
Somewhere along the way, upgrading a PC stopped being a modest indulgence that could be justified with a wink. In 2025, it feels more like stepping into a car dealership, reviewing your financing options while pretending you totally meant to look at the model that costs just as much as your monthly rent. A simple GPU refresh has drifted into the luxury-good territory, leaving the average gamer or creator wondering when their harmless hobby started requiring the financial composure of someone applying for a small loan.