How Much Did Technology Cost in the 2000s? From iPod to iPad

If you want to know how much technology cost in the 2000s, the decade begins with the first iPod and ends with the first iPad. In between came three new games consoles, the first Kindle and the early days of the smartphone. Prices of $300 to $500 for the main gadgets of the decade were common, and for a household budget that was a large purchase.

The first iPod, an example of how technology cost in the 2000s: $399 in 2001. — Photo: Unknown, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.

This guide lists five well-known products from the decade, with a price and date taken from company announcements.

iPod (2001): $399

Apple presented the iPod on October 23, 2001, and it went on sale in the United States on November 10, 2001 at $399. The first model held 1,000 songs. In today’s money $399 is about $757.83. See the original iPod price page.

Xbox (2001): $299.99

Microsoft’s first console went on sale in North America on November 15, 2001 at $299.99. In today’s money that is about $569.78. The original Xbox price page has the details.

Nintendo GameCube (2001): $199.95

Nintendo’s GameCube launched three days later, on November 18, 2001, at $199.95, which was $100 cheaper than the Xbox. See the GameCube price page.

Xbox 360 (2005): $299.99

The Xbox 360 Core System cost $299.99 at launch on November 22, 2005. The version with a hard drive cost $399.99. The Xbox 360 price page lists the sources.

Amazon Kindle (2007): $399

Amazon launched its first e-reader on November 19, 2007, in the United States at $399. It is about $639.65 in today’s money. See the original Kindle price page.

iPad (2010): $499

The first iPad went on sale on April 3, 2010. The 16 GB Wi-Fi model cost $499, and Apple announced it had sold more than 300,000 on the first day. In today’s money $499 is about $771.22. See the original iPad price page.

What changed during the decade

In the first half of the decade, the major purchases were stand-alone devices, each doing one thing. By the end, the same money bought something that could play music, books and games, which is why a tablet at $499 felt like good value despite being the most expensive item in this list. If you want to go further back, see how technology cost in the 1980s.

Play it yourself

Try guessing before you look. Price Time Machine is a free daily price-guessing game, and you can challenge your friends to see who knows their gadget history best.

Questions about technology cost in the 2000s

How much did the first iPod cost?

The first iPod cost $399 when it went on sale in the United States on November 10, 2001.

How much did the original iPad cost?

The 16 GB Wi-Fi model cost $499 at launch on April 3, 2010.

How much did the Xbox cost in 2001?

The original Xbox cost $299.99 in North America when it launched on November 15, 2001.

How much did the first Kindle cost?

The first Kindle cost $399 when Amazon launched it on November 19, 2007.