According to Tom’s Hardware, demand from AI server manufacturers is consuming production capacity previously used to supply PCs, smartphones and other consumer electronics. Some PCB suppliers are quoting delivery times of up to 30 months, while one major materials manufacturer is already filling its order book through 2030.
An executive at an American PC manufacturer warned that securing enough circuit boards was becoming increasingly difficult, even as the broader computer market showed signs of weakening.
“Even though PC shipments could decline again next year, we are still struggling to secure enough PCB supplies to meet our needs,” the executive said.
The situation is particularly unpleasant because printed circuit boards are essential to virtually every electronic product. Motherboards, graphics cards, servers and networking equipment all depend on them, meaning a shortage can disrupt manufacturing even when processors and memory chips are available.
Manufacturers are reporting that delivery times for several categories of circuit boards have doubled. One supplier said new orders placed now would not be fulfilled until late 2028, creating serious difficulties for computer companies attempting to plan new products and production schedules.
The shortage extends beyond finished boards to the materials used to manufacture them. Copper-clad laminates, which combine copper foil with insulating materials, are becoming increasingly expensive. One Taiwanese PC manufacturer claimed laminate costs had increased at least twelvefold since July, although that figure does not represent an equivalent increase in the price of finished circuit boards.
One of the world’s largest laminate suppliers reportedly has orders stretching towards 2030, despite planning to triple manufacturing capacity by 2028. Shortages of specialist fibreglass, copper materials, and the equipment needed to manufacture advanced boards complicate production expansion.
Nvidia has been securing additional supplies through partnerships with major semiconductor substrate manufacturers, including Japan’s Ibiden, South Korea’s Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Taiwan’s Unimicron. These companies produce sophisticated substrates used to connect processors and graphics chips to their packages, making them increasingly important to advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
Unimicron plans to increase its manufacturing capacity by about 2.5 times over the next three years. However, expanding production requires substantial investment, new facilities, and experienced engineers, so additional supply will take years to reach customers.
The rush to expand has created another problem: a shortage of skilled manufacturing staff. PCB suppliers are struggling to recruit engineers for new production facilities, with salaries across the industry reportedly rising 20 to 30 per cent as companies compete to retain experienced employees.
The developing crisis comes as PC manufacturers already face soaring DRAM, NAND flash, and graphics card prices. AI infrastructure customers can afford to pay premiums for manufacturing capacity, encouraging suppliers to prioritise high-margin server components while consumer hardware manufacturers struggle to secure affordable supplies.
The consequences could be particularly severe for graphics cards and advanced motherboards, which depend on sophisticated multilayer circuit boards and specialist materials. With some suppliers committed years in advance, hardware manufacturers face growing uncertainty about production schedules, component availability, and the cost of bringing new products to market.
