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A little afraid to ask what may be an obvious question, but what exactly does the shortage consist of? Computer chips aren't generally interchangeable and I ass
by whatgoodisaroad 5y ago
A little afraid to ask what may be an obvious question, but what exactly does the shortage consist of? Computer chips aren't generally interchangeable and I assume they're mostly purpose-built. Is there a shortage of raw materials? Or is there a drop in fab capacity?
- 11thEarlOfMar 5y agoIt's pretty straightforward. The demand for chips increased much faster than the manufacturers could increase capacity and meet demand. The COVID shift in working, socializing and learning from in-person to digital drove a huge demand spike for computers and telecommunications gear. The chip fabs hit capacity and it takes a long time to increase capacity. The equipment companies are running flat out to ship additional equipment, but so far, the fabs haven't gotten back to equilibrium.