Intel Core i3, i5 & i7 Notebook CPUs In Short Supply?

Acer's enthusiastic embrace of Intel's latest Core i3, i5 and i7 "Calpella" notebook processors for their upcoming TimelineX range has seemingly thrown the chipmaker's production lines into a panic, with DigiTime's manufacturing sources reckoning that the CPUs are now in relatively short supply.  That's led Intel to prioritize the orders of first-tier manufacturers, meaning it may take a little longer for niche market notebooks to arrive.

The sources haven't been specific with the amount of delay involved, only saying that second-tier and smaller notebook firms will need to "wait much longer" before they can expect access to the Calpella processors.  Part of Acer's enthusiasm was their disappointment with performance from Intel's CULV (consumer ultra-low voltage) CPUs, which enabled reasonable battery longevity but at the expense of performance.

However, it also raises potential explanations for the absence of any apparent MacBook Pro update using the new processors, something we've been expecting for some time now.  Apple may be waiting for Intel's supply to stabilize before they refresh their notebook range, rather than face stock shortages.