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Comment by tambourine_man | Hacker News Reader

This appeals to us hackers, but it doesn’t really make that much practical sense, I think.

The SOC and storage you’re saving by using your phone aren’t the most expensive items. A good 14” screen, keyboard, trackpad and battery aren’t cheap. And if you’re paying $300 for them, you might as well throw in a few hundred dollars more and get a full laptop.

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For low-income users who don't already own a desktop, I think it can make quite good sense. A "good" keyboard/mouse/monitor/etc. are not strictly necessary, and if you can't afford new ones, used ones can be had for extremely cheap or even free often times, like from garage sales, thrift shops, friends etc. And most of those people have a phone already, so adding the peripherals is not a big cost for them, but a full size desktop likely would be.

I can get a working LCD screen, keyboard and mouse from my local thrift shop for $20, whereas the cheapest new laptop is at least $200.

I am curious how many people even own a personal desktop/laptop anymore. I imagine that more and more people do everything on a phone or maybe a tablet. Are past peak PC?

> Are past peak PC?

Very much so. For a number of years already.

> used ones can be had for extremely cheap or even free often times, like from garage sales, thrift shops, friends etc. And most of those people have a phone already

What you described is actually an use case. Hadn't considered the 'second hand' peripheral options ...

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