HP introduced subscription laptops: You pay monthly for use, and the device is never really yours

Most of the criticism goes to the fact that the subscription does not lead to a purchase, so after a year or two you can reach an amount that is close to the price of the device at a discount, and you still have to pay it back. At the same time, The Verge warns of potential penalties for early termination and the fact that HP’s retail models are often sold well below the recommended prices, which further destroys the subscription bill. In other words, the model makes sense if predictable monthly costs are important to you, if you want a quick replacement in case of failure, and if you are comfortable with a quick device change, but it is a weaker option if you are buying a laptop to use it for several years.

In parallel with that, HP has also pushed a separate ‘OMEN Gaming Subscription’ offer with several levels, where the monthly prices for stronger configurations climb significantly higher, and the rule that you return the device still applies. In such programs, there is usually a clear obligation to return, and if the device is not returned, additional fees follow, which emphasizes that the word about renting, not buying in installments.

For our market, the official website currently positions the program as an American offer, without a clear confirmation when and if it will come to the EU. However, as with many things, this is all probably just testing the ground, which, if it goes well, will spill over and spread, so probably here too. If it expands, this is another sign of the ‘hardware as a service’ trend that is slowly spreading from the business world to ordinary users, with all the advantages of support, but also the minus that after paying you don’t stay with the device in the drawer.