WurthWhile

WurthWhile t1_jdjbx22 wrote

Somebody else already answered it, but not why that happens.

A lot of the cost to make tech things such as computer processors is the r&d. Often the end result is a single product. For example Intel May have only a single processor created from all of their r&d. That processor needs to be sold out an average price of X. Except not everybody has X. So what they do is they artificially limit some of those processors to be significantly weaker, and then sell them for significantly less than X, but still way below the cost to actually make an individual chip. Some processors are limited to a little weaker and are sold at X, some are not limited at all and perform after absolute theoretical peak, and are sold significantly above X.

For example AMD used to sell eight core processors with all eight available, or 2 or even 4 disabled. The ones with chorus disabled were sold for less money. Some people figured out how to unlock those processing cores because those chips had the chorus disabled only in software. Now they're typically physically disabled.

RAM is another common one. RAM sticks that are rated for a faster speed or the exact same as the ones rated for a lower speed, the difference being the higher speed ones have been tested and guaranteed to run at a higher speed. The lower speed ones might crash due to manufacturing defects if run at a higher speed so they advertise them at a lesser speed and charge less money for them. In a way the additional cost is simply paying for stricter quality control.

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