AI computing demand is eating into production capacity for PC, smart-device and gadget makers, with PCB shortages and price rises expected in coming months, according to a Nikkei Asia report.
An unnamed executive at an American PC maker said: “Even though PC shipments could decline again next year, we are still struggling to secure enough PCB supplies to meet our needs.” The manager asked to remain anonymous.
PCBs have been viewed as an unglamorous, lower-tech part of the electronics supply chain, the report notes. The report says PCBs look set to join RAM, GPUs and SSDs in seeing demand- and supply-driven price rises.
The squeeze extends beyond boards themselves. One PCB maker told Nikkei that lead times on a significant number of products have doubled, with some orders taking 30 months to fulfill, while another PCB supply firm said a new order placed today would not be filled until late in 2028. A Taiwanese PC maker noted that costs for copper clad laminates have surged at least 12 times since July. One of the world's leading CCL suppliers said its order book is filling to 2030 even as it plans to triple capacity by 2028.
In related developments, Nikkei observed that Nvidia has announced partnerships with several major chip substrate makers: Ibiden of Japan, Samsung Electro-Mechanics of South Korea and Unimicron of Taiwan, which is looking to expand capacity 2.5 times over the next three years.
The report also notes it is increasingly hard to find engineering staff for new production facilities, with salaries already up 20% to 30% across the PCB industry.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Shortages and price rises in boards and their materials are likely to flow into the cost of PCs, smartphones and other devices as makers compete with AI data centres for supply.
- Lead times stretching to 30 months force manufacturers to commit to supply and plan products years ahead, reshaping production cycles.
- Capacity is being redirected toward AI infrastructure, signalling a longer-term reordering of the electronics supply chain rather than a brief squeeze.
Background
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the boards inside nearly all electronic devices, carrying and connecting the chips and components that make them work. The boom in AI computing has sharply increased demand for data centre infrastructure, and manufacturing capacity, materials and skilled labour are being pulled toward those builds at the expense of consumer electronics. The report describes boards as a historically low-margin, unglamorous part of the supply chain now caught up in the AI-driven scramble.
Key Perspectives
Anonymous American PC maker executive: says his company is struggling to secure enough PCB supplies even though PC shipments could decline again next year.
PCB makers: report that lead times on a significant number of products have doubled, with some orders taking 30 months to fulfill.
Leading CCL supplier: says its order book is filling to 2030 despite plans to triple capacity by 2028.
What to Watch
- Whether announced expansions, including the CCL supplier's plan to triple capacity by 2028 and Unimicron's 2.5-times expansion, ease lead times or are absorbed by AI demand.
- Price movements in copper clad laminates and other materials, which industry sources say have already surged at least 12 times since July.
- Nvidia's new partnerships with chip substrate makers, as a signal of how much data centre demand is redirecting the top end of board production.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedAI demand is putting PCB supplies under pressure.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “Several commenters pointed to AI computing demand eating up production capacity.”
- Partly supportedA CCL order book is filling to 2030.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “one of the world’s leading suppliers of CCLs has told the Nikkei that it has an order book that is currently filling up to 2030.”
- SupportedPC supply concerns include PCB lead times doubling on some products.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “One PCB maker talking to Nikkei said that a significant number of products have lead times that have doubled.”
- Partly supportedCCL costs have risen at least 12-fold.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “One Taiwanese PC maker noted that costs for CCLs have surged at least 12 times since July.”
- SupportedAI demand is eating into capacity that had served PC, smart-device and gadget makers, and PCB shortages and price rises are expected in coming months, according to a Nikkei Asia report.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “The AI industry continues to gobble up manufacturing resources that were once dedicated to serving PC, smart device, and gadget makers. A news report published by Nikkei Asia quotes several leading PC and PCB industry managers, making it clear we are going to see PCB (and PCB subcomponent) shortages and price rises in the coming months.”
- SupportedAn unnamed executive at an American PC maker said, “Even though PC shipments could decline again next year, we are still struggling to secure enough PCB supplies to meet our needs.”Latest from Tom's Hardware: “An unnamed exec from an American PC maker spoke to Nikkei about the dire shortage of PCBs. “Even though PC shipments could decline again next year, we are still struggling to secure enough PCB supplies to meet our needs,” said the manager, who asked to remain anonymous.”
- SupportedThe manager asked to remain anonymous.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “said the manager, who asked to remain anonymous.”
- SupportedPCBs have been viewed as an unglamorous, lower-tech part of the electronics supply chain.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “PCBs have been viewed as an unglamorous lower-tech part of the supply chain, partly due to the small numbers on the BoM.”
- SupportedPCBs look set to join RAM, GPUs and SSDs in seeing demand- and supply-driven price rises.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “We’ve seen huge demand/supply driven price rises in RAM , GPUs, SSDs, and more through 2026. Now that most basic and unglamorous electronics necessity, the PCB, looks set to join them.”
- SupportedSome PCB orders may take as long as 30 months to fulfill, while another supply firm said a new order placed today would not be fulfilled until late in 2028.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “Specifically, some PCB orders will take as long as 30 months to fulfill. Another PCB supply firm explained to Nikkei that a new order today would not be fulfilled until late in 2028.”
- SupportedNvidia announced partnerships with Ibiden, Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Unimicron; Unimicron is looking to expand capacity by 2.5 times over the next three years.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “Nikkei observed that Nvidia recently announced partnerships with several major chip substrate makers. Japan's Ibiden, South Korea's Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and Unimicron of Taiwan all have new agreements with the Green team. Unimicron is looking at expanding capacity by 2.5x over the next three years.”
- SupportedEngineering staff are increasingly hard to find for new production facilities, and salaries have risen 20% to 30% across the PCB industry.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “the source report also notes that it is increasingly difficult to get the engineering staff required at new production facilities. Salaries have already risen 20% to 30% across the PCB industry to keep skilled employees.”
