2010/02/06

Chip shortage to push up PC costs晶片短缺將推升電腦成本

◎陳成良

Shortages of some key technology components are expected to push up the cost of making personal computers for the first time since 2003, analysts have predicted.

若干重要科技元件短缺,預料將使個人電腦製造成本自2003年以來首度上升,分析師預料。

The world economic crisis forced many manufacturers to cut jobs, delay plans to open up new factories, and scale back on production rates, which analysts said could take up to a year to be restored.

世界經濟危機迫使許多廠商裁員、推遲設立新廠的計畫,並減緩生產速度,分析師認為這些可能需要長達一年時間才能恢復。

The cost of semiconductor components is set to rise 2.8% in 2010, in contrast to an average decline of 7.8% for the past nine years, according to research firm Gartner.

相較於過去9年來每年價格平均下跌7.8%,2010年半導體元件的成本很可能增加2.8%,據顧能研究公司指出。

The expected increase is almost entirely attributable to a 23% increase in the price of DRam memory chips, which make up about 10% of a PC’s cost, according to the Financial Times.

預期中的成本增加,幾乎完全可歸因於「動態隨機記憶體」記憶晶片價格上漲23%,該晶片佔個人電腦約10%的成本,據金融時報報導。

Some other components including hard drives and optical disc drives will to be in short supply and the cost of flat-screen monitors will increase by about 20%, Gartner predicted.

包括硬碟及光碟機在內的其他元件,供應上也會出現短缺,而平面監視器的成本也會增加20%左右,顧能預測。

Increases in component costs are likely to have the biggest impact on smaller PC makers, which do not have the same bargaining power with suppliers as bigger brands.

元件成本增加,很可能對小型個人電腦廠商帶來最大的衝擊,因為大廠向供應商議價的實力,它們比不上。

新聞辭典

be set to︰片語,很有可能的、即將發生的。例句︰Electricity prices are set to go up again.(電費很有可能再上漲。)

contrast: 可作為動詞與名詞,皆為對照、比照之意。例句:This seems too big in contrast to that.(與那個對照之下,這個顯然太大)。

be attributable to:片語,可歸因於。例句:His illness is attributable to overwork. (他的病可歸因於勞累過度。)

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