Hypothesis: there’s a certain minimum amount of time users want to be able to use a laptop for. Say 3-5 years. Back when every 18 months new hardware would be

Hypothesis: there’s a certain minimum amount of time users want to be able to use a laptop for. Say 3-5 years. Back when every 18 months new hardware would be out that was twice as powerful as what you had just bought for $2k, anything that could upgrade and extend the useful life of your computer would be a selling point and help beat the competition. These days, for the vast majority of users, a $500 laptop will serve their every need for 5-8 years without upgrades. Even for most power users and developers, a $1500-2000 laptop will last 3-5 years. So longevity is no longer a major selling point, and thus neither is extensibility. In fact, if they want to get you to buy another new machine within the next decade, it’s against the manufacturer’s interest to sell you something upgradable.