Small does not always mean Inexpensive

If you’re a technophile, or just happened to go shopping for a new laptop lately, you may have noticed that the smaller the laptop, the higher the price (with the exception of the Asus Eee). Why is that? Aren’t they using less silicone? Less liquid crystals for the screen? Less precious metals?

Well, for laptops, smaller sizes mean less room to put the parts. If you want a 12″ laptop with a 120Gb drive vs a 40 Gb drive, you’re going to pay more than someone buying a 15″ laptop because the factory has to be more creative to find room to put that part. In addition, they need to keep the parts cooled, which is harder when there’s less air-flow.

Why Small Cars aren’t Always Inexpensive

Now let’s compare laptops with cars. If you want a small car that provides decent elbow and hip room, plus 5-star crash ratings, a premium audio system, room for 4-5 passengers plus luggage, a high-powered engine, and luxury car-like quality, then you’re going to pay the price.