From record-breaking GPUs to AI overload and platform crackdowns, 2025 was chaotic, expensive, and strange. Here’s a clear breakdown of the tech stories that defined the year.
1. Nvidia Took Over the World (Whether Gamers Liked It or Not)
- Nvidia unveiled the RTX 50 series at CES 2025, led by Jensen Huang.
- Big performance gains came with DLSS 4 multi-frame generation.
- Gamers pushed back over “fake frames,” high prices, and power connector issues.
- None of that slowed Nvidia down.
- Nvidia became the world’s most valuable company, hitting a $5 trillion market cap in October.
2. AMD Quietly Won the CPU War
- AMD teased the Radeon RX 970 and 9070 XT with little detail.
- Its CPUs were a different story.
- The Ryzen 9 9950X3D became the best gaming desktop CPU of the year.
- Intel continued to fall behind in performance.
3. Apple Moved Forward — Phones Didn’t Excite Anyone
- Apple launched the M5 chip across iPad, MacBook Pro, and Vision Pro.
- The long-rumored iPhone Air finally arrived.
- Public reaction was mostly muted.
- Google’s Pixel 10 also struggled to impress, despite a new Tensor chip.
4. RAM Prices Crushed Holiday Cheer
- AI demand drove memory prices sharply higher.
- Micron announced plans to shut down Crucial, its consumer memory brand.
- Analysts warned high PC and device prices could last years.
- Even budget GPUs may shrink as companies prioritize high-margin models.
5. Nintendo Won Big, Xbox Faded Further
- The Switch 2 launched and became the fastest-selling console ever.
- Nintendo pricing drew criticism, but sales didn’t slow.
- Xbox consoles vanished from many stores after stock ran out.
- Microsoft’s focus shifted further away from traditional consoles.
6. Handheld Gaming Had a Linux Moment
- Microsoft-backed ROG Xbox Ally handhelds launched in October.
- Windows gaming mode improved — slightly.
- Valve returned with:
- The first third-party SteamOS handheld
- A new Steam Machine, nicknamed the “Gabe Cube”
- Linux gaming gained serious momentum.
7. Windows 10 Finally Died (Sort Of)
- Official support ended in October 2025.
- Microsoft gave users a free one-year extension after backlash.
- Windows 11 failed to convince many users to upgrade.
- SteamOS and Linux became more attractive alternatives.
8. AI Got Better — And Way More Annoying
- AI improved at coding, math, and media generation.
- AI-generated images and video flooded the internet.
- Hyper-realistic video raised misinformation fears.
- AI companions and chatbots sparked concern over emotional reliance.
- Public trust in AI noticeably declined.
9. Robots Learned to Punch, Not Clean
- Chinese robotics companies showed off humanoid robots.
- Most demos focused on fighting, not household tasks.
- Practical home robots remain rare and limited.
- The promise of helpful robots is still far off.
10. Platforms Cracked Down on Content and Users
- Age verification laws spread across the UK, US, and Australia.
- VPN use surged.
- Porn sites, games, and apps faced bans or withdrawals.
- Steam removed games under payment processor pressure.
- Governments debated banning VPNs next.
11. Trade Wars Didn’t Make Tech Cheaper
- US tariffs aimed to force local manufacturing.
- Apple expanded production in India, not the US.
- A one-year US–China tariff truce eased supply fears.
- Electronics stayed expensive anyway.
12. The Internet Proved Fragile
- Power outages hit parts of Europe.
- Major AWS and Cloudflare outages disrupted global services.
- Even smart beds malfunctioned during cloud failures.
- Tech giants pushed harder toward space-based data centers.
13. Random but Real 2025 Tech Moments
- Qualcomm acquired Arduino
- Microsoft shut down Skype
- Fortnite returned fully to mobile app stores
- Meta launched display-equipped smart glasses
- A “resurrected” dire wolf turned out to be… just a modified wolf
Final Thought
2025 showed how powerful, expensive, and unstable modern tech has become. AI dominated headlines, gaming shifted platforms, and users pushed back harder than ever.
What 2026 brings is unclear — but it probably won’t be boring.
