The cause of rising PC prices is spreading beyond memory semiconductors to substrates and materials overall. That is because AI servers are absorbing high-margin components, structurally pushing the supply chain for general-purpose PCs to the back seat.
On the 3rd, according to the industry and global market research firm Gartner, the expansion of AI infrastructure is driving a surge in demand for high value-added components, leading manufacturers to prioritize limited production lines and materials and supplies for more profitable products in a trend of "resource reallocation." In the past, the expansion of high-performance products triggered a "trickle-down effect," boosting demand for general-purpose parts and improving productivity. In the AI era, however, analysis indicates the structure is shifting in the opposite direction, with production facilities and materials and supplies for general-purpose parts being encroached upon by AI-dedicated lines.
◇ All-in on "AI substrates" that make money… general-purpose lines left out in the cold
The first bottlenecks have appeared in substrates. Major Korean companies are rapidly shifting production from standard PC mainboard substrates to high-performance substrates used in AI accelerators.
Brokerages expect Daeduck Electronics to post a sharp year-over-year increase in operating profit this year on the back of a higher share of FC-BGA for AI and automotive electronics. FC-BGA is a high-performance substrate that directly connects semiconductor chips and substrates without wires to maximize data transfer speed, serving as a key component that acts as the "neural network" in AI servers and Autonomous Driving. SIMMTECH is likewise focusing on producing high value-added substrates centered on the mSAP (modified semi-additive process), which precisely stacks fine circuits. mSAP is a technology that ultraminiaturizes circuit spacing by plating only the necessary circuits instead of etching away unnecessary copper, and is essential for miniaturization and high density in high-performance semiconductors.
High-performance substrates such as FC-BGA carry far higher unit prices and revenue margins than general-purpose products. For manufacturers, simply switching the "product mix (composition)" on the same production lines can significantly lift results. This production realignment is directly leading to supply-demand imbalances. In the industry, for some general-purpose PCBs, lead times (from order to delivery) that used to be about six weeks are now understood to have stretched to 24 weeks (about six months).
Rising prices of copper foil (thin copper film), which forms the skeleton of substrates, and resin (insulating resin), which secures it, are also squeezing manufacturing costs. The industry assesses that the share of substrate costs in total PC manufacturing expense has risen more than 1.5 times compared with previous years.
◇ Semiconductors go to AI, shells face shortages… PCs trapped in a "double burden"
The materials cost burden is spreading to plastic resins as well. With geopolitical risks such as U.S.-Iran tensions driving up naphtha prices, the prices of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), which use it as a feedstock, have risen in tandem. These materials are essential across PCs, including cases and internal insulating parts, and the higher costs are immediately reflected in finished goods costs. Semiconductors are squeezed by AI demand, while exteriors and accessory materials are squeezed by energy prices, forming a simultaneous "double burden."
At retail, shortages are flagged as a bigger problem than prices. A representative at the Yongsan electronics market said, "You can still get memory even if it's expensive, but for entry-level mainboards or cases, manufacturers have cut production shares, making it hard to secure volume at all," adding, "Even getting allocations from distributors has turned into a war." Online communities are also seeing a string of reports of delays in assembled PC deliveries due to parts shortages.
Concerns are growing that the entry-level PC market may vanish. Gartner projected that if component price increases continue, PC finished goods prices could rise by up to 20% by the end of 2026. In that case, the entry-level PC market under 700,000 won, where profitability is hard to meet, is highly likely to shrink in practice.
An electronics industry representative said, "Now, regardless of PC demand, global production capacity itself has shifted to AI servers," diagnosing that "the AI black hole is cementing a supply chain exclusion structure that pushes general-purpose IT products to a lower priority."