Supply Chain
Ongoing coverage on Supply Chain.
Latest coverage
Nvidia’s Coming Price Bump Won’t Spare the Mid-Range — Every Card Is on the Table
Nvidia is reportedly planning a significant price increase of up to 30% across its entire GPU lineup, including mid-range cards like the GeForce RTX 5070, due to a 20% rise in DRAM chip prices from supplier Samsung. This follows earlier price hikes on high-end cards and impacts the affordability of building new PCs, with concerns also raised by Valve and Microsoft about deepening RAM shortages.
Apple (AAPL) is seeing 'very significant constraints' in the supply chain
Apple CEO Tim Cook has indicated that the company is facing significant supply chain constraints, particularly for DRAM and storage components, which are expected to increase sequentially. These constraints, exacerbated by high demand from artificial intelligence companies, are leading to price increases and limited flexibility for products like the iPhone and Mac. Despite these challenges, Apple managed to exceed revenue and EPS expectations for its Q3 2026 quarter.
Consumer electronics companies were already worried about securing memory next year—now, supply is predicted to…
Apacer CEO C.K. Chang has warned that severe memory shortages are expected to persist throughout 2026, with manufacturers prioritizing AI and server applications. Securing supply is now a greater concern than cost, potentially leading some consumer electronics manufacturers to exit product lines or go bankrupt. This situation will likely impact PC gamers, making RAM and system storage more expensive and harder to find.
'I Thought This Would Be Drama Free, How Wrong I Was' — Games Workshop Secured a £7.8 Million Refund on Donald Trump's Tariffs, but Iran War Threatens Supply Chain
Games Workshop, the maker of Warhammer, has successfully obtained a £7.8 million refund on tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. However, the company's supply chain is facing new threats due to geopolitical events, including the Iran War.
There isn't a single consumer Wi-Fi router that is 100% American-made
The article discusses the lack of fully American-made consumer Wi-Fi routers, highlighting the complexities of modern manufacturing and supply chains. It suggests that achieving 100% domestic production for such devices is currently unfeasible.
Valve suggests memory crisis is "still getting worse," admitting, "we're limited by memory capacity, for sure"
Valve engineers have stated that memory and storage supply issues for the Steam Machine are worsening, with retail availability lagging bulk supply by three to six months due to high demand from the AI industry. Despite these challenges, Valve insists the Steam Machine's roadmap will not be impacted. Separately, Midgar Studio has been ordered to liquidate after failing to secure a buyer, with founder Jérémy Zeler-Maury expressing deep regret over the closure.
Valve Says Memory Crisis is “Still Getting Worse,” But Believes the Steam Machine is a Success
Valve engineer Yazan Aldehayyat stated that the global memory crisis is worsening, with current retail supply lagging behind bulk orders by three to six months. Despite these supply chain issues, which are limiting production of the Steam Machine, Aldehayyat believes the platform is a success in addressing a real user problem. Valve is continuing production and support for the Steam Machine, even as the memory crisis is projected to continue into 2027.
Morning Tech Bits
Intel is reportedly planning to launch its 28-core Nova Lake S processor before a 52-core version. Meanwhile, US lawmakers are urging the government to ban Chinese memory chips, even those within allied supply chains, due to perceived risks.
Against a backdrop of advancing Chinese production, TSMC announces another $100 billion worth of chipmaking will be…
TSMC, the world's largest chipmaker, announced plans to invest an additional $100 billion in the United States to expand its chip production capacity. This new investment follows a previous $100 billion commitment and a $65 billion pledge, bringing the total to over $265 billion. CEO C. C. Wei cited strong multiyear demand from leading US customers, particularly driven by the AI boom, as the reason for these significant investments.
So THIS is why component makers have started validating their products for Chinese memory
Component manufacturers like MSI and Asus are validating their products for Chinese-made DRAM, driven by a significant ramp-up in production from companies such as CXMT. This expansion, supported by state backing and faster construction times, could see Chinese memory makers quickly rivaling established players like Micron. The increased capacity is expected to meet high global demand, potentially impacting pricing and availability for PC components.
'Customer demand will remain higher than our supply capacity even beyond 2030': SK hynix CEO predicts memory…
SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung predicts the global memory supply crisis will persist beyond 2030, with customer demand consistently exceeding supply capacity. Despite ongoing capacity expansions by major players like SK hynix, Samsung, and Micron, the CEO forecasts that next year will be the worst in the industry's history from a supply perspective. Analysts express concerns about potential oversupply due to new capacity builds and the uncertain monetization of AI spending.
Handheld gaming PCs are cooked
The market for handheld gaming PCs is facing significant challenges due to rising component prices, particularly memory. Devices like the ASUS ROG Ally and Steam Deck are becoming less affordable, with even budget options like the Steam Deck OLED seeing substantial price increases. This trend, coupled with the strong performance of consoles like the Nintendo Switch 2, suggests a potentially shrinking market for high-performance handheld gaming PCs, possibly relegating them to a niche for enthusiasts with deep pockets.
Apple (AAPL) announces new $30 billion deal with Broadcom (AVGO) to build more U.S. chips
Apple has announced a new $30 billion deal with Broadcom to manufacture processor chips within the United States, aiming to establish an end-to-end silicon supply chain. This agreement will result in over 15 billion chips being produced as part of Apple's largest ever American Manufacturing Program commitment. CEO Tim Cook highlighted the partnership as a significant step in deepening investments in U.S.-based suppliers.
Apple (AAPL) begins testing Chinese RAM maker CXMT chips for products sold in China
Apple has begun testing DRAM chips from Chinese manufacturer ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) for devices sold in China. The company is also lobbying the US government to allow broader use of CXMT products, amidst ongoing economic tensions and a global race for AI advancements. CXMT is a significant player in the DRAM market, and its expansion could impact global pricing.
Apple reportedly testing RAM chips from US-blocked Chinese company
Apple is reportedly testing devices that use DRAM chips manufactured by CXMT, a Chinese company with alleged ties to the People's Liberation Army. This testing involves components from a company that is currently subject to US restrictions.
Morning Tech Bits
Intel is expected to resume the supply of its 10th, 12th, 13th, and 14th generation processors in mainland China. Separately, data centers are reportedly being targeted by cargo thieves, with over $1 million worth of copper stolen.
Evening Tech Bits
Apple is reportedly using its political influence in Washington to secure memory chip purchases from Chinese companies CXMT and YMTC. However, the article suggests that these deals are unlikely to result in any cost savings for US consumers.
Memory manufacturers sued in class action suit alleging price and supply fixing
Memory manufacturers Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are facing a class-action lawsuit alleging they fixed component prices and reduced supply. The suit claims the companies coordinated their exit from DDR3 and DDR4 RAM production to focus on high-bandwidth memory for AI data centers, leading to significant price increases. This alleged manipulation has impacted console manufacturers like Sony and Nintendo, who have cited memory shortages as a factor in recent hardware price hikes.
Valve says the memory and storage crisis is so bad, it's not just a problem of pricing, they had to 'negotiate really hard' just to secure supply for the Steam Machine
Valve has revealed that securing memory and storage for the Steam Machine was not just a pricing issue, but a significant supply challenge. The company had to negotiate extensively to obtain the necessary components, facing a crisis that has been impacting them for up to a year, ahead of broader retail awareness. This difficulty contributed to the Steam Machine's high launch price of $1,049.
Amidst a lawsuit for RAM price fixing, Micron has signed manufacturing agreements with 16 of its clients that will ensure high memory costs for another five years
Micron has signed five-year manufacturing agreements with 16 clients, locking in high memory costs for another five years. This comes amidst a lawsuit accusing Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix of price fixing by artificially limiting supply. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra stated these agreements ensure contracted supply assurance and robust gross margins for Micron.
