During the Intel earnings call on October 30, 2026, CEO Lip-Bu Tan announced that demand for budget Wildcat Lake chips is outstripping supply. The Verge reports that CFO David Zinsner confirmed these processors are now sold out, providing a timely boost due to their cost-optimized design.
Key takeaways
- Intel executives stated during an earnings call that Wildcat Lake chips are sold out.
- Shortages of RAM and other components have pushed up PC prices in recent months.
- New budget Windows laptops featuring these chips often include just 8GB of RAM.
- Intel does not expect the memory shortage to improve through 2027.
Are Wildcat Lake chips sold out?
The Verge reports that Intel executives addressed the company's financial status during a recent earnings call. CFO David Zinsner stated that the chips are now sold out, while CEO Lip-Bu Tan noted that demand for the budget-focused processors is outstripping supply. Zinsner mentioned seeing significant growth in Wildcat Lake because it is cost-optimized.
These budget-friendly processors have appeared in new lower-cost Windows laptops, such as the new Dell XPS 13 and the HP Omnibook 5 14. These devices match the MacBook Neo in pricing but frequently ship with only 8GB of RAM, an amount Windows laptops can struggle to use effectively.
How is the RAM shortage affecting PC prices?
Shortages of RAM and other components have driven up PC prices over recent months. CEO Lip-Bu Tan stated that the industry is navigating one of the biggest supply shortages in history, which is driven by unprecedented demand for AI, referred to in the call as super intelligence.
What happens next?
Intel does not expect the memory shortage to improve anytime soon. Zinsner stated that the company is not optimistic about next year regarding memory supply and noted that they will have to see in '28 whether things improve. This outlook matches an expectation that conditions will not improve in '27, though it is slightly more optimistic than SK Hynix's prediction that the RAM shortage will last through 2030. Despite these hurdles, Zinsner believes the PC market will experience a renaissance.
Frequently asked questions
According to The Verge, Intel CFO David Zinsner stated during an earnings call that the chips are now sold out, with CEO Lip-Bu Tan noting that demand is outstripping supply.
These chips have been appearing in new lower-cost Windows laptops on par with the MacBook Neo, such as the new Dell XPS 13 and the HP Omnibook 5 14.
Wildcat Lake laptops often come with just 8GB of RAM, which Windows laptops can struggle to get by on.
Intel does not expect the memory shortage to improve in 2027 and suggests waiting until 2028 to see if things improve, which is slightly more optimistic than SK Hynix's prediction that the shortage will drag on through 2030.
According to Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, the industry supply shortages are driven by unprecedented demand for super intelligence, which refers to AI.
Based on reporting by The Verge. Read the original article
