The future of PCs and Macs is expensive: The PC is a niche now

[Machiavelli]

Vlad Savov
The Verge
October 28, 2016

The personal desktop computer used to once be an exclusive and expensive machine, though we now know it and its laptop counterpart as a mass-market commodity that most people can afford. This week, however, the companies that defined the personal computer, Microsoft and Apple, gave us a glimpse of the future and it looks like a return to the past: the PC is going back to being an exclusive and expensive machine.

Set aside all the explosions of color on gorgeous, high-resolution displays. Ignore the glamorous promo videos and the ultrathin, all-metal chassis of the new Surface Studio and MacBook Pro. Instead, focus on the prices.

More, with reader comments and video

[Fishrrman]

Many folks in the Mac community are nonplussed with the new MacBook Pro's, and VERY critical of the prices.

I was looking to find a replacement for my 2010 MacBook Pro (still doing fine), but when I saw the entry-level price for the 4-port touch-bar model was $1,800 -- no thanks. (Aside: the "ports" are all USB-c, to use anything else one will need to buy adapter dongles)

I'll probably pick up a closeout 2015 model, which has more usable ports (regular USB3), and a MUCH nicer price: $1,199.

[DB]

Vlad Savov
The Verge
October 28, 2016
More, with reader comments and video

I primarily use PC based work stations which were already expensive, $5k+, and will only get more expensive... I need a high res 30" minimum display with lots of RAM, preferably error correcting, and near maximum available CPU power with numerous cores. I compile large FPGAs and embedded system C code along with the design of complex PCBs. The FPGAs in particular consume a lot of CPU time and in turn my time.

[EC]

@DB

FPGA? Not an acronym I know.

[Gefn]

Many folks in the Mac community are nonplussed with the new MacBook Pro's, and VERY critical of the prices.

I was looking to find a replacement for my 2010 MacBook Pro (still doing fine), but when I saw the entry-level price for the 4-port touch-bar model was $1,800 -- no thanks. (Aside: the "ports" are all USB-c, to use anything else one will need to buy adapter dongles)

I'll probably pick up a closeout 2015 model, which has more usable ports (regular USB3), and a MUCH nicer price: $1,199.

I have a 2012 MacBook Pro which runs like a top. My mother wanted to get me a new one for the holidays. Not at these prices.

I really think the company is not doing well since Steve Jobs died, but that's my opinion.

[Machiavelli]

@DB

FPGA? Not an acronym I know.

@EC @DB

Field-programmable gate array?

[DB]

@EC @DB

Field-programmable gate array?

Correct!