Item — HN Reader

> Existing machine is no cost for you to run this.

That is not at all how modern chips work. Idle chips are mostly powered down, non-idle ones are working and that causes real measurable wear and tear on the silicon. CPU, RAM, NAND all wear and tear measurably with use on current manufacturing processes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromigration

2 comments

Like pitching "drive rideshares for only the cost of your time & gas"

The question is, do they wear faster than they become obsolete, as in much more expensive to run than buying a new one with higher compute/watt. (and you can also factor in the ability to run latest models at usable speed)

It’s complicated. When you design with modern PDKs, you consider the expected duty cycle of the device, expected temps, and the wear and tear on the silicon all together. That affects the layout of the chip as well as certain choices about widths of various features. Generally, one designs consumer SoCs to last 10 years with the expected duty cycle (low). With more wear you could run out of your “years" much faster, maybe even before the warranty.