Also part of the problem is that as we have discussed in other threads, you can put a complete node together for well under $200, NEW.
Used PCs and stuff are much much less.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284407553576At what point does doing the lets try 100 different things so you don't have to download the entire blockchain or have that extra storage space not worth it because if you ever want to do anything else with the node you are going to have to download it anyway and all you did is waste time and effort to get to the same place you were going to wind up at anyway.
I agree; some people are ready to fully trust 3rd parties, while others want to change the Bitcoin protocol itself.... for what? For impatience and / or not wanting to save up for a few pieces of basic hardware (which can always come in handy in case you abandon the full node project).
If price is really such a big concern, they can even get hardware for free, like look on eBay & similar for trashed laptops where mostly the screen is broken - there you go, saved 100 bucks off a Raspi setup. SSD / HDD you might want to buy new, but at that point it's just one single component left to buy. If you can't afford an SSD, 1TB HDDs are dirt cheap in 2021 and people might give them away too, if you ask around. I find them used everywhere for 20€.
The cost of hardware is not the only cost of running a full node. Users must also have an internet connection that is sufficient to handle block downloads and the initial blockchain sync. For most of the "first world", this is not an issue as users will have an existing broadband connection they use and need for other reasons. There are "data caps" in some parts of the world that limit the amount of data a customer can transfer per month without paying an overage fee. If you have a data cap, there is a good chance the 350 GB initial blockchain download will exceed your cap, as there are very few legitimate reasons to need to download that much data in one month (the initial blockchain download is probably the only legitimate reason for most non-business users of an internet connection).