The Personal Computer used to be an exclusive and expensive machine, though we, as of now, know it and its laptop counterpart as a mass-market asset that most people can afford. Recently, however, the companies that molded on the personal computer, Microsoft, and Apple, gave us a glimpse of the future, and it seems like it's returning to the past: the Personal Computer is going back to being an exclusive and expensive machine.
Microsoft's Surface Pro
From Microsoft, we have the $2,999 Surface Studio, which would scale up to $4,199 when you want to upgrade the RAM to 32GB and the storage to 2TB. Also out of Redmond is an updated and upgraded Surface Book that features up to 16 hours of battery life, along with a $2,399 starting price. Again, that laptop would max out at $3,299 with added storage and memory.
Apple's MacBook Pro
Apple's all-new MacBook Pro family is universally more expensive than the one it's replacing, which is the entry-level MacBook Pro, lacking a Touch Bar, and starting at $1,499. To be able to get a Touch Bar, you need to spend at least $1,799, and if you want to go beyond 13 inches, the 15-inch MBP starts at $2,399. If you upgrade the processor and graphics and opt for 2TB of storage, you'll then reach the incredible heights of $4,299.
What's with the growing trend?
Why next-gen laptops and PC getting so expensive? Here's what some experts and analysts have in mind: Apple and Microsoft have somehow come to terms with the fact that people are starting to no want to buy PCs the same as they used to. Computers are just getting too good nowadays that most users are already satisfied with their current machine, which results in the market for new PCs to inevitably shrink.
When you can't have growth in total sales, the logical move is going to be improving the other multiplier in the profit calculation, which is the per-unit price and built-in profit margin. That has been Apple's approach for a while, and now, Microsoft is also joining in.
