PC vs amiga pricing in the 80s and 90's. Were PC owners getting screwed?

[desiv]

I always tell people nowadays it's not worth it to build their own computer from bits, as a new PC won't cost them much/any more..
(Unless they want to have fun, which is why I do it..)

But, back in the day, I always told people to build their own.

You could build a PC back in the day for MUCH less than a complete Compaq or Dell..
The markup for a complete PC was crazy..
A complete PC would set you back $3000, when I got my Amiga 500 with memory (a 512K expander) and a 1084s for $850.
But, I could have "built" that PC for maybe $1200 almost totally from Jameco.  ;-)

desiv
p.s.  All of these numbers are from impressionistic memory that's 20+ years old, so it's 100% accurate!!!!

[desiv]

My current PC was 300 dollars at fry's electronics.

Exactly..  In fact, we get the Fry's ad here every week for fun in the office.  Yes, we buy a newpaper just for the Fry's ad. :roflmao::rtfm:
And the prices on those machines (and not just from Fry's) are insane.

Now, it's not top of the line stuff.  It's not a "gaming rig" or anything like that.
But the average person (well, the average person that asks me for advice) is looking for a machine that will browse the Internet and run MS Office acceptably, not play Crysis at 300 frames per second.

True, someone who wants to spend the time an effort can put together a great machine for less money than Dell or HP charges.  But it's not the same now as it was in the 90's.  
Back then, it was much easier for anyone to save a lot building their own.  The margin's are thinner now.

desiv

[desiv]

... I currently live in the Midwest (Central USA) and the advertised prices are not the price you pay at the register, you have to add on another 8.2% for Tax.

Being from Oregon, it is tempting to gloat as we have no sales tax..

That is, it's tempting, until I look at my property and income tax....  :madashell:

Such is life..

Besides, what's the point of adding taxes to PCs built out of the country?
It's not like we'll end up not being able to compete and have all of our hardware being built elsewhere..  That would be silly..  :confused:

desiv