Notebook brands Acer and Asus posted strong January revenue, defying the usual seasonal slowdown. The supply chain, however, remains cautious — the momentum, sources warn, is short-lived. When inventories of key components are drawn down by the second quarter of 2026, and price increases are passed on to end consumers, the real test will begin. As Warren Buffett famously put it: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.”