Intel Q4 2025 Earnings and Consumer Chip Shortage: The AI Trade-off

Intel's caught in a high-stakes balancing act. According to Reuters, the tech giant reported its Q4 2025 earnings yesterday, showing a slight dip in annual revenue from $53.1 billion to $52.9 billion. While quarterly revenue fell 4% to $13.7 billion, it actually hit the high end of their own guidance, suggesting things aren't as grim as they look on the surface.

Deep Dive into Intel Q4 2025 Earnings and Consumer Chip Shortage

The numbers tell a story of two different worlds. Intel's Data Center and AI division is booming, up 9% for the quarter. Meanwhile, the Client Computing Group—the folks making your Core processors and Arc GPUs—saw a 7% decline. It's clear that while enterprises are hungry for AI silicon, the average PC buyer is keeping their wallet shut.

The Panther Lake Problem: Higher Prices Ahead?

This supply bind is bad news for gamers and prosumers. As Intel gears up to launch the Core Ultra Series 3 (codenamed Panther Lake), executives admitted they're allocating limited chip supply to the divisions that actually make money. Don't be surprised if we see significant shortages or price hikes when these new consumer processors finally hit the shelves.