Image of Intel Chips for blog about Intel Chip Shortages
General Interest, News, Small Business Networks

Two Years On, Intel Chip Shortages Continue

Two years ago, almost exactly, I wrote about the Intel chip shortages created by their manufacturing debacle. Intel was moving production from 14nm toward newer, potentially faster 10nm technology. Their manufacturing process did not go well, to say the least. This caused a chip shortage, since Intel supplies the lion’s share of Central Processing Units – CPUs, often referred to as computer chips, or just chips. Image of Intel Chips for blog about Intel Chip ShortagesNow, two years later and with a new CEO in place, Intel has stepped back to 14nm and increased production. That should be good news for availability, but demand has only increased in the meantime. 

Meanwhile, competitor AMD moved to 7nm chips manufactured by TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) who uses a different process. AMD currently beats Intel for performance in its top-of-the-line chips. In spite of that, I’m rooting hard for Intel, who manufactures their chips mostly in the US and Europe. Many of our clients are manufacturers, so we prefer to support US manufacturing when possible.

In late 2020, supply improved and you could actually get your hands on a PC rather easily. It seemed the shortage was over. WRONG! In March of 2021, here we go again! Searching for a particular HP computer this morning yielded NOTHING from several suppliers including the HP Store. A few minutes of searching the Internet led me to articles and videos about global chip shortages. Here’s a video of HP’s CEO talking about component shortages for PC’s and printers.

Note that HP’s stock prices and profits are better than ever. Their numbers COULD be even better if the supply could meet the demand! HP says that demand for PC’s is 45% greater than HP’s projections from only a few months ago. As I write this, my main supplier shows my go-to PC is out of stock and 1,350 are on order with no promised date.

This chip shortage affects more than computers and laptops. According to an article on CNBC, auto makers are slowing or halting production due to chip shortages.  Auto makers are always in the news, but think about all the other devices that are now “smart.”  These chip shortages impact many, many industries.

Of course, we will survive this latest problem, but patience and flexibility will be required, just like in 2019 and 2020!

Take care and be well!

 

We welcome your comments, questions and suggestions.  Please contact us with questions.  Best to call, email or visit our site for best response.  We do invite you to engage with us on social media (just not for immediate needs).  

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Image of empty shelves to illustrate post: Intel Shortages Continue
News, Small Business Networks

Intel Shortages Continue

Here we are, in December, and Intel’s chip supply issue is no better – actually worse – than when I wrote of the problem in May.

My go-to computer for business use, the HP ProDesk 400 G6 with an Intel i5 processor and an SSD drive, is now a tough find.  Very tough. I have used units with a hard drive, and installed my own SSD. Now even those are difficult to come by.

Intel Logo for article on Intel Shortages Continue
Intel Logo

Back in January of this year, Intel CEO Bob Swan said, “Supply remained constrained particularly at the value end of our product range.  We are working closely with our customers to align demand with available supply while we add capacity and we expect supply-demand balance to improve by mid-year.”

Wrong, Bob. As I write this, my supplier shows my preferred desktop is not only out-of-stock, but they have 7,384 of them on order. I would say “supply-demand balance” has not improved.

Not only is this a huge problem for consumers who want to purchase a PC, it’s become a problem for PC manufacturers, particularly HP and Dell. Check out this article for Tom’s Hardware: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/dell-amd-pcs-intel-cpu-shortage which says Dell is evaluating AMD CPU’s as a possible alternative to Intel processors. I don’t know how soon they could get PC’s to market though, since this involves a different processor AND motherboard. In the article, it says:

Dell CFO Tom Sweet told Yahoo that Dell doesn’t expect Intel’s shortage to improve until the second half of 2020 and is “evaluating” AMD processors.

Did you catch that? The second half of 2020. Yikes.

Another alternative exists, which is Lenovo. While HP and Dell have a few products using AMD processors, Lenovo has several. Of course, as consumers begin buying AMD-based systems in greater numbers, we could very well see a shortage of AMD chips as well.

Microsoft’s end-of-support for Windows 7 is partly creating this demand, as consumers weigh a lengthy upgrade to Windows 10 vs. just buying new computers that already have Windows 10.

Any of my clients wanting to buy PC’s (or servers for that matter) should contact me. The situation is rapidly-changing.  Prospects should contact us as well, even for Windows 10 upgrades.  Whatever your inquiry, we welcome you to contact us.

 

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14 Jan 2021: Post updated to include links to new company pages on Social Networks.

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Intel Logo for article on Intel Shortages
News, Small Business Networks

Intel Shortages Now A Major Problem

Intel shortages are hitting home.  My go-to computer for business networks, the HP ProDesk 400 G5 with an Intel i5 processor and an SSD drive, is now a tough find.  Very tough.

My regular supplier has none in stock with an SSD, and even none with a hard drive.  Models with AMD processors are available, but I’m not a huge fan of AMD processors. They tell me I can still place an order for a ProDesk 400 and get in line.  As I write this, my supplier gave me a one-week wait.  That’s not terrible, but the trend is going the wrong way!  Plus, l I don’t have much faith in that one week estimate.  

In a conference call with financial analysts, Intel CEO

Intel Logo for article on Intel Shortages
Intel Logo

Bob Swan said, “Supply remained constrained particularly at the value end of our product range.  We are working closely with our customers to align demand with available supply while we add capacity and we expect supply-demand balance to improve by mid-year.”

Remove the jargon and he’s saying the situation will not improve for a few months.  Intel is concentrating their production on server Central Processing Units – CPUs – and high-end desktop CPUs which are more profitable. He does not seem very concerned, because Intel is still doing great financially.

Intel also announced their Gen9 CPU is using 10nm technology at the end of 2018. They are having trouble producing a good product though. I would expect the new processors to be featured in the ProDesk G6 computers, which have NOT been announced yet. 

All of this means the business PC market is a mess. Dell is no better, by the way. If you want to order computers, I will have to search and let you know what I can find.  Just today, I ordered three PCs with hard drives (priced higher than I would like), then separately ordered SSD drives to install in them.  Where there’s a will, there’s a way, including overcoming Intel shortages.  Obviously, it’s best if you don’t order a computer at the last minute!

See the December 23, 2019 update, Intel Shortages Continue, at https://www.greatlakests.com/intel-shortages/

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14 Jan 2021: Post updated to include links to new company pages on Social Networks.

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photo of laptop - HP ProBook450G5 - part of our computer buying guide.
Geek Stuff, General Interest, News

Computer Buying Guide: Minimum Standards for Business PC Purchases

Computer Buying Guide – August 2018

My friends and relatives, as well as clients, look at us as their “computer buying guide.”  They often ask for advice when buying a new desktop or laptop/tablet.   Here are some general guidelines that I go by:

Here are the main elements to consider in a computer buying guide:  
The Processor, RAM, Storage, and Operating System

Processor: If possible, buy an i5 or i7 processor.  I do not sell lesser processors in desktops or laptops anymore. At one time, they made sense because of the price gap. As I write this, an i3 processor is $70 less than an i5 in the same computer. According to cpubenchmark.net, the i3 scores a PassMark of 5493, while the i5 scores 8038. Most people reach a level of dissatisfaction with their computer’s performance and that’s when they decide to replace it. The i5 will take longer to reach that point. If you run demanding programs, like SolidWorks for instance, go for an i7. If you can’t tell which processor is faster, go to cpubenchmark.net and enter the processor model in the search box. Look at the “price performance comparison” and you’ll see a rating for CPUMark. The higher the number the better.

HP ProDesk 400 G4 - meets solid minimum standards per our computer buying guide
HP ProDesk 400 G4 – meets solid minimum standards per our computer buying guide

Mobile:  If you’re shopping for a tablet, you will encounter different mobile versions of processors. These use less power to increase battery life and integrate more functions than a desktop processor. To compare them, again use cpubenchmark.net. As I write this, one of the Atom x5 processors scored 1001 CPUMarks. That can be fine for a tablet, depending on what you’re doing.

RAM: A basic computer often comes with 4GB RAM. I would recommend 8GB RAM, and that is currently my standard. You can add memory to any decent laptop or desktop, so if a computer you’re looking at only has 4GB, it’s not a deal-breaker. Another module can be added at the time of purchase or down the road.

Computer Buying Guide choice for solid entry lever business laptop
HP ProBook450G5

Storage (Hard Drive): My standard is now 256GB solid-state drives.   
A solid-state drive is much faster than a hard drive and can make the whole computer seem faster. Entry-level SSD systems will have a SATA SSD that connects to the motherboard using the hard drive’s interface. The SSD itself is still much faster than a hard drive, but the SATA interface limits performance. Because of this, manufacturers have introduced SSD’s that connect to a plug on the motherboard. These are M.2 devices. If your motherboard supports it, go this route. Note that I mentioned a 256GB SSD. This is 1/4 the capacity of a commonplace hard drive. Larger SSD’s are available, but the price goes up quickly. Over time, larger SSD’s will become more affordable.

Intel 660P SSD Drive - M.2 - meets solid minimum standards per our computer buying guide
Intel 660P SSD Drive – M.2 Form Factor

Operating System: For home use, Windows 10 Home is just fine. In a business environment, you need Windows 10 Professional.

What about a Mac? I do not sell or service Macs. I like them, though, in a home environment.  They can be used in a business as well, although most business software is written for PCs.

Questions?  Contact us!

By the way…consider using Mullarky Business Systems not just as a “computer buying guide” – rather, consider us for your actual computer purchases.  We can get many computers – Hewlett Packard PCs and Laptops, for example – at a competitive price.  When we get it, we can install the anti-malware and system updates you need to keep your new computer headache-free.  

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News, Small Business Networks

The Frenzy to Upgrade Windows XP

The past few weeks have been VERY busy as companies rush to get their systems up-to-date. Some computers are candidates for reloading with Windows 7. Most computers are not worth upgrading though, and should just be replaced.

Nearly all of the new computers have Windows 7 rather than Windows 8.1. New computers come with a Windows 8.1 license and CAN come with Windows 7 pre-installed by using “downgrade rights”. These computers come with restore disks for either Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. You can legally use ONE of them.

Some clients have asked when Windows 7 support will end. Microsoft will offer Mainstream Support through next year, and Extended Support until 2020. Windows XP has been in “extended support” since 2009!

A couple clients ordered computers with Windows 8.1. These will be installed and tested extensively before 8.1 is widely deployed. We recommend this approach. We also recommend that you evaluate Windows 8.1 sooner rather than later.

We sell Hewlett-Packard computers, workstations, and servers. We also sell HP and Lenovo laptops. If you are a company in Milwaukee, Waukesha, or Jefferson counties, call us at 262-720-3668 to discuss upgrades.

 

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News

New Partnerships

New Partnerships – Mullarky Business Systems is now partnered with HP (Hewlett-Packard) and Cisco, providing improved support for business networks.

We are now an HP partner and a Cisco partner.  This gives us better access to technical support, better pre-sales support, and better prices!

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News, Saving Money, Small Business Networks

The ‘Hot Rod’ Computer

I got a call from a client who had just ordered an HP Z800 workstation from the HP online store. He wanted to know if I could supply several more of them. This is a high-end graphics workstation that costs $4200.

Well, I went through the specs and one that caught my eye was the 1100 watt power supply! Yow! Most computers are around 400 watts, maybe as much as 600 watts.

After some browsing around, I suggested a Z420 workstation. It has a faster processor with slightly less cache, same SSD drive, same graphics card, same amount of RAM, and cost $3160. It’s very seldom that a computer impresses me.

This one is stunningly quick – a real hot rod!

Could I have sold my client a bunch of Z800’s and made more money? Sure. But this is an example of how I act as a Pro-Partner rather than a vendor.

We’re in it for the long haul, not the quick score…even though we love a hot rod!

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