The 8 most expensive PCs in computing history

The 8 most expensive PCs in computing history | PCWorld

The Programma was a kind of supercalculator -- it could add, subtract, multiply, and divide huge numbers. But because it could also load and record programming sequences on magnetic cards, most historians consider it a genuine desktop PC. NASA purchased several of the machines to plan the Apollo 11 moon landing. Each device cost about $3,500 ($24,000 today), making it easily the most expensive PC of its time -- considering it was the only PC of its time.

About the size of a small suitcase and weighing in at 55 pounds, the IBM 5100 Portable Computer was marketed at the time as the world's first mini-computer. Indeed, it was one of the first (relatively) portable computers and was aimed primarily at scientists -- well, scientists with plenty of university grant money. The top-end 64KB model had a list price of $19,975. That's around $88,000 today, adjusted for inflation.