“An error was made”: We asked ASUS why Zenbook prices are suddenly soaring, and we have bad news
ASUS and Best Buy increased prices on newly released Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme Zenbook laptops shortly after tech reviews became available, prompting questions about the sudden price hike. When asked about the pricing change, ASUS attributed the increase to an error on Best Buy’s end. According to ASUS, Best Buy had incorrectly shared pricing information both internally and publicly on their website, affecting multiple Zenbook models including the A14, A16, S16, and S14 variants, as well as the Zenbook 14.
The timing of the price increase—coinciding with the arrival of professional reviews—raised eyebrows among consumers and observers, as such post-review adjustments are often viewed with suspicion in the tech community. ASUS’s statement that the higher prices resulted from a Best Buy error rather than an intentional business decision appears to be an attempt to manage the narrative around the controversial pricing action.
The incident highlights broader questions about laptop pricing practices and transparency in the retail technology market, particularly around how new hardware launches are priced and when those prices might change relative to critical reviews being published.