It’s not quite the best of times. It’s not quite the worst of times. Supply chain issues for some items are easing up, but other technologies are still subject to delays. Here’s the latest.
Computer inventories are getting better, but there’s a caveat. We’re seeing a lot of Windows-based computers with 10th-generation chips, and they’re old; they’ve been around since 2020. The market standard is 11th generation, and 12th-generation chips are about to hit the market shortly – as we move toward 2023.
We’ll only touch 11th– and 12th-generation chips for our customers. The manufacturers are not discounting the 10th-generation machines, and in some cases, we’ve found them to be priced the same as the newer computers. We believe we’re doing any client a disservice by providing them with 10th-generation technology. There are enough 11th-generation units available with relatively reasonable delivery times. They’re down to a week to 10 days from the two- or three-week delivery schedules we had been experiencing. However, for one client, we’re looking at a December delivery.
As for those 10th-generation computers, we suspect that manufacturers had them in inventory – possibly related to shipping delays when Covid hit – and want to get rid of them without taking a big bath.
Apple computers are taking a lot longer to get than their Windows-based counterparts.
Unfortunately, the picture is still dark for routers and other networking equipment and smaller items.
We won’t hazard a guess about when things will loosen up for all items, much less return to “normal.” The uncertainty makes it more important to let us know early about any needs you anticipate and to let us know of any urgent needs. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss your equipment availability and your needs.