HP, Dell, Acer, and Asus think about using Chinese language reminiscence chips amid provide disaster – Media

HP, Dell, Acer, and Asus are contemplating buying reminiscence chips from Chinese language producers like CXMT because of the world provide disaster. This might assist handle rising costs and the menace to new product launches.

Main PC producers HP, Dell, Acer, and Asus are contemplating buying reminiscence chips from Chinese language producers for the primary time amid a world provide disaster that threatens new product launches and drives up costs throughout the tech business, Nikkei Asia has discovered, UNN reviews.

Particulars

In keeping with three sources accustomed to the scenario, HP has begun testing merchandise from main Chinese language reminiscence chip maker ChangXin Reminiscence Applied sciences (CXMT) to broaden different provide sources.

HP plans to proceed monitoring the reminiscence chip provide scenario till roughly mid-2026, and if DRAM (dynamic random-access reminiscence) provide stays constrained and costs proceed to rise, the corporate will probably start buying CXMT merchandise for markets exterior the US for the primary time, sources stated.

In keeping with one supply, Dell can be testing DRAM merchandise from CXMT, fearing that reminiscence costs will proceed to rise all through 2026.

Whereas passing the qualification course of doesn’t essentially imply they are going to undoubtedly use CXMT chips, sources say that numerous PC producers are contemplating the Chinese language firm as a possible "savior" for the buyer electronics business, because the precedence of main world reminiscence chip producers – Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix – is to offer their capacities to AI giants comparable to Nvidia, Google, and Amazon. This case has put many low-margin and price-sensitive client electronics markets in a tough place.

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The reminiscence chip disaster has additionally created a superb alternative for Chinese language contract electronics producers to play a extra necessary position within the provide chain, a number of business executives advised Nikkei Asia, with some manufacturers asking these manufacturing companions to assist broaden reminiscence part sources.

Acer, the world's sixth-largest PC maker, has more and more relied on Chinese language contract producers for design and manufacturing in recent times to chop prices, and has additionally been open to utilizing Chinese language-made reminiscence chips in the event that they had been bought by Chinese language contract suppliers, three folks advised Nikkei Asia.

"So long as Chinese language suppliers begin utilizing their new capacities, it would assist enhance the reminiscence scarcity scenario," Jason Chen, chairman of Taiwan's PC maker Acer, lately advised reporters.

In keeping with two sources, the world's fifth-largest PC firm, Asustek, has additionally requested its Chinese language manufacturing companions to assist with reminiscence chip provide for some laptop computer initiatives, if doable.

Previously, PC producers sought to regulate the procurement of some key parts, together with foremost processors, shows, and reminiscence, whereas contract electronics producers primarily dealt with the procurement of much less important components and carried out meeting work as directed.

"Nevertheless, amid an enormous world reminiscence scarcity, this dynamic is altering, and PC producers at the moment are hoping that their manufacturing companions can leverage their very own provide chain connections to broaden reminiscence procurement alternatives," a provide chain govt advised Nikkei Asia.

An govt at a gaming PC producer advised Nikkei Asia that he takes a conservative view on how a lot Chinese language reminiscence chip suppliers will be capable of assist alleviate the availability scarcity, provided that the usual course of for choosing new suppliers takes about two quarters. "As well as, we all know that the overwhelming majority of recent capability will likely be prioritized for Chinese language firms comparable to Huawei and Lenovo, leaving little room for others," he stated.

Nonetheless, Chinese language reminiscence chip producers are already impacting the worldwide market, though for now they primarily serve home clients.

CXMT merchandise are already utilized by many Chinese language smartphone producers, together with Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo, in addition to pc producers comparable to Lenovo, and their cloud service suppliers comparable to ByteDance and Alibaba Cloud. Yangtze Reminiscence Applied sciences Corp. (YMTC) has turn into one of many main NAND reminiscence producers by market share, regardless of being on the US commerce blacklist, and is even independently coming into abroad markets, the publication writes. The corporate lately launched its ZhiTai solid-state drive (SSD) line in Taiwan, and in addition gives SSD merchandise in Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand by way of T-Mall.

Each DRAM and NAND are necessary reminiscence parts for every type of digital units. DRAM performs a vital position in system efficiency by offering quick knowledge entry, whereas NAND is the first knowledge storage part in laptops and computer systems.

Reminiscence chip manufacturing has lengthy been managed by just a few firms from South Korea, the US, and Japan, however CXMT's share of the worldwide DRAM market grew to roughly 5% by income, whereas YMTC had about 10% of the NAND market in 2025, based on Counterpoint knowledge. Each firms are considerably increasing manufacturing capability, as reported by Nikkei Asia. In keeping with analysis agency Yole Group, each CXMT and YMTC have exceeded 10% market share by wafer quantity.

HP didn’t reply to Nikkei Asia's request for remark. Dell and Asus declined to remark for this text.

Acer said: "We don’t disclose our suppliers, however we keep shut contact with quite a few world producers and suppliers to dynamically alter operations and handle part worth adjustments. We work with quite a few producers and suppliers to boost the resilience of our provide chain."

Chip scarcity threatens 20% worth hike for smartphones and computer systems – FT01.01.26, 09:00 • 7999 views

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