John Chad, Bachelor Degree in Computer Science & Computer Engineering.
Russel Collins
Motherboards are an important part of any computer. Have you found yourself buying a new computer but can’t find a motherboard in any of your local stores and even online they’re out of stock? Don’t worry! You’re not alone. This article will tell you everything that you want to know about motherboards, why they are out of stock so quickly for the past couple of years, and when they are available so that the next time this happens, it won’t be as frustrating for you!
Let’s begin by figuring out why exactly are they out of stock all the time.
Why are so many motherboards out of stock?
There are a few reasons for this.
One possible reason is because there has been such demand lately from people who have finally built their first gaming PC or maybe just need to buy a new one.
Crypto is another reason, mining has been increasing in popularity which reduces the stock on computer components, and this has been affecting the whole hardware market, not just motherboards. Mining can be profitable when done properly and the big miners know this and buy several computers to mine on them, hence, going through the whole stock of computer hardware.
Another possible reason is that motherboards are more expensive than other computer parts(Besides CPU/GPU) so they are often out of stock to prevent people from buying them when their inventory isn’t high enough yet (as an example).
Lastly, it could be that motherboard companies want to restrict supply in order to drive up demand and make a profit. Either way, the result is that everyone who needs a motherboard ends up being frustrated because they can never find any!
When will motherboards be back in stock?
Motherboards have been available for a few weeks now, but it comes and goes because of how fast they get sold out. The boards that were originally out of stock are also available again, so we’ll see the situation normalize as time goes on and manufacturers tweak production techniques to meet demand.
All hope is not lost! Motherboards will be available soon enough, but it’s hard to say when exactly they’ll be coming through. We’ve seen some very small stocks trickle from various sources (MSI, Gigabyte), which should hopefully fuel new board shipments down the line. But no one knows how long before motherboards become readily available again – maybe days? Weeks? Months? It’s impossible to tell at this point…
What we recommend you to do is keep an eye out on the 2 big online Hardware stores:
Newegg is one of the world’s biggest hardware shops and gets its stock replenished more frequently than most shops so if you can keep an eye out you can probably find one every few days.
Amazon is also one of the world’s biggest markets, the brands themselves usually sell in Amazon which is extremely important because since they’re the manufacturer themselves they often have a few extra ones available for sale.
Why is Crypto Mining affecting the Hardware Market
You may have already heard about the recent cryptocurrency mining craze, and how it’s affecting hardware markets. We think that this trend will continue for at least a few more years with no plans to stop, so it’s important to know where the motherboards are going.
The economics of cryptocurrency mining is such that people who can buy or rent expensive graphics cards, central processing units (CPUs), and other hardware for a lower cost per unit have an advantage over those who cannot afford them. With many computer components in short supply as demand has outpaced production capacity due to this trend, prices continue to go up while availability goes down – which means more profits for miners and less accessibility for everyone else looking to invest in new equipment.
Motherboard manufacturers have been feeling the burn from these trends too: GPU shortages caused by crypto-mining skyrocketing prices mean far fewer gamers will be buying gaming-grade boards anytime soon, and motherboard prices are going up as well. In anticipation of this trend to continue, many companies have started rationing sales or blocking preorders altogether – ensuring scarcity on their end for when demand inevitably picks back up again.