I know RAM and graphics cards are up, but computers are still getting cheaper. A $400 laptop today vs. a $400 laptop 10 years ago, is slightly faster but also, due to inflation, the newer one is cheaper.
RAM, graphics cards, SSDs, and HDDs are all up, some multiple-fold in price, and the disruption looks like it may continue for years. Combined with the death of Moore’s Law, a $400 computer at today’s prices might actually be worse than what you’d get for that money a decade ago.
I find that hard to believe. Do you have an example of a laptop from 2016 that was sold for $400 that would perform better than a 2026 laptop costing $400?
I know RAM and graphics cards are up, but computers are still getting cheaper. A $400 laptop today vs. a $400 laptop 10 years ago, is slightly faster but also, due to inflation, the newer one is cheaper.
RAM, graphics cards, SSDs, and HDDs are all up, some multiple-fold in price, and the disruption looks like it may continue for years. Combined with the death of Moore’s Law, a $400 computer at today’s prices might actually be worse than what you’d get for that money a decade ago.
I find that hard to believe. Do you have an example of a laptop from 2016 that was sold for $400 that would perform better than a 2026 laptop costing $400?
The 2026 laptop would need to be $550 to account for inflation.
That only works if any regular persons pay has actually increased in that time.
10 years ago, sure. But what about 2 years ago? Progress has slowed significantly, with core parts only very recently exploding in price
The pricing shocks are slower to hit OEM’s, but rest assured they will. A $400 laptop from July 2025 is going to cost $800 in July 2026.