"That means a refresh wave is looming for pandemic-era buyers, just as component prices are soaring amid AI-driven demand for hardware. RAM prices have jumped anywhere from 150% to more than 200% over the past year, depending on the type, according to PCPartPicker.com. Storage prices, including the cost of hard drives, have followed similar trends."
"IT research firm Gartner notes that many people replace their business devices, typically laptops, every three to five years. International Data Corp. puts that timeline closer to five to eight years when businesses actively manage upgrades and repairs. Personal-use computer owners tend to follow a similar replacement cycle."
"Meanwhile, video card prices have remained elevated for years, as GPUs, the chips that power graphics cards, have become a core component of AI systems. For gamers, that has been especially frustrating."
During the pandemic, PC and laptop purchases surged 14.5% as remote work and digital communication became essential. Now, three to eight years later, many of those devices require replacement. However, the market has become hostile for buyers. Component prices have skyrocketed due to AI-driven hardware demand: RAM prices jumped 150-200% over the past year, storage costs followed similar trends, and video card prices remain elevated as GPUs became critical for AI systems. This timing creates a challenging situation where consumers need upgrades precisely when prices are at their highest, unlike previous replacement cycles.
Read at Fast Company
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