Why the World is Running Out of Computers

Audio editing by Eric Schneider
Motion graphics by Vincent de Langen
Everything else by Evan

Thanks to Ma Con for the Vietnamese subtitle translation.

This includes a paid sponsorship which had no part in the writing, editing, or production of the rest of the video.

Video supplied by Getty Images

[Techy]

This is why right to repair is important, we MUST stop throwing these things away they are a precious resource.

[simba-san]

Here to learn why I can’t afford a graphics card anymore lol

[BrendanFromBC]

Now tell me why my cereal boxes are getting thinner.

*I'm on to you Kelloggs, I know the computer chips aren't holding you back.*

[MythiccDawning]

Kinda surprising, it’s almost like your car doesn’t actually need an entertainment center in it.

[grmancool]

I thought we had ran out of silicon, knowing it's just a logistics issue gives me some relief actually

[WaTahBasTard]

this is why we need more computer recycling businesses. but also, we need to not simply replace our older technology's but utilize them as a means to ration more precious materials, and also using the old techs can be cheaper.

on a lighter note, using older tech would have appeal to the nostalgia buffs.

[PhilMoskowitz]

Twenty years ago the fear was running out of ip addresses. Now it's running out of computing devices itself.

[mayanks]

"The world has enough for everyone's need but not for anyone's greed" : Mahatma Gandhi

[hpsmash]

"what on earth can cause such a costly disaster"
"sponsored by hover"
yeah sponsors, yeah I get it, they stole all the silicon

[danielsonski]

"Americans are used to buying cars the size of small European countries" - lol

[nApucco]

"What on earth could cause such a costly disaster?"

"Hover"

[HevaNaisdey]

This is exactly the reason why making new phones and cars every year is stupid. If top tech like Apple, Samsung, and top car manufacturers like Toyota, GM, Volvo all agree to make new phones and cars every 2 years, the world would be in a much better state. They certainly will lose some profits, but those profits will be allocated to other industries which will elevate the overall quality of life for everyone. I know, not gonna happen. Wishful thinking.

[Swat_Dennis]

Actually having buttons and non-digital elements on cars is fine. As a car mechanic I don’t understand why everything has to be tablets and screens

[zhshsG]

"Americans got back to buying trucks the size of small European countries." That cracked me up

[warasilawombat]

This is the first video I’ve seen from PolyMatter where I’m actually an insider/knowledgeable. I engineer industrial and automotive electronics at my day job and it’s been quite an interesting time to be doing so. Where brand loyalties or price sensitivity used to lie, I have no choice but to decide amongst options simply by what is in stock. We’ve had to get extremely creative in how we get some of the ICs we need, and even cannibalized old prototypes for some of the rarer items.

All this to say, I know there are some things that you glossed over, but there’s nothing that I think is objectively incorrect in this video based on what I know.

[marufbepary]

Semiconductors are like electricity, everyone takes it for granted until it's gone.

[Solderpro_]

The way he worded the sponsor it nearly seemed like hover was the culprit to the chip shortage.

[KrishnaDasLessons]

I personally think this situation is a sort of positive, we should start realizing the power of right to repair and how fixing our products would save the world overall. The environmental damage the production of computer circuitry does is insane.

Also, I feel like American cars are getting more bloated, so this can force manufacturers to scale back on factors such as size.

[Maljurok]

What we really need is people to, especially the manufacturers, to finally start designing things to be more easily upgradable rather than something you spend 1000s of dollars to get only for it to become useless due to things such as planned obsolescence. Where upgrading something should be as easy as unplugging one piece in a machine and plugging in a new better one. Kinda like how you can sometimes plug in a radio into the dashboard of your car.

[KanjoNights]

I thought I had a fairly decent understanding of the intricate logistics of this issue, but PolyMatter proved that I only had a fairly shallow understanding of the true complications of it. This is extremely well done!