Taiwan's Inventec posted its best-ever August revenue, a good sign for AI hardware suppliers but a warning about laptops and parts shortages.

• August sales jumped 36% from a year earlier, and the first eight months are up 41% — both records.
• AI server demand is still strong, driven by Nvidia's new platform ramping up each quarter, and the company's new Houston, Texas plant has started shipping.
• Laptop shipments are falling: customers bought heavily in the first half and have turned cautious, while weak demand, tight memory supply and higher end prices bite.
• Key parts are short across the board — CPUs, SSDs, circuit boards and capacitors — so orders can't be filled as complete sets.
• The fourth quarter was supposed to be the yearly peak, but that is now in doubt because laptop shipments may drop again.

Outlook: AI servers should keep sales high, but parts shortages and a weak laptop market could flatten growth into year-end.