Intel and AMD Warn of Significant CPU Delivery Delays to Chinese Market
February 6, 2026
A significant supply crunch for critical data center processors is impacting technology deployments in China, as the world's two leading x86 CPU manufacturers, Intel and AMD, have formally notified customers of extended delivery timelines. This development underscores the persistent strain on the global semiconductor supply chain and its direct impact on the pace of digital infrastructure build-out in one of the world's largest markets. According to a report from Reuters, Intel has informed its Chinese clientele that lead times for certain central processing units (CPUs) have now stretched to as long as six months. In response to these supply chain constraints, prices for affected chips have also increased by more than 10 percent. Sources indicated that fourth and fifth-generation Intel Xeon server CPUs are in particularly short supply, forcing the company to ration deliveries as it works through what was described as a substantial backlog of orders for these models. Concurrently, AMD is facing similar challenges, with the company's CPU delivery times now estimated at between eight and ten weeks for customers in the region. The situation follows recent admissions from both chipmakers regarding stronger-than-anticipated demand. Following Intel's Q4 2025 earnings, CFO David Zinsner conceded the company had "misjudged demand for data center CPUs," noting that while core counts were expected to rise, the company incorrectly forecast that unit volumes would not. He stated Intel is now "shifting as much [capacity] as we can over to the data center," but warned the shortage would likely persist into the first half of the 2026 fiscal year. For its part, AMD remains publicly confident in its supply chain readiness. In a statement to Reuters, the company said, "we remain confident in our ability to meet customer demand globally based on our strong supplier agreements and supply chain, including our partnership with TSMC." CEO Lisa Su had previously noted on an earnings call that server CPU demand is expected to remain robust through 2026, prompting ongoing multiyear capacity planning. The delays pose a potential headwind for Chinese cloud providers, hyperscale data center operators, and enterprises reliant on the latest generation of Intel and AMD hardware to power artificial intelligence workloads and general computing expansion. With lead times extending for several months, project timelines and capital expenditure plans may require adjustment, potentially creating opportunities for alternative suppliers in the competitive semiconductor landscape.
Source: datacenterdynamics
