Really depended when you bought them .. 386 is like the point where people really started to buy PCs. My 386 was more to the end period, so the jump to 486 was very short. Do not forget there was a ton of 386's and 486s released also. I remember the SX, DX, ... the coprocessor that you plugged into the socket and then the CPU into it.
The problem is that your too focused on the CPU only. There was GPU improvements (2d) then 3D, the constant improvements in sound cards. Printers ...
There was very strong depreciation in that time. I think that the poster before with his $10.000 > 1000 is somewhat exaggerating but like i said, my $5000 range system was not worth reselling. So did several other systems we acquired at the time, it simply became hand-me downs (for family who needed a PC for Lotus or WP but not a "advanced" PC).
Maybe my memory is off, but hardware in that time was way more expensive, then it is today. While todays hardware lasts WAY longer. The wife is still on a 8250u/8GB laptop, from like 8 years or so, and i can not pry it out of her hands. Needed a new battery lol ...
There really is rarely pressure to upgrade these days. That is not how i remember the 90's... Where upgrades tended to have much bigger impacts. Especially as gamers. But even on side equipment like CD players, CDRs and later DVDs.
Todays PCs is like ... raytracing, no interest. 4k? 1440p is perfectly fine. CPUs? Over powerful for most folks. The only new thing is AI and that is a totally different issue.
The problem is that your too focused on the CPU only. There was GPU improvements (2d) then 3D, the constant improvements in sound cards. Printers ...
There was very strong depreciation in that time. I think that the poster before with his $10.000 > 1000 is somewhat exaggerating but like i said, my $5000 range system was not worth reselling. So did several other systems we acquired at the time, it simply became hand-me downs (for family who needed a PC for Lotus or WP but not a "advanced" PC).
Maybe my memory is off, but hardware in that time was way more expensive, then it is today. While todays hardware lasts WAY longer. The wife is still on a 8250u/8GB laptop, from like 8 years or so, and i can not pry it out of her hands. Needed a new battery lol ...
There really is rarely pressure to upgrade these days. That is not how i remember the 90's... Where upgrades tended to have much bigger impacts. Especially as gamers. But even on side equipment like CD players, CDRs and later DVDs.
Todays PCs is like ... raytracing, no interest. 4k? 1440p is perfectly fine. CPUs? Over powerful for most folks. The only new thing is AI and that is a totally different issue.