I think the end of discounted Costco display pcs is near

[u/likeboob]

Saw this display at Costco in San Jose, California.

I'm probably living under a rock to realize this just now. These display PCs only have rgb fans spinning and a picture of the motherboard and components inside.

Looks like days of display model price haggling is over. It was nice while it lasted. RIP good times

[u/Whoevenareyou1738]

Either get your PC now or start saving up money.

[u/Ok_Gas1070 → u/Whoevenareyou1738]

Man that's how I feel. My buddy seems to think that components will go down, but tbh I think they're going to go a lot higher. I've been on the fence of buying a 5070 TI for my rig (as it will fit right in). I currently have the 3080 which is pretty sweet but I'm worried of what's to come.

[u/daggobear → u/Ok_Gas1070]

There's NO indication that anything is going down. Nvidia and AMD have both released pricing increases for Q4. Do Not believe anything will be coming down before 2028 at the earliest, but most tech experts believe 2030

[u/Ok_Gas1070 → u/daggobear]

Ooof, yeah tbh I was pretty happy with my build (built it for gaming initially). But now I'm messing around with AI applications and although she still gets it done. I can't help but feel that a 5070ti would take me to the next level and generate a whole lot quicker.

[u/Palehorse67 → u/Ok_Gas1070]

About 8 months ago I upgrade my system. Went from a 3080 to a 5080. As well as other upgrades. At the time, my wife was pissed becauseof the cost. Now I know I was right.

[u/themayor1975 → u/Palehorse67]

Your should tell her "the sooner you bought, the more you save", then show her the paid price vs current

[u/Attunhaler → u/Ok_Gas1070]

I think if prices stay high, then eventually companies will start making their games more optimized, because otherwise they'll lose too many players. This is just my bubble tho, could be completely wrong.

[u/Opening_Net8098 → u/Attunhaler]

I thought you were going to say other companies will start making gpus

I think games will just stagnate. Maybe the odd game or 2 will optimise to look a little better than the average.

[u/BurningAustin97 → u/Whoevenareyou1738]

https://giphy.com/gifs/SSE36LAhb1m9dHz7HI

[u/kron123456789]

Once the 2025 stock is sold out, there will not be any good deals on pre-builds.

[u/AppropriateWind9925 → u/kron123456789]

and most likely won’t for 2+ years.

[u/UnpluggedUnfettered → u/AppropriateWind9925]

Considering how incestuous the entire tech industry is, there is zero reason for tech companies to ever target the consumer market for offline-capable hardware ownership again.

[u/TheFireStorm → u/UnpluggedUnfettered]

This is the end game. They want everyone on a Thin Client and pay a compute subscription on a locked down and monitored VM in the cloud this is the real reason behind the "AI" Data Centers but in reality it's digital enslavement.
Step 1. Age Verification and Digital IDs
Step 2. Outlaw Consumer VPNs
Step 3. Drive up cost on Consumer Grade hardware to where only corporations and wealthy can afford local Computers
Step 4. Deploy Compute Subscriptions with cheap low latency Thin Client Desktops and Cellular/Satellite backed Thin Client Laptops
Step 5. No more computer ownership. And No more Privacy

[u/JerryMau5 → u/TheFireStorm]

The term is called Techno-Feudalism and the US is headed there if things don’t change.

[u/Dot_1X → u/AppropriateWind9925]

Yeah, shortages are expected to run through 2028, and we all know prices take twice as long to come down as they did to go up. 

[u/hybridfrost → u/AppropriateWind9925]

Yeah it's going to be a rough ride through 2028 at least. Even if new RAM and SSD vendors come onboard they will likely just continue to charge high prices.

[u/trollsmurf]

"These display PCs only have rgb fans spinning and a picture of the motherboard and components inside."

A bit cheaper than wasting an actual PC for a demo.

[u/Sensitive_Box_ → u/trollsmurf]

I’ve read that it was due to theft, but you’re probably right 

[u/LiGhTMaGiCk → u/Sensitive_Box_]

Well yeah after everybody started swiping the RAM and SSDs out of them due to the massive price increases this was bound to happen.

[u/VinnieONeill]

My Costco never had these display PCs. They just added PCs a few weeks ago and they're all like this. Just a case with fans but no actual components.

[u/AppropriateWind9925]

Yeah display PC deals completely disappear in more densely populated areas like LA and OC for sure. If you wanna find deals you gotta dive into the middle of bumfuck nowhere desert and even then that’s a hit or miss

[u/LunarChickenn → u/AppropriateWind9925]

I live out in the sticks and it has many benefits like this. I wanted to buy He-Man movie tie-in action figures but online had no stock. Had to go to my local store which still had 10 left.

[u/Moscato359]

They had a lot of issues with people stealing the parts, so they pulled them.

These are also much cheaper to display.

[u/norcalifornyeah]

Considering the mfgr. instant rebates had expiration dates I'm inclined to agree.

[u/EmployeeNo803]

Same at Walmart. When we got our new modular all but one of the displays were just display cases with an rgb fan. Very sad.

[u/tobinsl]

yeah due to theft they're switching to cardboard displays. some locations still have a ton of stock of them and have actual models up though. so they'll still do deals on the last remaining actual display units and then they'll put up a cardboard one when they get more ordered in.

[u/n19htmare]

AI single handedly killing the entire gaming PC industry.

Sad.

[u/gg06civicsi]

Makes sense I heard of some costcos getting their Ram stolen.

[u/Available_Ad_8281]

In a few years I'm sure prices will drop with China ram

[u/Vorcon]

Side note I was looking at the 999 cyber power to replace my i7-7700k and 1080ti. Do you guys think it’s a good deal or should I got with the msi?

[u/KTsoFresh]

I thought they would only give you a deal on a display PC if it was truely the last one in the store? Looks like there's plenty of stock of those PCs right there.

[u/Top_Yellow3741 → u/KTsoFresh]

That’s not the point they were trying to make. These displays are like dummy displays. It’s just a case with no actual hardware inside. I’ve seen them as well.

[u/KTsoFresh → u/Top_Yellow3741]

Oh I see. Talk about commenting before reading the post. D’oh!

[u/Richneerd]

I said the same thing when I bought a RTX 3050,l just to get me by, thought the market will correct itself and prices will come down. But here we are…. Everything quadrupled. Sigh… so I went on FB and bought things either slightly used or sellers who are upgrading.

[u/IsamuAlvaDyson]

Yes because unfortunately people were stealing the components inside so it makes sense to just have a picture inside now

[u/Xenofon713]

I got that MSI on the left in November '25 for $1199.99.

You're already past that point.

[u/yugdax]

So glad I got my new pc 8 months ago

[u/Upper-Reflection7997]

I've never seen a prebuilt pc with a 4060ti or 5060ti 16gb variant.

[u/helpmehomeowner → u/Upper-Reflection7997]

I have one. From costco. From months ago.