why do CPU's GPU's cost so much or do they cost so much?

I've been guilty of making "why does it cost so much" comments (mostly for used stuff though) but today I came across the Heathkit ES-400 circa 1950's and it helped put my perspective on PC hardware pricing back to a much more appreciative perspective.

Heathkit ES-400 computer in the 1950's cost $945 for the "complete" kit (you had to build it yourself). Adjusting for inflation that's about $9k today (US currency) and it couldn't run most anything, let alone a single game like Pong or Space Invaders

imagine if folks today had to pay $9k and had to put it together themselves (do all the vacuum tube socket wiring, switches, jacks, knobs and all the associated wiring, etc)

Heathkit ES-400 Catalog with prices ... http://s3data.computerhistory.org/brochures/heath.analog.1956.102646297.pdf


Perfect device to have running during the winter months

That looks like something straight out of Adam West Batmans Batcave.

9K isn't even that much for a 1u or 2u rack mount server , you shouldn't be comparing that thing to a PC
oh and thats before licenses, esxi , OS etc.

Um so what can it do?