Sorry Kodyo, but your whole hypothesis using a home built rig is faulty.
If you're talking home built rigs, every single computer (over about $800-$1,000) from every single computer manufacturer, not just Apple are overpriced. There is not a single computer manufacturer that can touch the price of a middle to high end consumer computer for the price that we can build our own.
#1. You're way off base because the thread and the article have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with what we know as computers. It is strictly about tablets. Maybe reading the thread and related article prior to posting might help here.
#2. You're way off base because you can't compare hardware unless you're comparing "like" hardware. Apple does not build a conventional desktop computer. They build an All-in-one. Go check Dell or HP or Sony for their All-in-one computers and I believe you'll be in for a little surprise related to pricing.
#3. You're way off base in relation to what makes something over priced. What makes a product over priced has to do with what it offers vs the price. It really has nothing to do with what it cost to manufacture.
For example, let's say 'XYZ' product costs $400 to produce and sells for $500, while 'ABC' product costs $250 to produce and sells for the same $500. If product 'ABC' is 50% more capable of it's intended purpose than product 'XYZ', it is still the better bargain at $500 and in fact the 'XYZ' product is the one that is over priced. The mere fact that one manufacturer can produce goods for less than another, has absolutely nothing to do with whether that product is over priced.
Here is a real world example in my business. I am in the business of commercial painting and wallcoverings. A typical homeowner pays around $15-$40 a gallon for paint. You'd think that I could get it cheaper right, when you consider I spend $25k or more a month for paint and you would be right - about $10-$11/gal for that $40 retail paint.
But, I have 10 gallons of paint sitting in the warehouse, right now, that cost me $7,000. Yep, that's right $700 a gallon. I just installed 3 gallons of paint on a project earlier this month that cost me $4,200 - nope, that's not an error - it's $1,400 a gallon and that's before I pay for the shipping to get it here. You can't convince me either one of these two products cost the manufacturers more than $50 a gallon to produce. That makes both of them way, way, way, way over priced - Right?
Well, I guess that depends on how you look at it. They're the only two making such a product. Both have been on the market for maybe a year. Their competitors are 3 companies that manufacture a specific type of wallcovering. A project that would cost $20,000 with one of those wallcoverings, can be done now with paint. Paint that runs $700 to $1,400 a gallon. That $20,000 wallcovering job can now be done for $12,000 even after I pay $1,400 a gallon for the paint.
So, you tell me now. A product that saves the customer 40% of what the other option is going to run, is it overpriced based solely on what it cost the manufacturer to produce or not?
Every time I see one of these, I see the guy that buys the Toyota instead of the Lexus, the Nissan instead of the Infiniti, the Ford instead of the Lincoln, the Chevy instead of the Cadillac.
One is a reason of money, that... I think we all understand. Most of my friends can't afford anything but the $500 computer and preferably less if they can. The other is a lack of knowledge. My last two computers have been home built windows rigs as have many others since I built my first one over 15 years ago. Not because I don't see the value in a Mac and certainly not because I think a Mac is over priced.