Few years ago you got an enthusiast-level PC with premium-level peripherals with that sum and almost no one bought the flagship Titan ones for 1000EUR/USD. And I know there's inflation, huge demand but no supply etc. but these prices are just insane.
Can we let this die? While inflation, certainly did not vanish in the past decade, my system in the specs tap was 965,83€. With inflation, that be somewhere around 1100€ - 1200€ in 2022, depending on whose numbers you choose.
Would one go for a comparable build with current hardware, assuming somewhat normal GPU prices, one would have a very hard time to do it with 1500€.
Some will say: “It is only supply and demand!” Sure! In parts, certainly. But that also only really works in a healthy market. Between floods, epidemics, fires, economic recessions, temporary monopolies, crypto crazes, stagnation in innovation, shortages, etc. there were very few stretches with a healthy microelectronics market and plenty of competition going on.
Current prizes are a sickly amalgam of all of the above with a “healthy” dose of (corporate) greed incorporated. :_(