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The Hunt for a Desktop Worthy of My Mom
It’s that time of year again — holiday card season! My mom eagerly informed me of her plans to design and print her famous photo cards on her aging desktop computer. But first, we have some troubleshooting to do.
Her current setup from the early 2010s wheezes loading the printer options, taking nearly 20 minutes per task. Before she can unleash her Martha Stewart-level creativity for the holidays, it’s clear her technology needs an upgrade.
With a budget of $500, I thought I could buy her a simple new desktop capable of basic functions without the grinding pace of technology past. My optimism evaporated quickly browsing holiday sales.
A 2022 Intel Celeron model for $380? That exact processor seems ripped from the innards of my mom’s obsolete machine!
And the mid-range offerings? Minor incremental upgrades over a decade of Moore’s Law.
I could splurge on a custom-built dream machine, but my mom needs only the digital basics.
Instead, it feels like each year companies repackage and markup dated devices to appear innovatively new. I now have my suspicions that the electronics I donated in the past simply get a superficial makeover before hitting shelves again at full price.
