40 Vintage Technology Ads That Show How Society Has Come A Long Way, Especially When It Comes To Costs
Almost a hundred dollars for just a calculator—so absurd!
Vintage technology ads are a strange kind of time capsule, equal parts charming and shocking once you notice the price tags. From bulky computers and boxy televisions to early cellphones and hard drives that cost more than a used car, these old promotions make modern gadgets feel almost effortless by comparison.
This collection pulls together 40 ads from the early days of consumer tech, when storage was tiny, screens were heavy, and even basic convenience came at a premium. The products themselves are fascinating, but the real surprise is how expensive so many of them were for the time.
By the end, it is hard not to look at today’s slim, powerful devices a little differently. Some of these prices are almost unbelievable.
1. 10 Megabyte Hard Disk System: $3,695
2. Phone-Mate Answering Machine: $129.50
3. Xcomp 10mb Hard Disk: $3,398.00
4. Spartan Apple II+ Emulator: $599.00
Mimic Systems Inc
5. Sinclair Microvision TV: $395.00
6. Osborne Computer: $1,795
7. Sears Color TV: $327.88
8. The Trs-80 Micro: $3,875
9. Sinclair Zx80 With 4k Basic: $199.95
10. Westinghouse 'Big Picture Television': $269 (Today Would Be Around $2,700)
That price jump says a lot about how fast tech has changed.
11. The Commodore 64: $600
12. Emerson Radio Corporation Television Set - 1949: $599.50
13. 1977 The Apple II: $1,195
14. Sears Video Arcade: $178.95
15. 1984 PC Computer Unit: $5,000
16. The Trs-80 Model 4 (1983): $1,300
17. Realistic Trc-471 Transceiver: $259.95
RadioShack
18. Motorola Stereo Hi-Fi Coffee Table: $169.95
motorola
19. Cellphone From UK: $895
20. Imsai PC With 10mb Hard Disk, 64k Ram: $5,995.00 [$18,700 Today]
![20. Imsai PC With 10mb Hard Disk, 64k Ram: $5,995.00 [$18,700 Today]](https://static.postize.com/posts/6393fb09f26f288d4783446388daa953_16781_700.jpg)
imsai
Even the early personal computers came with eye-watering price tags.
It’s like the visual chaos in these 100 historical moments, where the past refuses to stay boring.
21. 1976 Apple 1: $666.66
22. A 10 Megabyte Hard Drive: $3,500
23. Betavision Video Cassette Recorder: $985.00
24. Panasonic Rx 5500 Stereo: $576.19 [$2,046 Today]
![24. Panasonic Rx 5500 Stereo: $576.19 [$2,046 Today]](https://static.postize.com/posts/2debb4f2043a56c4b0bfa1c13573f60c_16781_700.jpg)
panasonic
25. Jvc Hr-7300 Vidstar Vhs: $1,280.00
JVC
26. Mid-80's Seagate St4096 Memory Hard Disk: $12,000
27. A Basic Cassette Tape Recorder From Philips: $166
28. 2 Cents A Byte! Sink Your Teeth Into A Helping Of Ram Without Burning A Hole In Your Wallet. From 16-32k Ram Memory: Starting From $299
29. Bell & Howell 8mm Camera: $207.70
Bell & Howell
30. The Apf Imagination Machine A Video Game Console: $599
31. 15MB HDD: $2,500
32. Trs-80 Computer Sold In 1977: $3,450
33. Intecolor 3621 With 51k Disk Drive: $3,300.00
ISC
34. Sears 8-Digit Electronic Calculator: $98.95
sears
35. Ampex Fr200 Tape Transport: $2,675.00
AMPEX
36. Tandy Ct-300 Cellular Phone: $1,499.00 [$3,116.43 Today]
![36. Tandy Ct-300 Cellular Phone: $1,499.00 [$3,116.43 Today]](https://static.postize.com/posts/324eb94c80b91ea11ffeae395e88e955_16781_700.jpg)
sears
37. Low-Cost Hard Disk Computer: $10,000
38. The 1978 Ibm 5110: $18,000
39. Corvus Systems Inc. Mass Storage: $5,350.00
Corvus Systems Inc
40. Atari 400 PC: $549.00
Atari
Even though these may seem expensive now compared to the features they offered back then, these ads effectively illustrate how much society has truly progressed with technological advancements throughout the decades. Just imagine using these now and calling them high-end!
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Want more “built different” moments, like the grandparents captured in these vintage photos?
