Intel says Wildcat Lake laptop chips are sold out as RAM costs climb
Intel's CEO says demand for its budget Wildcat Lake chips exceeds supply, and its CFO says the chips are sold out amid rising PC prices from memory shortages.
The story in focus
During Intel's latest earnings call, CEO Lip-Bu Tan said demand for its budget-focused Wildcat Lake chips is outstripping supply, and CFO David Zinsner said the chips are sold out, The Verge reported. Zinsner said memory supply is unlikely to improve next year.
- CEO Lip-Bu Tan said demand for Wildcat Lake chips is outstripping supply.
- CFO David Zinsner said the chips are sold out and cited significant growth.
- Zinsner said Intel is not optimistic about next year in terms of memory.
- The chips appear in lower-cost Windows laptops as RAM and component shortages push up PC prices.
What Intel said on the call
Intel executives addressed budget chip demand and memory supply during the company's latest earnings call, according to The Verge. CEO Lip-Bu Tan said demand for the budget-focused Wildcat Lake chips is outstripping supply. CFO David Zinsner said the chips are now sold out, citing significant growth in the line and describing it as cost-optimized and well-timed.
Tan also acknowledged a PC demand slowdown, attributing it to a supply shortage driven by demand for AI, which he called super intelligence. Zinsner said Intel believes the PC will go through a renaissance despite the shortage. These are company forecasts and characterizations, not reported outcomes.
Memory outlook and rising PC prices
Asked about memory supply, Zinsner said Intel is not optimistic about next year in terms of memory, adding that the company expects no improvement in 2027 and that 2028 remains uncertain. The Verge noted that outlook is more optimistic than SK Hynix's prediction that the RAM shortage will last through 2030.
According to The Verge, shortages of RAM and other components have driven up PC prices over recent months. Wildcat Lake chips have appeared in new lower-cost Windows laptops such as the Dell XPS 13 and HP Omnibook 5 14. Those machines have budget-friendly starting prices but often ship with just 8GB of RAM, which the report notes Windows laptops can struggle with.
What does Intel's sold-out Wildcat Lake status mean for budget laptop buyers?
Intel says the chips are sold out and memory supply is unlikely to improve next year, while RAM and component shortages have already pushed up PC prices, per The Verge. Budget laptops using the chips often carry 8GB of RAM.
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