What makes a laptop or notebook so damn expensive and high-priced??

United States
February 22, 2008 7:29pm CST
Since I didn't have enough money in my Paypal account, plus the fact that i'm now recieving SSI paychecks from the government at this time, i've decided to get myself a laptop from eBay, because normally, from what i've seen and from the prices shown at any store (offline and online), laptops are almost expensive and out of my reach. So I decided to find one that's less than $100 dollars, and in this case, since I got $41 dollars in my Paypal account, something less than that. But every time I see laptops on eBay, as well as stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart, Office Depot, etc., laptops are reaching from $100 dollars to several thousands as much as up to $10,000, and perhaps even more than that. To add salt to the wound, when an auction for a laptop or notebook is almost at an end, i've noticed that people will start bidding desperately like crazy to get their hands on the little piece of mobile computer technology that I've dreamed of acquiring. If a laptop or notebook starts off at a few dollars, near the end of the auction the price skyrockets through the roof and becomes like the other expensive ones at the brick-and-mortar stores mentioned earlier. This made no sense. Desktop PCs are clunky, heavy, and yet cost less than their portable counterparts. So why do laptops and notebooks cost more money, and like the topic title says, what makes a laptop or notebook so damn expensive and high priced??
1 person likes this
9 responses
@msanin (131)
• Canada
23 Feb 08
Laptop is a portable device, you can take it with you anywhere even if your going out of the country .. you can take all ur personal documents you have in there and bring it anywhere. Also the pieces are really small that makes it really hard for a technician to assemble it .
1 person likes this
• Indonesia
23 Feb 08
Actually, they have assembly machines at the factory to assemble all the components. Only when there is need for after-sales servicing, then do the technicians get their hands on disassembling and re-assembling them. I've tried to disassemble my own laptop, and couldn't find a way to do it without breaking the thing. It looks almost impossible to do without breaking it, so hats off for any laptop/notebook technician. :)
• Indonesia
23 Feb 08
Ah, almost forgot. That might be another factor that adds to the price of notebook PCs. You have to train technicians on how to assemble and disassemble it. :) Man, if only mylot had an editing feature...
@ltmoon (1008)
• United States
23 Feb 08
Desktop components are less expensive than the one for laptops and desktop units are easier to assemble also lowering cost. If you look around you can usually find an ok laptop at Staples or Walmart for around $500-600.
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Feb 08
Now I get it. If it's easy to assemble and put together, it costs less and is cheap altogether, but if it takes a lot more time and effort to put it together, not to mention that assembling a laptop with small parts takes more time, then it costs more to do so.
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
23 Feb 08
I'd say they are so expensive b/c of convenience. Most things that are convenient are more expensive. Take a burger for example. It's cheaper to go to the store and buy the stuff for a burger (not to mention you can make more than 1 or 2) but it's easier for some ppl to drive through a McDonald's. Laptops are the same principle. It's cheaper to get a regular pc that you set on your desk but it's harder to haul it to class, your job, on trips, ect. A laptop goes anywhere you go. At least that's my logic of it. **AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@Loen210 (1540)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I just wish computers in general were much cheaper. Eventually likely, they may come down. Desktops seem to be better quality as they often have much more memory. But laptops you can take everywhere. But it's hard to hook up to the internet all the time. One day, I predict internet and computers will be like every day prices. Best of luck on finding a great computer that matches ya.
@gemini_rose (16264)
23 Feb 08
Laptops are more desirable, you can set them up anywhere and take them anywhere so many people prefer them to a desktop. If a laptop on ebay has a good name then it will receive more bids, try looking for a lesser well know one, but to be honest I dont think you will get one for the money you have, unless you look for one that is down as spares and repairs and see if you could get one that you might be able to fix up.
• Indonesia
23 Feb 08
Well, first there's the size. Miniaturization comes with a price. Any electronic device which is smaller than their predecessor is harder to make and assemble. Not to mention the R&D required to make such things, which is more money. Not to mention that there's high demand on notebook computers. Simple economic principles come in play here. More demand, higher price. But there are some good cheap (about $500) notebooks out there. Good 2nd-hand notebooks would be about $200-$300 worth. Sub-$100 notebooks are hard to find, and if you do see one, make sure the system specifications are enough for whatever you're planning to do on the thing...
• Indonesia
23 Feb 08
Same rules apply for desktops. Just make sure the specs live up to your computing needs. From experience, I can say that a sub-$100 desktop would be an old Pentium-III desktop, with 256MB RAM and a 20GB hard drive. But if you're lucky you might find a Pentium-4 desktop with 256MB RAM and a 40GB hard drive for a little bit more. Can't say the same for notebooks. Sub-$100 notebooks are very likely old Pentium-MMX or Pentium-II types. Here in Indonesia, 2nd-hand Pentium-III notebooks are sold at about $110.
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
23 Feb 08
I really don't know why they are so exspensive, but it seems that the thinner or more compact they are, the higher the price is. You would think that being smaller they wouldn't require as much "stuff". But I think b/c they have to be made compact it just costs more to do that, or maybe b/c it is a fad right now. Most people I know that have a desktop, really want a laptop. Don't know why. I know that students love the laptops, plus the convenience of taking it with you. And the wireless internet now is a big thing.
• India
23 Feb 08
In my place the case is not so!!! we have laptops cheaply and agressly priced and it is around $300... the configuration and additional features and hardwares determine the actual value for laptops!! i wont recomend a buy from auction anyway!!!
• Philippines
23 Feb 08
it is fast and portable! ^^