Sagoh
In the middle of the 20th century, the British government launched a cultural initiative that defined a generation: "Make Do and Mend." Faced with the rationing of textiles and the scarcity of raw materials during World War II, citizens were encouraged to repair their clothes, repurpose household items, and reject the culture of disposability. Today, the tech industry finds itself in a strikingly similar predicament. As component costs skyrocket and the "AI gold rush" drains global supply chains, the era of easy, affordable, and frequent hardware upgrades is coming to an abrupt end.
For the modern consumer, the solution is no longer to wait for prices to drop; it is to reassert control over the devices we already own. By embracing a ethos of repairability and skepticism toward planned obsolescence, we can insulate ourselves from the volatile economics of the current tech market.
The Root Cause: The AI "RAMpocalypse"
To understand why your next laptop or smartphone is significantly more expensive than its predecessor, one must look at the supply chain. The tech industry is currently in the grip of what analysts call a "RAMpocalypse"—a massive, industry-wide shortage of memory (RAM) and storage (SSD) components.
The catalyst for this scarcity is the explosive demand for data center capacity, fueled by the global race to develop and deploy Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI. These AI clusters consume staggering amounts of high-bandwidth memory, effectively monopolizing the manufacturing output of the world’s few remaining top-tier semiconductor foundries.
According to research from the consulting firm Kearney, this supply chain bottleneck is not a temporary blip. Their projections suggest that the scarcity of advanced components will persist until at least 2030. With only a handful of companies globally capable of manufacturing cutting-edge chips, the "tech pipeline" is essentially clogged, and the cost of the few components that do reach the consumer market has been driven to unprecedented heights.
A Chronology of Rising Costs
The economic shift has been subtle but persistent, gaining momentum over the last few years as inflationary pressures merged with component shortages.
- 2022–2023: Early warning signs appear as supply chain disruptions post-pandemic lead to minor price adjustments across the PC market. Consumers begin to "panic-buy" hardware in anticipation of future shortages.
- 2024: The "Right to Repair" movement gains significant legal ground. Oregon becomes the first U.S. state to effectively ban "parts pairing"—a software-locked practice where manufacturers prevent the use of third-party repair components.
- 2025–2026: Prices hit a breaking point. Apple, a market bellwether, initiates broad hardware price hikes. Valve releases its new hardware iteration at a base price of $1,049, notably without a controller, sparking outcry over the disconnect between consumer expectations and manufacturing realities.
- Late 2026/Early 2027: Microsoft increases the cost of its 1TB Xbox Series X by $150 and raises prices for its Surface laptop line by as much as $600. Simultaneously, the EU prepares for a 2027 mandate requiring all portable electronics to feature easily replaceable batteries.
Official Responses and Industry Maneuvering
The industry’s response to these pricing pressures has been uniform: pass the cost to the consumer. Microsoft, Apple, and Valve have all cited increased costs for silicon and logistics as the justification for their recent price hikes. However, there is a distinct irony in this narrative.
Many of these same companies have spent years investing billions into AI infrastructure—the very activity that has driven up the cost of the components required for their consumer products. By effectively cannibalizing their own supply chain to fuel the AI bubble, these corporations have created a self-fulfilling prophecy of scarcity.
Conversely, regulatory bodies are finally pushing back. The European Union has emerged as the most significant challenger to the industry’s status quo. By mandating that devices sold after February 2027 must be designed for battery replacement, the EU is forcing manufacturers to reconsider the "glued-shut" design philosophy that has dominated the last decade of hardware engineering.
Implications: The Consumer’s New Responsibility
If we continue to accept these price hikes as the "new normal," we signal to the industry that there is no need to prioritize longevity or affordability. If we choose to opt out of the upgrade cycle, the implications for the market—and our personal autonomy—are profound.
1. Breaking the Fear of Maintenance
For years, manufacturers have cultivated a sense of helplessness among users. By using proprietary screws, adhesives, and software locks, companies like Apple and Microsoft have turned hardware into "black boxes." However, the barrier to entry for repair is lower than it has been in years.
Whether it is replacing a backlight in a television or swapping a battery in a smartphone, the resources to learn are readily available. Websites like iFixit and the growing popularity of community-led "Repair Cafés" provide the documentation and peer support that were once gatekept by authorized service centers.
2. The Power of "Certified Refurbished"
When hardware is truly beyond repair, the second-hand market is the most logical alternative. The rise of certified refurbished platforms is not just a trend; it is a necessity. Buying a previous-generation flagship device not only saves significant capital but also keeps functioning hardware out of landfills. As the market for used electronics matures, consumers can often find devices that offer 90% of the performance of a new model for half the price.
3. The Solidarity of Repair
"Make Do and Mend" is not just about personal frugality; it is about community. When we share tools, trade knowledge, and support independent repair shops, we build a local ecosystem that is resilient against global supply chain shocks. Supporting the independent repair technician down the street keeps your hardware running longer and keeps capital within your local economy, rather than funneling it back into the massive corporations that prioritized AI servers over consumer-grade electronics.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Our Devices
The industry expects us to be passive consumers—to wait in line, pay the premium, and discard our devices when the battery inevitably degrades or a minor component fails. But we are not obligated to play that game.
The path forward is clear: we must treat our electronics as assets rather than consumables. By demanding modular, repairable hardware and sharpening our own technical skills, we can dismantle the cycle of planned obsolescence.
If we collectively choose to stop buying the latest "shiny object" for the next 24 months, the market will have no choice but to adjust. The AI bubble may be driving the current crisis, but our consumer habits will determine how long it lasts. It is time to stop being mere users of our devices and start being their owners once again. The tools are in our hands; all we need is the resolve to use them.
Siti Muinah
Dwi Wanna
