been hearing about lately, and it seems our impending exit from the EU will have an effect on computer prices – or at least Dell has confirmed its PCs will become more expensive in the UK.
Why? Since the referendum vote was cast, the pound has plunged against the dollar, sinking from close to $1.50 to the pound to under $1.30, and that's bad news for the cost of computers over here when components are priced in US currency.
As a result, hardware partners informed The Register that Dell is hiking prices across the board to the tune of 10%, as of the start of July. And that cost will of course be passed on to consumers and businesses buying machines, even if it's not reflected in prices right now.
Component prices
Furthermore, a Dell rep confirmed to The Register: "Our component costs are priced in US dollars, and unfortunately, the recent strengthening of the US dollar versus sterling and other currencies in the EMEA region, following the UK's decision to leave the European Union, will have a direct impact on the price we sell to our UK customers and partners."
Other PC vendors may follow Dell in this respect, and there are whispers that HP will also be beefing up its prices in the UK, although nothing has been confirmed.
At any rate, if you were mulling buying a machine from Dell or HP, now might be a good time to make the move before any potential rises fully kick in.
Of course, as Brexit pans out longer term, hopefully the pound will recover more to its previous levels – and computer prices will be readjusted, too. In theory. But in the near-term, things aren't looking good for the PC industry, which is in a period of deep struggle as it is without hardware becoming costlier.
