PC Components Historical Prices

[dv8silencer]

I was wondering if there is a site that shows historical prices (ex. 5 year charts. or something like that..something like stock prices over time) of common pc components like memory, etc. ?

 

[Mondoman]

I suggest going to a building called a "library" and speaking with a person called a "reference librarian". At worst, you'll have to look up old periodical stories (or even ads) that mention component prices. Be sure to think about what you're looking for in advance (e.g. what sort of memory was the "standard" PC memory for each year/time period).

 

[bobbknight]

As computer tech has changed so much over the last 25 years, would be an almost meaningless quest. One best left to a PH'd dissertation.
Back in 1985 you could build an IBM XT clone with all the port cards and 20MB of Hard drive, 640K memory, and NEC V30 8086 clone cpu, and an EGA card for about $1600.
$1600 today will buy you a banging computer. As things have become standardized computer parts have become commodities.
To do a proper study you will need to break down the items buy cost per megabyte/megahertz referenced to a fixed point monetary constant.
I bet google would help on both. Most libraries just don't keep periodicals for any length of time.
For a rough guesstimation the system you can build today for $1500 at todays dollar, is really about $150 in 1980 dollars.
The only thing on a computer that is not acting like a commodity is the Microsoft OS and Office Suite that you put on it, they both keep up with inflation.
One excellent resource for this would be The Computer Shopper, it was basically a mail order catalog before internet shopping made it irrelevant.

 

[Reynod]

I recall one guy saying a couple of years ago that the best PC you could buy would always cost arounf $5000 for the bits.

The highest end CPU always costs around $1000 (thats like $1400 AU).

The best Graphics card not much less - stick 2 (or now 3) in.

Monitor ... or 2 ?

Add it up and the magic figure of about $5000 always seems close.

If I can find the OP on the topic I'll drop it in.

Seems about right ... tho.

When I bought a Sperry XT the top PC was a 286 or so ... the colour version with all of the fruit was just over $5000 or so ... mine was heaps less.

Sperry ... LOL

Anyone remember the BiG 5 or so names back then ??

 

[dv8silencer]

Thanks for the advice!