GoKawiilPC makers face PCB shortages as AI demand strains supply chain, Nikkei reports
Nikkei Asia reports that PC and PCB industry executives are warning of severe printed circuit board shortages, with some PCB orders now taking up to 30 months to fulfill and new orders not completed until late 2028. A Taiwanese PC maker told Nikkei that costs for copper clad laminates, a key PCB material, have risen at least 12-fold since July, while one major CCL supplier said its order book is already full.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The shortage suggests AI hardware production is diverting manufacturing capacity and materials away from traditional PC and device makers, potentially extending supply chains across the broader electronics industry. If lead times and costs continue rising, PC makers could face higher prices and delayed product launches well into the decade, compounding existing shortages already seen in RAM, GPUs, and SSDs.
- PCB lead times for some orders now stretch to 30 months, according to industry sources cited by Nikkei Asia.
- Copper clad laminate costs have surged over 12x since July, per a Taiwanese PC maker.
- PC makers say they're struggling to secure PCB supply even as PC shipments may decline next year.
Source: tomshardware.com — Mark Tyson, 2026-10-29
Published there as: “AI demand triggers massive PCB shortage for PC makers as order books full until 2030 — lead times stretch to 30 months as material costs surge 12x”
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