HP Now Rents Gaming Laptops (pcgamer.com)
- Reference: 0180771092
- News link: https://slashdot.org/story/26/02/11/1549234/hp-now-rents-gaming-laptops
- Source link: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-laptops/hp-has-a-gaming-laptop-subscription-service-where-you-pay-monthly-to-borrow-a-rig-but-never-get-the-option-to-own-it/
The service ranges from $50 a month for an HP Victus 15-inch laptop with an RTX 4050 to $130 a month for an Omen Max 16 with an RTX 5080. At current sale prices, subscribers would exceed the cost of buying the laptop outright within 16 to 19 months; at MSRP, that window stretches to roughly 25 months. In exchange for giving up ownership, subscribers get yearly hardware upgrades, next-day replacements, 24/7 support, and an ongoing warranty. There is a 30-day trial period, but cancelling in the second month triggers steep early termination fees -- $550 for the Victus 15 and $1,430 for the Omen Max 16. Cancellation becomes free only after the 13th month. HP also offers accessories like the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless headset as add-on rentals for $8 a month.
[1] https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-laptops/hp-has-a-gaming-laptop-subscription-service-where-you-pay-monthly-to-borrow-a-rig-but-never-get-the-option-to-own-it/
Horrible terms (Score:2)
I was going to say that might make sense for short term needs. If you need a better PC for a 6 month job, do this.
But they dissallow the only sensible use for the customer, requiring a year long minimum.
It also illustrates total ignorance of how these kinds of rentals make a profit - people think they want it for 6 months, but end up keeping it for 5 years.
How many people actually end subscriptions when they stop needing them?
You will own nothing (Score:2)
And you will be "happy".
There is no other alternative - Margret Thatcher, former UK Prime Minister
This is where we are heading folks.
Take the time to think about this and let it sink in.
This also may be time to do some thinking about how to live off-grid if this lack of owning anything becomes reality. Become a Slab City refusenik?
Renting vs Leasing (Score:2)
Leasing is a better option, because it gives you the right, but not the obligation, to acquire the good at the end of the lease time.
Renting ceratin things, like GAMING laptops, can also make sense, because laptos have high wear and tear, and because, due to the limits inherent to the form factor, they become obsolete for the intended purpose (gaming) quite quickly
So, in the middle of the RAMpocalypse, with bonker prices, we have another option.
More options are good, if you can do the math to figure out, in
They rent consumer printers too! (Score:2)
Of course, they're much less upfront about their printer rentals. You can 'buy' the printers at the store, yet pay ongoing fees in the form of being locked into buying supplies from HP at inflated prices. Their laptop rental sca.. er, scheme , is at least openly advertised as a rental.
Snarkasm aside, it occurs to me that the market for these laptops might have significant overlap with the market for payday loan services.
Subscription, or lease? (Score:2)
With such steep and restrictive early termination fees, I don't think this qualifies as a "subscription" - it's a lease, like you'd have for a new car. Even the most hardcore gamers don't buy a new laptop every year, and new hardware releases don't require such, so this seems like a terrible deal.
Re: (Score:2)
It's a terrible deal. The only thing worse is buying a lemon of a gaming laptop and being stuck dealing with the normal short term warranty. Otherwise, if you even financed at 10-20% interest you would probably be better off.
I hope they at least cover accidental damage.
Re: (Score:2)
1. A manacle, chain, and 100 Kiligram ball.
2. Contract of adhesion written on flypaper.
Re: (Score:3)
LTT looked at it and it does seem like a shitty deal. The cost isn't far off buying a new laptop every two years, and of course if you do that you can probably sell your old one.
Re: (Score:3)
When you lease something, you end up with ownership. With these HP rentals, there's zero path at all to ownership. Thus, it's a subsrciption through and through.
Re: Subscription, or lease? (Score:2)
A lease gives you the right, but not the obligation, to acquire the good for a small nominal price (for example, E extra monthly payments) at the end of the lease.
Renting does not.
This seems to be renting.
HP also offers leases, but for Pro grade PCs, for companies.