Not a day goes by without some bad news hitting the PC world. This time, it’s the MLCC capacitor market that’s under pressure. Never heard of these things? Unfortunately for you, these little components are found in virtually every PC product: motherboards, graphics cards, SSDs, and even monitors and keyboards…Everyone is going to feel the pinch. Here’s why:

The MLCC capacitor: a new banana peel for the PC market

The MLCC is a multilayer ceramic capacitor. It is used to stabilize voltage and reduce electrical interference, which is essential for ensuring the proper functioning of modern devices. You won’t find just a single MLCC, but often dozens, hundreds, or even thousands, spread across a motherboard, graphics card, or SSD. In short, when the price of this component rises, the cost of all advanced electronic products rises as well, without exception. This change even affects the rarest electronic components. A company largely unknown to the general public has just sounded the alarm. And once again, the situation is driven by the surge in demand for AI hardware.

A component as critical as PC RAM.

Murata, the global leader in the manufacture of this type of capacitor, has just announced a price increase for MLCCs effective April 1. The company explains that this decision is due to the volume of demand for artificial intelligence components. This demand is monopolizing nearly all of Murata’s production capacity for high-end products. Under these circumstances, faced with a choice between massive orders for high-margin components and more traditional orders from the PC and consumer electronics sectors, the company quickly made its decision. This is precisely where the real problem lies. Because many sectors are now adopting this same approach. This is therefore a major structural issue that directly impacts product costs.

Manufacturers are regaining the upper hand.

We’re also seeing a sort of windfall effect, as in the memory sector: manufacturers are regaining market power and beginning to dictate their terms. It’s no longer just about producing, but also about selecting customers and setting prices, prioritizing the most lucrative sectors. It’s high time the AI bubble burst…