The Cost of a Computer the Year You Were Born

1991
>Notable computer: Apple Macintosh PowerBook
>Price tag: $2,299
>Inflation adjusted price: $4,020

Apple’s first attempt at a portable laptop computer in 1989 resulted in the Macintosh Portable, which at 16 pounds nearly weighed as much as the desktop that had preceded it. The PowerBook, however, weighed about 6 pounds and had all the processing power of the Portable. The PowerBook was also cheaper, and its keyboard position was considered an ergonomic innovation.

Source: http://www.oldcomputers.net/ibm-thinkpad.html

1992
>Notable computer: IBM ThinkPad
>Price tag: $2,375
>Inflation adjusted price: $4,014

The ThinkPad utilized the PenPoint Operating System. In addition to a traditional keyboard system, users could touch the screen with a stylus to operate their computers. The ThinkPad was named with former IBM President Thomas J. Watson, Sr. in mind, who coined the company’s motto “Think.”

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1993
>Notable computer: Apple Newton MessagePad
>Price tag: $700
>Inflation adjusted price: $1,149

The Apple Newton MessagePad was one of the first Personal Digital Assistants and a precursor to many of today’s smartphones. The device’s flawed handwriting recognition software, however, led to poor sales and ultimately the product’s discontinuation in 1998.

Source: http://www.inversenet.co.jp/

1994
>Notable computer: IBM ThinkPad 755CD
>Price tag: $7,599
>Inflation adjusted price: $12,210

The ThinkPad 755CD was the first laptop with a built-in CD-ROM drive. While notebook computers were still far less popular than desktops, the innovation was an important step to wide public adoption of laptop computing.

Source: http://alf-img.com/

1995
>Notable computer: Gateway Solo 2000
>Price tag: $3,499
>Inflation adjusted price: $5,467

By 1995, many laptops were running on Intel Pentium processors, had built-in CD-ROM drives, operating Windows 95, and were gaining notoriety. The Gateway Solo 2000 was one such popular model.