Glass & Chip Shortages Placing Institutions in Inventory Crunch

no computer chipsWhile you may get a nice new laptop, smartphone, or television this holiday season, ordering new technology for work may not be so easy.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported (library article link for SMU community) that Intel is suffering from a shortage across their supply chain which in turn is causing chip shortages for manufacturers around the world. Intel’s focus on servers, smartphone processors, and high-end PCs have also put a damper on the supply available to institutions that order larger quantities of more standard hardware. On top of a shortage of chips, glass has also become harder to come by as people gravitate to larger and larger displays.

So what does this mean for SMU? Unfortunately, it means that we may see a price increase as well as shipping delays on computer orders next year. OIT is working to maintain a satisfactory backup stock of our Standard and Standard Plus computer configurations in order to ensure that standard upgrade requests are fulfilled in a reasonable timeframe. If you need a custom-built computer, however, please be prepared for possible delays and higher costs.

For additional information on technology purchasing and the ordering policies, visit smu.edu/techsales.

 

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Zach Peterson

Zach is a Senior IT Training & Communications Consultant with OIT. Zach began his SMU career at the IT Help Desk in 2012 and joined the Training & Communications Team in 2015. He is a 2011 graduate from the University of North Texas and obtained a Master of Liberal Studies degree from SMU in 2018. He enjoys reading and collecting vintage and antique radio sets. He grew up in Valley View, Texas near Denton.