The sad reality is that the general price of a computer does not stop going up year after year. The price of processors and graphics cards has skyrocketed, making the reduction in the price of RAM and SSD come to nothing. That the motherboards have also risen is clearly a symptom that something is not right.
Having a computer is a necessity, not a whim
Although where it is most evident is in the graphics cards, the processors have also become quite expensive. They are two crucial components in any system. The user is forced to lower his expectations to enter tight budgets. Also, the time it takes for the average user to extend the life of their system increases due to this price increase.
He mindfactory report He tells us about the average price of motherboards. Note that above all the rise is in the medium and high range, which are the ones that have become more expensive. It is also noted that it comparesn Data from November 2020 with data from March 2023. The increase is reflected in those developed for Intel processors and for AMD processors.
According to the report, in November 2020 the average price of motherboards with chipset AMD It was from 120.5 euro. On the other hand, this component based on the chipset of Intel had an average price of 140.78 euro.
Let’s go now with the current average data, specifically, the data is from March 17, 2023. motherboards with chipset AMD they cost 163 euro on average, one 35% rise. The case for chipset-based solutions Intel it’s worse, since it’s gone at 197 eurowhich supposes a 40% rise.
This means that the decrease in the prices of SSDs and RAM memory, which are around 15-20%, does not serve as a palliative. In addition, they are cheaper components, so it does not compensate either. If a 1 TB SSD has gone from being worth 100 euros to 80 euros, thanks to a 20% drop, it really does not cover the average increase of between 40-60 euros for motherboards.
Sony and Microsoft rub hands
Those who benefit the most from this situation are Sony and Microsoft, without a doubt. Faced with this situation, users will opt to abandon gaming on PC and purchase a console. They will keep the computer for daily tasks such as studying, browsing or working and the console for entertainment.
Every time I think that the thought I have of a hardware leasing model makes more sense. That we end up not buying computers, but renting them for a while with a monthly fee. This model, environmentally speaking, is unsustainable, but much more profitable for companies.
And while cloud gaming seems abandoned, it could really be something else. A user could purchase a “basic” computer and use one of these platforms to play. NVIDIA GeForce Now is the clearest example, which is there, latent waiting, for its own moment to hatch?
