CNBC AI News, July 5th – Are men really outspent by “dogs” in the consumer market? We don’t think so!
Recently, a mechanical keyboard retailing for around $700 USD was reselling for over $1,000 on secondary markets, with limited edition models even causing server crashes. This isn’t a scene from a luxury goods auction; it’s a glimpse into the peculiar reality of the Chinese male consumer market.
Reports indicate that the trio of keyboards, game controllers, and RGB lighting – often dubbed “electronic garbage” – is devouring the wallets of middle-aged heterosexual men, with the market’s annual value reaching into the tens of billions of dollars.
Projections show the Chinese keyboard market surpassing 15 billion yuan ($2.1 billion USD) by 2025, with an estimated doubling to 30 billion yuan ($4.2 billion USD) within five years. The gaming controller market, fueled by hits like “Black Myth: Wukong,” has seen monthly sales exceed 40 million yuan ($5.6 million USD), targeting an annual scale of 3 billion yuan ($420 million USD). These figures underscore a fervent appetite for what might be considered “electronic waste” among male consumers.
At an internet company in Hangzhou, 35-year-old programmer Zhang Lei’s workstation is a veritable “cyber arsenal.” A Nu Mao Cyberboard keyboard, valued at 20,000 yuan ($2,800 USD), commands the center of his desk – a hefty 5-pound “aluminum ingot” equipped with multi-layer sound dampening, its keystrokes likened to a submachine gun. To its right sit six Xbox Elite controllers with swappable shells, their joystick resistance customized for different gaming genres like shooters and fighting games. Even his PC case is a full-view “sea view room” design, boasting 32 RGB LEDs that create a dazzling light show, synchronizing effects in real-time with in-game actions.
“After working until 10 PM every day, coming home and playing games for two hours is my spiritual salvation,” Zhang Lei’s spending habits mirror a broader psychological landscape for many modern men. When workplace pressures become overwhelming, high-value peripherals become a tangible weapon against feelings of mediocrity.
However, this spending spree casts a shadow of alarming resource wastage. According to China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the country generates over 6 million tons of e-waste annually, with peripherals like keyboards and controllers accounting for 12%. The average lifespan of these products is a mere 18 months, falling far short of the government’s minimum five-year standard.
Psychological studies point to the addictive nature of this consumption pattern. When men feel a lack of control in their real lives, the “precise operational feedback” offered by premium peripherals can stimulate dopamine release, fostering a psychological dependence akin to gambling. A survey on a popular gaming forum revealed that 68% of respondents admitted that “buying new equipment provides temporary relief from anxiety,” but this fleeting pleasure typically lasts for only 72 hours.
Original article, Author: Tobias. If you wish to reprint this article, please indicate the source:https://aicnbc.com/4068.html
