During World War II, Britain launched a campaign to reduce clothing waste called Make Do and Mend. The government sent training manuals and local groups held classes to teach people how to make and repair their clothes. With component costs skyrocketing, it’s time for all of us to adopt a similar attitude with our devices.
Demand for data center capacity from the AI bubble has swallowed up the entire tech industry pipeline. But there are only a handful of companies in the world that make the components that make all of these machines work. Only one company is capable of making cutting-edge chips, and only a handful of others make RAM and SSDs, none of which can satisfy the growing demand. The global RAMpocalypse will likely remain a problem until 2030, according to consultancy Kearney.
We’ve known for a few years that this squeeze would result in juice costs, and things are really starting to show. Apple is raising device prices across the board. Valve’s vaunted console alternative, the Steam Machine, is priced at $1,049 without a controller. (Valve said the figure is far higher than what it wanted to charge for the hardware.) Microsoft added an extra $150 to the price of the 1TB Xbox Series
The inevitable response is to shrug our shoulders and stoically endure the pain given that this is a global problem. A series of global conflicts (many of which were unnecessary) have sent food and energy prices into the stratosphere. But given that we want our toys and we want them now, we’ll just have to settle for this final indignity and cough it up.
So what would happen if we all simply chose not to buy anything new for a year or two unless we really had to? What if we all took a “Make, Fix” approach and do our best to help others do the same in the name of solidarity? After all, if we accept higher prices, they are far less likely to come back down when the AI bubble bursts.
Especially since, for many machines, the failure of a component should not mean that your only option is to purchase a replacement. For years, the industry has worked to undermine our ability to keep our machines running longer in order to encourage this same attitude. Since this isn’t going to come back anytime soon, it’s up to us to take control of our own devices.
Part of it is simply losing the fear that the industry has instilled in us about what we can and can’t do with our own equipment. I won’t lie: I felt like I lost my talent for working with electronics after switching to Mac in 2005. It wasn’t until I faced the pace of climate and sustainability here at Woozad that I saw how easy repairs can be. I’m a big fan of Fairphone devices, which can be taken apart and put back together in minutes, and I can tear apart a Framework laptop with my eyes closed. But from those first steps, I felt empowered to take on more and more repairs in my own life. I replaced a broken backlight on my in-laws’ TV. I was hesitant to get a quote to repair a lawn mower so found the replacement part online for £9. If you don’t want to go that far, maybe it’s as simple as supporting your local independent repair shop. Sharing your knowledge, and maybe even your tools, with your friends and your local community can help you and them feel more empowered.
There are at least a few useful figures in government who have taken useful steps in this area. In 2024, Oregon was the first state to ban part matching, allowing the use of third-party replacements in hardware. The EU has worked hard to mandate the repairs as part of its wider fight against e-waste, and devices sold after February 18, 2027 must have easily replaceable batteries.
Not forgetting, of course, that when something is broken and can no longer be repaired, our first move should be to visit refurbished stores. I suspect companies selling certified pre-owned hardware are ready to take advantage of this situation, especially given the walls of iPhones you normally see at your local used electronics store. If you can possibly resist the lure of the latest, fanciest gear being shoved down your throat at every turn, then you might be able to enjoy last year’s flagship product at a half-decent discount.
Fundamentally, the industry should not rely on us to meekly accept and consume whatever is put in front of us. This is doubly true for companies that have used their wealth to make reckless investments in AI, which is at the root of much of these problems. It’s time we start pushing back against this notion and, more importantly, reclaiming the skills the industry has invested so much in making us forget.
