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It might be the worst time in modern history to be in the market for a gaming PC right now with the price of components spiraling out of control as a result of various market conditions making things pretty untenable for the average user.
RAM prices have spiralled out of control, thanks in large part to unfeasibly greedy AI data centers, with current demand far outstripping what most major manufacturers are able to deliver.
At the same time hostile trade relations between some of the biggest blocks on the planet have left tariffs at an all-time high, further increasing the price for consumers in shops and online.
If you're thinking that things are particularly bad where you are, that likely isn't the case. PC gamers globally are suffering, as one recent revelation out of Japan seemingly proves.
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As first reported by Tom's Hardware, a major Japanese retailer is asking people to bring in their old PCs so they can either be resold as complete PCs, or stripped down into new packages or individual components.
The store in question is Sofmap Gaming in Akihabara, who put out a post on X, basically begging folks in Japan to bring in their old PCs, laptops and other hardware.
“Gaming PCs, even used ones, are really out of stock right now,” the post reads.
“As a favour, if you buy a new one, please sell your gaming PC to our company. We buy them back at pretty high prices.
"Whether it's a gaming desktop or a laptop, or even a regular non-gaming one, we pretty much buy any PC.”
It's a pretty bleak window into just how badly short consumer stores are falling in their attempts to meet the demands of those who want to play games on PC.
What's genuinely frightening about the current situation is just how quickly it has become untenable, with AI usage showing those signs of slowing down, and the companies perpetuating it offering no solutions about how to move forward in a way that works for everyone.
This could also easily have immense consequences outside of the standard PC market, with the next generation of consoles also called into question, given the practicalities of securing the amount of components they'd need for a full rollout.
It's a bleak situation and one that needs resolving quickly before things reach your breaking point.
