Update: Intel has been in contact with a statement about its CPU supply: “Customer demand has continued to improve over the course of the year, fuelling growth in every segment of Intel’s business and raising our 2018 revenue outlook $4.5 billion from our January expectations. We will have supply to meet our announced, full-year revenue outlook and we’re working closely with our customers and factories to manage any additional upside.”
Original story follows...
It looks like Intel’s warning a few months ago that it could struggle to meet demand has come to pass, with certain CPUs rising in price due to their reduced availability.
Customers are finding that certain Intel processors are now often out of stock from most retailers, while processors that are in stock have seen price rises. As Tom’s Hardware has discovered, the price rises found on a number of online stores have mainly affected low-end processors, with more expensive enthusiast processors less affected.
It looks like Intel's increased focus on the 14nm process, which happened a few months ago, is to blame, with Intel confirming in July that 14nm supply was an issue when trying to meet demand. With the delay of the 10nm Cannon Lake processors until 2019, this has further placed pressure on its 14nm production lines.
Combine that with the recent launches of the 14nm Whiskey Lake and Amber Lake processors, and you have a perfect storm that’s impacting 14nm CPU production, causing shortages and price rises.
Will AMD benefit?
This might benefit Intel’s chief rival, AMD, which seems to be unaffected by any such shortages, with plenty of 14nm and 12nm chips hitting the market.
People frustrated with trying to get hold of Intel’s processors may look at getting an AMD chip, such as the recently-released AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X and AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX CPUs.
AMD’s full-throttled production capacity in the face of Intel’s struggles could see a repeat of the end of last year, where AMD’s performance was well above expectations.
- Here’s our pick of the best processors
