Analysts Predict the Twilight of Cheap Computers, While the Smartphone Market Focuses on AI and Optics

The latest analytical reports paint a pessimistic future for the budget personal computer segment. According to forecasts from Gartner, rising component costs and demand for features based on artificial intelligence will lead to the disappearance from the market of laptops and desktop computers costing below $500. This process is set to conclude by 2028, which will force consumers to spend more on basic equipment for work and study. Simultaneously, in the mobile world, we observe dynamic development of flagship devices. Samsung plans significant changes in the Galaxy S27 Ultra model, which are intended to be a response to the successes of competitors, including the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, hailed as the new king of mobile photography. The Korean giant intends to bet on its own Exynos processors, abandoning Snapdragon chipsets across its entire product line, which represents a bold change in technological strategy. The rivalry between Samsung, Apple, and Chinese brands for supremacy in mobile photography has been ongoing for over a decade, driving the development of high-resolution sensors and advanced image processing algorithms. The launch of new devices is accompanied by innovations in durability; the company Corning presented Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3, which is intended to make smartphone screens almost indestructible. „The sub-$500 entry-level PC segment will disappear by 2028: Gartner predicts that budget computers are on borrowed time” — Gartner In the processor segment, AMD and Qualcomm presented new units supporting artificial intelligence, which further raises the performance bar for the entire IT sector. Poland will soon see an expansion of Starlink Mobile services, which will improve connectivity in regions with poor infrastructure. Meanwhile, fans of the Oppo brand can expect a global launch of the Find X9 Ultra model, which has so far been available only on the Chinese market. These changes indicate the progressing globalization of flagship solutions alongside a simultaneous increase in prices of entry-level segment devices.

Perspektywy mediów: Technology media focused on innovations emphasize the inevitability of AI progress at the expense of low prices. Conservative commentators point out the digital exclusion of poorer groups due to the elimination of cheap equipment.