Data

What computers cost: launch prices from 1975 to today, in today's money

Every computer in the atlas with its launch price, memory and speed. US prices are converted to 2024 dollars with the US Consumer Price Index, so you can compare an Apple II with a MacBook Air.

$17,240NeXT Computer (1988), the dearest here in today's money
$40Raspberry Pi 4 (2019), the cheapest
33.6 million×more memory in a 2025 phone than the Altair 8800
YearComputerLaunch priceIn 2024 dollarsMemorySpeed
1975Altair 8800$439$2,560256 bytes2 MHz
1976Apple I$666.66$3,6804 KB1 MHz
1977Apple II$1,298$6,7204 KB1 MHz
1977Commodore PET 2001$795$4,1208 KB1 MHz
1977TRS-80 Model I$599.95$3,1104 KB1.77 MHz
1979Atari 800$999$4,3208 KB1.79 MHz
1980TRS-80 Color Computer (CoCo)$399$1,5204 KB0.89 MHz
1980Sinclair ZX80£99.95–1 KB3.25 MHz
1981Commodore VIC-20$299.95$1,0405 KB1.02 MHz
1981Sinclair ZX81£69.95–1 KB3.25 MHz
1981BBC Micro Model B£335–32 KB2 MHz
1981IBM PC (5150)$1,565$5,40016 KB4.77 MHz
1981TI-99/4A$525$1,81016 KB3 MHz
1982NEC PC-9801¥298,000–128 KB5 MHz
1982Commodore 64$595$1,93064 KB1 MHz
1982Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K£175–48 KB3.5 MHz
1982Dragon 32£199.5–32 KB0.89 MHz
1982Timex Sinclair 1000$99.95$3202 KB3.25 MHz
1982Pravetz 82––48 KB1 MHz
1983Atari 800XL$299$94064 KB1.79 MHz
1983Apple IIe$1,395$4,39064 KB1.02 MHz
1983MSX computer (Sony, Philips, Yamaha, Sanyo…)––64 KB3.58 MHz
1983Acorn Electron£199–32 KB2 MHz
1983Compaq Portable$2,995$9,430128 KB4.77 MHz
1984Apple Macintosh (128K)$2,495$7,530128 KB7.83 MHz
1984Amstrad CPC 464£249–64 KB4 MHz
1984Apple IIc$1,295$3,910128 KB1.02 MHz
1984Tandy 1000$1,200$3,620128 KB4.77 MHz
1984Thomson MO52,390 francs–48 KB1 MHz
1985Commodore 128$299.95$870128 KB2 MHz
1985Atari 520ST$799$2,330512 KB8 MHz
1985Amiga 1000$1,295$3,780256 KB7.16 MHz
1985Toshiba T1100$1,899$5,540256 KB4.77 MHz
1985Amstrad PCW 8256£399–256 KB4 MHz
1986Apple Macintosh Plus$2,599$7,4401 MB7.83 MHz
1986Amstrad PC1512£399–512 KB8 MHz
1986Atari 1040ST$999$2,8601 MB8 MHz
1987Amiga 500$699$1,930512 KB7.09 MHz
1987Apple Macintosh SE$2,900$8,0101 MB7.83 MHz
1987Sharp X68000¥369,000–1 MB10 MHz
1988NeXT Computer$6,500$17,2408 MB25 MHz
1989Acorn Archimedes A3000£649–1 MB8 MHz
1990Apple Macintosh Classic$999$2,4001 MB8 MHz
1990Apple Macintosh LC$2,400$5,7602 MB16 MHz
1991Subor learning machine––2 KB1.79 MHz
1992Amiga 1200£399–2 MB14 MHz
1992IBM ThinkPad 700C$4,350$9,7304 MB25 MHz
1998Apple iMac G3$1,299$2,50032 MB233 MHz
1999Apple iBook G3 (clamshell)$1,599$3,01032 MB300 MHz
2002Apple iMac G4 (lamp)$1,299$2,270128 MB700 MHz
2004Apple iMac G5$1,299$2,160256 MB1.6 GHz
2005Apple Mac mini (2005)$499$800256 MB1.3 GHz
2006Apple MacBook (white, 2006)$1,099$1,710512 MB1.8 GHz
2006Apple MacBook Pro (2006)$1,999$3,110512 MB1.8 GHz
2007Asus Eee PC 701$399$600512 MB630 MHz
2007OLPC XO-1$199$300256 MB433 MHz
2008Apple MacBook Air (2008)$1,799$2,6202 GB1.6 GHz
2008Acer Aspire One netbook$379$550512 MB1.6 GHz
2010Apple iPad (first generation)$499$720256 MB1 GHz
2010Apple MacBook Air 11" (2010)$999$1,4402 GB1.4 GHz
2012Raspberry Pi (Model B)$35$50256 MB700 MHz
2019Raspberry Pi 4$35$401 GB1.5 GHz
2020Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)$999$1,2108 GB3.2 GHz

Base model launch prices in the home market, approximate. Only US dollar prices are adjusted for inflation. Data: free download (CC BY 4.0).

Cheaper, and a million times more memory

In 1975 the Altair 8800 cost $439, about $2,560 in today's money, for 256 bytes of memory. The Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) launched at $999 with 8 GB. That is 33.6 million times the memory, for less money.