As sky-high prices from the AI-driven RAMpocalypse cascade through everything with a chip in it, the last thing anybody wants to do right now is to buy a replacement memory kit, graphics card, or even an entire new desktop or laptop. And with today’s lengthening upgrade cycles, many of us are already using older systems that could now be facing down several more years of service before a new build is economical.
No sweat, you might think. A PC is mostly built from solid-state components these days. Sure, a fan might start rattling every once in a while, but that’s a cheap fix. And if a closed-loop liquid CPU cooler starts gurgling because of low coolant levels, it’ll hardly break the bank to slap on a replacement.
