Component Shortage Is Now Impacting Intel and Its Tiger Lake Processors

The production of Tiger Lake processors could well suffer a significant delay in the coming weeks.

Indeed, Intel faces a lack of power controllers from its suppliers, components essential to the manufacture of its CPUs. Apple could also be impacted.

We have not heard the last of the component shortage and its impact on the industry.

Particularly hard hit, Intel and other processor manufacturers are facing a critical shortage of semiconductors, which could last for several years. Unfortunately, this is not the only threat the company is facing.

According to a recent report, the company also has to generate insufficient quantities of power controllers (PDCs).

These small devices, which take the form of a separate chip from the main CPU, are found in Tiger Lake processors in particular.

While they are essential to the manufacture of Intel’s chips, it would seem that they are becoming less and less available from its suppliers.

Tiger Lake Processor Soon To Fall Victim To Component Shortage? 

Typically, Intel integrates the 994AD PDCs from Texas Instruments. However, due to the lack of these chips, the manufacturer has no choice but to turn to the TI 993AC and 994AC, older models and less suited to the needs of Tiger Lake processors.

At the request of the firm, its manufacturers must then withdraw the mention of USB 4 in their data sheet in favor of Thunderbolt 4. Otherwise, they can display “compatibility” with USB 4.

In other words, CPUs equipped with the TI 993AC and 994AC will indeed have Thunderbolt 4 certification, but will not be able to take advantage of USB4 certification.

These PDCs are indeed not as powerful as the TI 994AD, which could discourage manufacturers to use them.

If some of them refuse to implement them in their production line, it is all Intel’s stocks that will suffer a drastic drop. According to the report, Apple could also face a similar situation.