this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2025
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This is a good point, we don't need PCs to be this expensive.
I just hope we don't fuck up the whole thing and end up with cloud computers or end up not making new PCs..
I'm pretty convinced this is the play. Drive up DIY PC parts then promote thin cloud clients as a way to have a PC without paying the crazy prices that they set. It's a lot easier to tell you "it's safer for the children" and pillage every file, action, and keystroke for AI training and data brokerage. Your owned PC is a black box for them and it's their wet dream to own it for you... As a subscription of course.
thin client machines that you have to lease with a cloud subscription and which are locked down to the intended purpose only. basically the death of generic computing. delevoper machines will be tied down devel kits.
Isn't that what windows is anyway?
While it might actually end up going that way, I don't think that's a deliberate play. The tech bros and C-suite execs tend to be sociopathic dumbasses. I think they're legitimately just loading themselves up with tons of debt just to buy hardware to capture market share thinking that things could never collapsed on them.
Like a Chromebook.
If the only affordable option for using computers is cloud-based subscriptions, that’s when computers are no longer worth it to me. I’ll just take up something else.
Computer with cloud-based subscription sounds like a great example of enshittification.
I might prefer no PC over that. Ew. I mean, the libraries have PCs you can borrow if I'd really need to use one.
Just keep old computers is all. Eventually your spec will be considered 'retro computing' and you can still enjoy the thousands of games that are playable on real hardware.
5 years ago I would’ve called you insane, but with everything happening right now… it’s a distinct possibility.
RAM’s unaffordable, GPU’s will likely be harder to come by and more expensive. Microsoft is actively driving people away from Windows, Steam is launching their Steam Machine…
Here’s hoping many gamers will jump to Linux and grow that platform instead. But even then, too expensive hardware will be an issue.
We’re living in interesting times.
I would have called myself insane five years ago too!
Yeah, jumping to Linux could help a bit. I did that a couple of years ago, but that was more because I couldn't upgrade to Win 11 on my almost a decade old PC. Now I'm glad I couldn't upgrade to Win 11 haha.
I had a laptop with Win 11 tho but I never got used to it and don't want AI and shit in any of my computers so I jumped over to Linux on that to.
Maybe Steam will save the day with the Steam Cube? Isn't that pretty much a normal gaming PC?
That in itself might act to make linux attractive as it can be a much lighter weight alternative to windows to stretch the useful life of hardware they own.
That's actually the main reason I switched my PC from Windows 10 to Linux. I couldn't upgrade to Win 11. Now I'm happy I couldn't!
That is an increasingly high risk I can see, PCs just no longer exist.