118 points by jnord 2 hours ago | 52 comments on HN
| Mild positive Editorial
· v3.7 · 2026-02-26
Summary Information Access & Digital Transparency Acknowledges
This Ars Technica article reporting on HP PC supply chain economics demonstrates moderate positive alignment with human rights through free public information access and editorial independence, balanced by structural privacy concerns from tracking infrastructure. The content advances Article 19 (freedom of expression) and Article 13 (free circulation of information) through paywall-free distribution and substantive technical journalism, while privacy and tracking mechanisms create moderate negative signals under Article 12. Overall, the publication model and accessibility features support informational equity despite surveillance infrastructure.
Only a matter of time before you hear about missing shipping trucks being stolen. China is opening up more production, but I don’t see any relief coming soon.
i am working on my side-product [1] where i was exploring a Rockchip which required external memory (just 1G) which went from $3 to $32 and completely destroyed economics for me. I settled with one with embedded memory and optimizing my code instead :)
I think Europe should invest into manufacturing RAM. RAM isn't going anywhere, all of modern compute uses it. This would be an opportunity to create domestic supply of it.
This is a fairly odd statement given that BOMs are managed in manufacturing systems and for accounting and engineering purposes in multiple different ways. This can be for anything to do with sales data for a client or for guys on the factory floor or for the accountants. There are sales BOMs, manufacturing BOMs procurement BOMs and nested BOMs etc all for different parts of the business process...you would have BOMs within the organisation that were probably nearly 70% etc or those that were 0%!
I think we’re at the peak, or close to it for these memory shenanigans. OpenAI who is largely responsible for the shortage, just doesn’t have the capital to pay for it. It’s only a matter of time before chickens come home to roost and the bill is due. OpenAI is promising hundreds of billions in capex but has no where near that cash on hand, and its cash flow is abysmal considering the spend.
Unless there is a true breakthrough, beyond AGI into super intelligence on existing, or near term, hardware— I just don’t see how “trust me bro,” can keep its spending party going. Competition is incredibly stiff, and it’s pretty likely we’re at the point of diminishing returns without an absolute breakthrough.
The end result is going to be RAM prices tanking in 18-24 months. The only upside will be for consumers who will likely gain the ability to run much larger open source models on locally.
Isn't there a full wafer ai chip mainframe for data centers now that blows anything needing ram out of the water?
I don't understand the ram shortage exists companies have surpassed nvidia.
I suspect game development will be similar - game companies will optimize their games given customer cards are not going to be released for a while or will be too expensive.
> I think Europe should invest into manufacturing RAM. RAM isn't going anywhere, all of modern compute uses it. This would be an opportunity to create domestic supply of it.
It's easy to build factories, much more difficult to train the engineers required to run them... and let's not even talk about all the crazy regulations & environmental rules at the EU level that make that task even more difficult, because yes, chip factories do pollute... a lot.
Countries like South Korea or Taiwan have adapted all their legislations and tax, environmental regulations to allow such factories to operate easily. The EU and EU countries will never do that... better outsource pollution and claim they care about the planet...
The joke is that Apple RAM pricing is now close to market level, they still have margin in there even at market prices, and they are notorious for supply chain management and locking in contracts/prices ahead of time. So doubt Apple will change anything here short term.
On the flip side if you're buying a new computer in 2026 - it's going to be even harder to justify not getting a MacBook, the chips are already 2 years ahead of PC, the price of base models was super competitive, now that the ram is super expensive even the upgraded versions are competitive with the PC market. Oh and Windows is turning to an even larger pile of shit on a daily basis.
The worry is that these high prices aren't going to last long. And by the time you spend years building the capacity, the prices plummet making your facility uneconomical to run.
Ram will always be in some demand, but that doesn't mean it's viable for everyone to start building production.
How come there’s ASICs for mining but not AI? Seems like there would be almost unlimited demand
Editorial Channel
What the content says
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Article 19Freedom of Expression
Medium Advocacy Practice
Editorial
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SETL
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Article represents independent journalism reporting on supply chain economics and hardware costs. Ars Technica editorial mission emphasizes 'News, reviews, and analysis' serving technologists, demonstrating commitment to informational independence.
FW Ratio: 57%
Observable Facts
Article authored by identified journalist (Scharon Harding, Senior Technology Reporter) with 10+ years reporting experience.
Site describes itself as 'Serving the Technologist since 1998. News, reviews, and analysis.'
Article contains substantive technical analysis of HP PC cost structure reporting RAM now represents 35% of bill of materials.
Content is freely accessible without paywall (has_buy_button:false).
Inferences
Named authorship and editorial mission statement indicate commitment to transparent, independent information production.
Free distribution model supports Article 19 principles by removing economic barriers to accessing information about technology policy and supply chains.
Reporting on corporate supply chain economics serves public interest in understanding hardware manufacturing trends.
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Article 20Assembly & Association
Low Advocacy Practice
Editorial
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SETL
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Article implicitly supports freedom of assembly by publishing information relevant to technology communities. Tech reporting facilitates discourse among professionals and consumers.
FW Ratio: 67%
Observable Facts
Article is tagged with 'Desktops|HP|Laptops|RAM' for community discovery and discussion.
Content published on public platform enabling comment and sharing by readers.
Inferences
Tech reporting on supply chain economics enables informed discourse within technology communities and professional associations.
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Article 26Education
Medium Practice Framing
Editorial
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SETL
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Article represents technical education and professional development for technology sector. Reporting on supply chain economics educates readers about hardware industry dynamics.
FW Ratio: 60%
Observable Facts
Article provides detailed technical analysis of HP PC cost composition, educating readers on supply chain economics.
Content freely accessible without educational paywall.
Text-settings accessibility features support diverse learning needs.
Inferences
Technical education through free journalism supports access to professional knowledge for technology sector workers and enthusiasts.
Accessible article design enables diverse learners to benefit from technical analysis.
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Article 23Work & Equal Pay
Low Framing
Editorial
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SETL
ND
Article reporting on hardware supply chain economics implicitly informs public understanding of labor-intensive technology manufacturing. Reporting on cost structures enables informed discourse about technology sector economics.
FW Ratio: 50%
Observable Facts
Article discusses bill of materials cost composition, which relates to manufacturing economics and labor cost implications.
Inferences
Supply chain cost reporting provides context for understanding technology sector economic dynamics and manufacturing labor questions.
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Article 13Freedom of Movement
Low Practice Framing
Editorial
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SETL
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Article freely reports supply chain information and technical specifications without geographic restrictions, supporting free circulation of information.
FW Ratio: 50%
Observable Facts
Article accessible from any geographic location without geofencing or regional restrictions (canonical URL shows global publication path).
Inferences
Free circulation of technical supply chain information enables global audience to access knowledge about hardware economics.
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Article 29Duties to Community
Low Framing
Editorial
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SETL
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Article balances technical reporting with implicit recognition that technology development has societal implications. Supply chain reporting touches on economic and environmental dimensions.
FW Ratio: 50%
Observable Facts
Article reports factually on supply chain economics without sensationalism or misrepresentation.
Inferences
Factual supply chain reporting implicitly acknowledges that technology policy has community and societal dimensions.
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Article 12Privacy
Medium Practice
Editorial
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SETL
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Article content itself is neutral regarding privacy, but site infrastructure includes extensive tracking mechanisms that may compromise informational autonomy.
FW Ratio: 71%
Observable Facts
Page includes Snowplow analytics collector configuration pointing to c.arstechnica.com.
Google Tag Manager (GTM-NLXNPCQ) and Google Analytics embedded in page metadata.
Fides privacy consent management system present (FDS-MIKT8M property ID).
Ad network integration via Google Ad Manager and Xandr indicated in metadata.
Inferences
Multi-vendor tracking infrastructure generates behavioral profiles of users without transparent individual control, undermining privacy autonomy.
Ad-targeting cohorts suggest behavioral data collection feeds into advertising decision systems, commodifying reader attention.
ND
PreamblePreamble
No explicit reference to human dignity, equal rights, or universal values in article content.
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Article 1Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood
Low Practice
Article focuses on technical specifications and supply chain economics without reference to human equality or dignity.
FW Ratio: 50%
Observable Facts
Article is freely accessible without paywall (has_buy_button:false in metadata).
Inferences
Free distribution of information supports the principle that all people have equal right to knowledge and information access.
ND
Article 2Non-Discrimination
No content addressing discrimination, race, color, sex, language, religion, political opinion, national or social origin, property, or birth status.
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Article 3Life, Liberty, Security
Product specifications article does not address life, liberty, or personal security.
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Article 4No Slavery
No reference to slavery or servitude.
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Article 5No Torture
Article contains no discussion of torture or cruel punishment.
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Article 6Legal Personhood
Technical article does not address right to legal personality.
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Article 7Equality Before Law
Article does not address legal equality or protection before the law.
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Article 8Right to Remedy
No discussion of effective remedies for human rights violations.
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Article 9No Arbitrary Detention
No arbitrary arrest or detention discussed.
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Article 10Fair Hearing
No discussion of fair and public hearings or judicial impartiality.
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Article 11Presumption of Innocence
No criminal liability or presumption of innocence discussed.
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Article 14Asylum
No discussion of asylum or refuge.
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Article 15Nationality
No discussion of nationality or deprivation thereof.
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Article 16Marriage & Family
No discussion of marriage, family, or related protections.
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Article 17Property
No discussion of property rights or deprivation thereof.
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Article 18Freedom of Thought
No discussion of thought, conscience, or religion.
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Article 21Political Participation
No discussion of political participation or democratic engagement.
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Article 22Social Security
No discussion of social security or economic rights.
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Article 24Rest & Leisure
No discussion of rest, leisure, or working hours.
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Article 25Standard of Living
Low Practice
Article does not address health, food, clothing, housing, or medical care.
FW Ratio: 50%
Observable Facts
Page includes text-settings controls for size, links, width, and position stored in localStorage.
Inferences
Accessibility controls support equitable information access for users with varied visual or cognitive needs.
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Article 27Cultural Participation
No discussion of cultural participation or intellectual property.
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Article 28Social & International Order
No discussion of social and international order.
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Article 30No Destruction of Rights
No discussion of UDHR interpretation or prohibition of human rights abuse.
Structural Channel
What the site does
Domain Context Profile
Element
Modifier
Affects
Note
Privacy
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Article 12
Fides privacy consent management and Snowplow analytics tracking detected. Multi-vendor tracking infrastructure present (Permutive, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics). Consent flow exists but extensive third-party data collection evident.
Terms of Service
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Terms of service not inspected within provided content.
Accessibility
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Article 25 Article 26
Text-settings options visible (size, links, width, position controls) indicate accessibility accommodations. No barriers to content consumption observed in structural markup.
Mission
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Article 19 Article 20
Ars Technica self-describes as 'Serving the Technologist since 1998. News, reviews, and analysis.' Editorial independence in tech journalism aligns with freedom of expression values.
Editorial Code
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No formal editorial standards or ethics code visible in provided content.
Ownership
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Condé Nast Digital ownership indicated through Fides property ID and infrastructure. Multinational publishing corporation, no overt human rights concerns in ownership structure.
Access Model
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Article 19 Article 20
Article publicly accessible without paywall (has_buy_button:false). Content freely distributed to broad audience supports public information access.
Ad/Tracking
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Article 12
Extensive ad network integration (Google Ad Manager, Xandr, Permutive cohorts). Ad-targeting infrastructure generates behavioral data. Impacts privacy and informational autonomy.
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Article 19Freedom of Expression
Medium Advocacy Practice
Structural
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Context Modifier
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SETL
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Paywall-free access model enables broad distribution of information. Public accessibility without subscription barriers supports freedom of opinion and expression by removing economic gatekeeping.
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Article 20Assembly & Association
Low Advocacy Practice
Structural
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Context Modifier
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SETL
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Public, open information architecture enables community dialogue and collective information-sharing without subscription restrictions.
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Article 1Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood
Low Practice
Structural
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Context Modifier
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SETL
ND
Public, paywall-free access enables equal informational access across audience segments regardless of economic status.
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Article 13Freedom of Movement
Low Practice Framing
Structural
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Context Modifier
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SETL
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Public, unrestricted access to article from any geographic location supports free movement within information sphere.
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Article 26Education
Medium Practice Framing
Structural
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Context Modifier
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SETL
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Free access to technical educational content supports equitable learning opportunity. Accessibility features enable diverse learners to access information.
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Article 25Standard of Living
Low Practice
Structural
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Context Modifier
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SETL
ND
Text-settings accessibility features (size, links, width, position controls) enable equitable access to content for users with visual impairments or reading preferences.
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Article 29Duties to Community
Low Framing
Structural
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Context Modifier
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SETL
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Open information architecture supports community discourse on technology ethics and implications.
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Article 12Privacy
Medium Practice
Structural
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Context Modifier
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SETL
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Snowplow analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Permutive audience cohorts, and ad-targeting infrastructure enable collection of behavioral data without explicit user control visible in article itself.
ND
PreamblePreamble
Public access model and accessibility features support foundational principles of universal access.
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Article 2Non-Discrimination
No observable discriminatory structural barriers in access or presentation.
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Article 3Life, Liberty, Security
No structural elements relating to security or protection.
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Article 4No Slavery
No observable practices implying forced labor.
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Article 5No Torture
No harmful structural practices evident.
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Article 6Legal Personhood
No relevant structural implications.
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Article 7Equality Before Law
No structural elements relating to legal protection.
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Article 8Right to Remedy
No remedy mechanisms evident.
ND
Article 9No Arbitrary Detention
No relevant structural issues.
ND
Article 10Fair Hearing
No relevant structural elements.
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Article 11Presumption of Innocence
No relevant structural implications.
ND
Article 14Asylum
No structural implications for asylum or refuge.
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Article 15Nationality
No structural elements relevant to nationality.
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Article 16Marriage & Family
No relevant structural content.
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Article 17Property
No relevant structural implications.
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Article 18Freedom of Thought
No structural barriers to conscience or belief.
ND
Article 21Political Participation
No structural elements enabling political participation.
ND
Article 22Social Security
No structural provision of social services.
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Article 23Work & Equal Pay
Low Framing
No direct structural elements relating to labor rights.
ND
Article 24Rest & Leisure
No relevant structural content.
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Article 27Cultural Participation
No relevant structural elements.
ND
Article 28Social & International Order
No structural elements relating to international social order.