SCOUT· 63%34m·2026-06-16·News PoliticsIs This the End of Affordable Tech?
Consumer tech is getting more expensive just as laptops and phones have become more essential than ever. In this episode, Rosie leads a roundtable discussion with Wirecutter’s senior editor Caitlin McGarry, supervising editor Arthur Gies and senior staff writer Kimber Streams, about why the era of truly cheap…
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What people are saying
“Not sure what you are talking about. I can get a decent laptop right now for $500. When everything is done by AI who needs all of the bells and whistles?? Maybe everyone needs to lower their expectations .... and clean your cache!”
“The MacBook Neo is $600. Most people don't do much that is very processor intensive. Also, the cheapest Samsung galaxy is $174. There is always cheap stuff if your expectations don't exceed your budget.”
“Refurbished is always just a fancy word for used 😂”
“I certainly heard the quality is getting far worse. That prices are going way up at the same time…predictable perhaps but the irony isn’t lost on any of us.”
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