ZareekLike everything, it's very complex, with many different factors contributing to the end result. The end result seems to nearly always be the same. Consumers get the shaft and corporations make the incredibly rich, even richer!

Again, I can't disagree. This has been the case ever since humankind has existed on this planet. The problem is with our expectations of the 21st century being any different than all the others before.

The party is over.
NVIDIA and AMD GPU makers they are No1 to blame.
GPU's extreme pricing killed the joy, because they were designed to run along with new boards and CPU's.

Daddy... I need 4000 Euro so to upgrade my PC and nothing this is compatible with the old .... :nutkick:

Tek-CheckThis is not correct anymore. I follow it closely. Thundebolt 4 has proliferated like never before into the mainstream boards under umbrella of USB4 ports. Asrock and Asus are especially keep to include it in may of their boards. Gigabyte and MSI not so keen, as yet.
Asrock also has the best HDMI 2.1 FRL ports in the world currently. Almost every single AM5 board features 32 Gbps port for onboard graphics.

that's strange, none of my Asus ZX90 boards have TB4, would have had to move up the product stack to get that. You must not be following this very closely, its a feature that you can get, but not on the low end

Dr_b_that's strange, none of my Asus ZX90 boards have TB4, would have had to move up the product stack to get that. You must not be following this very closely, its a feature that you can get, but not on the low end

Thunderbolt 4 boards either have ports at rear I/O or are TB4 ready, with TB4 header for those who want to add AIC with Thunderbolt 4. There are plenty of those.
www.asus.com/motherboards-components/motherboards/proart/proart-b550-creator/
www.asus.com/motherboards-components/motherboards/csm/prime-x670e-pro-wifi-csm/ - TB4 header
pg.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z790%20PG-ITXTB4/index.asp

You should never expect to get TB4 on low end boards. That's a silly expectation, as TB4 chips are expensive. On cheaper boards, you can get TB4 header. The fact is that a record number of mainstream AM5 and 12th/13th Gen boards have adopted Thunderbolt in comparison to previous platforms and generations. It's a fact, check it out.

Tek-CheckThunderbolt 4 boards either have ports at rear I/O or are TB4 ready, with TB4 header for those who want to add AIC with Thunderbolt 4. There are plenty of those.
www.asus.com/motherboards-components/motherboards/proart/proart-b550-creator/
www.asus.com/motherboards-components/motherboards/csm/prime-x670e-pro-wifi-csm/ - TB4 header
pg.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z790 PG-ITXTB4/index.asp

You should never expect to get TB4 on low end boards. That's a silly expectation, as TB4 chips are expensive. On cheaper boards, you can get TB4 header. The fact is that a record number of mainstream AM5 and 12th/13th Gen boards have adopted Thunderbolt in comparison to previous platforms and generations. It's a fact, check it out.

A header isn't the same thing as an actual thunderbolt 4 port, and where do you put the AIC with a 3+ slot GPU, especially if you want to use the one remaining PCIe slot for something else like a sound card? Having a real port and an actual header are not the same thing. To get TB4 on a board with a header is another $100+ for the AIC.

Sure, its an additional BOM cost to add a TB4 chip, port and to design the motherboard for it, but when paying upwards of $500, which is the point i was making, it should already be there in port form, not a header. Paying nearly $500 for a board isn't exactly "low end", the point of the post was that there is absurd price inflation and no real features have been added that justify the cost. And its not just the absence of TB4. Have 3 Asus boards, and none of them have TB4 ports. The Z790 Stix, the Z690 Wifi DDR Strix, and a W680, the later which cost nearly $500. That and its on nearly every laptop, it can't REALLY add so much that it breaks a product segment price structure. Do come along. I'll let you keep insisting its actually there when you just get a header or that its on a "record number" of "mainstream" boards, at this point your just trolling if you think paying $500+ for an actual port is "mainstream"

Dr_b_Having a real port and an actual header are not the same thing.

It's not, I agree, but the header gives users an expansion option on cheaper boards.

Dr_b_A header isn't the same thing as an actual thunderbolt 4 port, and where do you put the AIC with a 3+ slot GPU, especially if you want to use the one remaining PCIe slot for something else like a sound card?

That's another matter that has nothing to do with Thunderbolt, but with the size of GPU and AIC choices. On different boards, different compromises need to be made.

Dr_b_but when paying upwards of $500, which is the point i was making, it should already be there in port form, not a header. Paying nearly $500 for a board isn't exactly "low end", the point of the post was that there is absurd price inflation and no real features have been added that justify the cost. And its not just the absence of TB4.

I agree with this. All complaints to Intel for expensive TB4 chips, and to some motherboard makers for being stingy on I/O on boards. Also, TB4 is not used that much in many PC circles, or at least this is what MB vendors want us to believe.

Dr_b_Have 3 Asus boards, and none of them have TB4 ports. The Z790 Stix, the Z690 Wifi DDR Strix, and a W680, the later which cost nearly $500.

Asus is specific and a bit stubborn on this issue. They have TB ports on Pro Art Line and Crosshair, for creators and other high-end board users.
Asrock and Asus have several boards with TB4 below $500. Have a look around.
rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-strix/rog-strix-z690-i-gaming-wifi-model/spec/ ~$359
I have Asus B550 Pro Art with two TB4 ports. I paid it ~$260.

Dr_b_That and its on nearly every laptop, it can't REALLY add so much that it breaks a product segment price structure. Do come along

I'd love all motherboards to have TB4 ports, but unfortunately, vendors still don't think this way, for various reasons. Laptops are a different universe of connectivity.

Dr_b_at this point your just trolling if you think paying $500+ for an actual port is "mainstream"

Before judging my language, hear me, again, the same quote: "The fact is that a record number of mainstream AM5 and 12th/13th Gen boards have adopted Thunderbolt in comparison to previous platforms and generations. It's a fact, check it out."

This record number is still not enough in terms of wider adoption, but what I wrote was accurate. I bought the first ever, and only, AMD TB4 board on the market on AM4 platform, as I enjoy Thunderbolt for its versatility. On AM5 platform, there is at least six motherboards with TB4/USB4. On Intel, more 700 boards have TB4 than 600 boards. That's what I meant by record number. Things are, at least, heading in a good direction for TB, despite all current issues with selective adoption. Once TB5 is out next year, TB4 will be on majority of boards.

What do they expect when they double or even triple the prices.