Long-term price trends for computers, TVs, and related items

Have you bought a TV or computer recently? If so, you may have noticed their prices have steeply decreased over the years, while their quality continues to improve. From December 1997 to August 2015, the Consumer Price Index for personal computers and peripheral equipment declined 96 percent. Most of the decline in this index occurred between 1998 and 2003. The price index for TVs decreased 94 percent from December 1997 to August 2015. This decline was more gradual than the decline in the price index for personal computers.

Chart Image

Chart Data Consumer price indexes for televisions, computers, software, and related items, not seasonally adjusted, December 1997–August 2015

(December 1997 = 100) Month All items Televisions Cable and satellite television and radio service Personal computers and peripheral equipment Computer software and accessories Internet services and electronic information providers Audio equipment Photographic equipment and supplies Dec 1997 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Jan 1998 100.2 99.8 101.8 96.9 97.1 100.2 99.4 99.9 Feb 1998 100.4 100.2 103.5 91.3 97.2 100.2 98.3 99.0 Mar 1998 100.6 100.7 103.6 88.7 98.3 100.2 98.8 100.1 Apr 1998 100.7 100.3 103.9 86.6 97.9 101.3 98.3 99.7 May 1998 100.9 99.5 104.3 82.7 97.1 103.4 97.3 100.1 Jun 1998 101.1 98.8 105.0 80.0 97.2 103.6 96.3 99.8 Jul 1998 101.2 98.5 105.5 75.2 98.2 103.6 95.8 98.7 Aug 1998 101.3 98.0 106.0 71.1 95.4 103.6 95.2 99.2 Sep 1998 101.4 97.2 106.4 68.5 94.7 103.4 95.5 99.7 Oct 1998 101.7 96.3 106.2 67.5 92.7 103.4 95.2 99.6 Nov 1998 101.7 96.0 106.5 65.6 90.0 103.3 93.4 98.7 Dec 1998 101.6 95.2 106.9 64.2 90.0 103.3 92.6 96.8 Jan 1999 101.9 94.7 107.6 61.4 88.2 103.3 96.5 97.3 Feb 1999 102.0 94.2 108.5 59.7 88.6 103.3 95.5 98.3 Mar 1999 102.3 93.9 108.4 57.6 89.0 103.3 95.4 97.6 Apr 1999 103.0 92.9 108.4 56.8 87.7 103.4 94.8 97.0 May 1999 103.0 91.4 108.8 55.7 87.3 77.5 93.4 96.6 Jun 1999 103.0 91.0 108.9 54.5 87.1 53.5 92.5 97.2 Jul 1999 103.3 90.5 109.3 52.9 89.3 79.4 92.1 98.1 Aug 1999 103.6 90.5 109.7 50.9 89.1 99.0 91.4 98.0 Sep 1999 104.1 89.7 109.2 49.7 88.7 96.2 89.7 96.8 Oct 1999 104.3 89.2 109.4 48.2 89.4 96.0 89.4 96.5 Nov 1999 104.3 88.5 109.6 47.0 88.3 96.0 89.5 97.1 Dec 1999 104.3 88.2 109.9 47.2 88.2 96.0 89.0 96.0 Jan 2000 104.6 87.4 111.4 46.4 87.9 96.1 89.3 94.8 Feb 2000 105.3 86.7 112.7 45.1 87.6 97.6 88.1 95.5 Mar 2000 106.1 86.4 113.4 44.2 87.1 97.9 87.0 96.6 Apr 2000 106.2 85.4 113.4 42.7 87.4 97.9 86.4 95.6 May 2000 106.3 84.6 113.5 42.4 86.9 97.4 94.6 93.1 Jun 2000 106.9 83.9 114.2 41.2 86.1 95.7 93.8 93.4 Jul 2000 107.1 81.9 114.4 40.3 85.3 95.7 93.2 94.0 Aug 2000 107.1 81.1 115.2 39.5 85.2 95.6 92.5 93.9 Sep 2000 107.7 80.2 115.3 38.9 85.4 95.5 91.6 93.9 Oct 2000 107.9 79.6 115.6 38.3 82.5 95.7 91.4 93.7 Nov 2000 107.9 79.4 115.8 37.3 82.3 95.8 90.4 94.0 Dec 2000 107.9 78.7 115.6 36.5 81.5 95.7 89.8 93.3 Jan 2001 108.6 79.1 116.7 35.0 80.0 95.5 89.6 93.0 Feb 2001 109.0 78.7 117.9 33.9 80.1 95.9 89.4 93.2 Mar 2001 109.2 77.7 118.6 32.4 80.2 95.9 88.3 93.0 Apr 2001 109.7 76.9 118.9 31.7 79.6 95.9 87.9 92.8 May 2001 110.2 75.7 119.1 30.4 79.4 95.8 87.9 92.4 Jun 2001 110.4 74.1 119.0 29.8 78.6 96.6 85.7 92.5 Jul 2001 110.0 73.8 119.7 29.3 79.0 99.1 86.2 92.5 Aug 2001 110.0 72.8 120.0 27.8 79.1 100.8 86.1 91.6 Sep 2001 110.5 71.9 119.7 26.7 77.7 100.2 87.0 92.0 Oct 2001 110.2 71.1 120.0 26.4 77.0 100.3 86.9 92.3 Nov 2001 110.0 70.8 120.2 25.8 79.1 100.4 86.8 92.1 Dec 2001 109.5 70.3 120.2 25.3 79.5 100.3 85.9 91.3 Jan 2002 109.8 70.4 122.3 24.6 77.3 98.2 85.7 91.3 Feb 2002 110.2 70.4 124.3 23.9 76.9 97.9 85.1 91.3 Mar 2002 110.8 69.8 124.7 23.1 76.3 98.2 85.0 90.7 Apr 2002 111.5 68.9 125.3 22.9 76.6 98.1 84.5 89.7 May 2002 111.5 68.3 125.6 23.0 74.7 96.3 83.6 88.8 Jun 2002 111.5 67.4 126.5 22.6 74.3 98.1 82.7 88.5 Jul 2002 111.7 65.9 127.3 22.3 73.6 100.3 81.3 88.2 Aug 2002 112.0 64.8 126.9 22.0 73.3 100.1 80.8 87.6 Sep 2002 112.2 64.0 126.9 21.1 71.4 100.2 81.8 87.1 Oct 2002 112.4 63.6 127.9 20.7 71.2 99.9 81.6 87.0 Nov 2002 112.4 63.3 128.6 20.0 71.1 99.9 81.8 86.2 Dec 2002 112.2 62.8 129.0 19.7 71.0 99.6 82.0 85.6 Jan 2003 112.6 62.1 130.0 19.5 71.2 99.7 81.1 86.3 Feb 2003 113.5 62.0 131.0 19.1 70.8 99.8 80.9 86.1 Mar 2003 114.2 61.3 131.3 19.0 70.2 100.0 80.1 85.8 Apr 2003 113.9 60.5 131.6 18.7 69.6 100.3 79.1 84.6 May 2003 113.8 59.1 132.3 18.0 68.5 100.2 79.4 84.6 Jun 2003 113.9 58.1 132.9 17.5 67.7 101.0 78.7 84.6 Jul 2003 114.0 57.3 133.3 17.2 66.8 99.7 77.3 83.7 Aug 2003 114.4 56.0 133.3 16.7 65.5 100.0 77.4 83.7 Sep 2003 114.8 55.3 133.1 16.3 65.5 100.8 76.6 83.1 Oct 2003 114.7 54.8 133.5 16.5 65.0 100.6 76.9 82.6 Nov 2003 114.4 54.5 134.0 16.3 64.0 98.0 78.4 82.2 Dec 2003 114.3 53.8 133.8 16.2 64.1 97.6 77.6 80.7 Jan 2004 114.8 53.2 134.9 16.2 63.8 98.3 76.7 80.7 Feb 2004 115.4 52.7 136.3 16.0 63.3 98.3 76.0 79.9 Mar 2004 116.2 52.2 136.8 15.8 62.8 98.7 75.9 79.7 Apr 2004 116.6 51.5 138.0 15.9 63.2 96.1 75.6 77.9 May 2004 117.2 50.3 138.3 15.7 63.0 95.6 75.9 78.0 Jun 2004 117.6 49.5 138.4 15.5 62.5 97.2 75.1 77.6 Jul 2004 117.4 48.8 138.7 15.3 62.5 97.3 74.4 77.5 Aug 2004 117.5 48.7 138.7 15.1 62.6 97.6 73.4 77.5 Sep 2004 117.7 48.5 138.8 15.0 61.6 97.4 73.4 77.3 Oct 2004 118.4 48.3 139.0 14.6 61.5 97.4 73.6 76.5 Nov 2004 118.4 47.5 139.0 14.2 61.3 97.2 73.0 75.9 Dec 2004 118.0 47.2 139.2 13.9 61.1 97.2 72.4 75.0 Jan 2005 118.2 47.0 140.3 14.0 60.7 97.2 71.0 74.4 Feb 2005 118.9 46.5 140.8 13.5 60.3 96.9 70.7 74.9 Mar 2005 119.8 46.2 141.8 13.4 59.6 96.7 70.2 74.3 Apr 2005 120.6 45.8 142.3 13.4 59.1 96.6 70.4 74.2 May 2005 120.5 45.8 142.3 13.2 58.7 96.5 69.2 74.2 Jun 2005 120.6 44.9 139.9 13.0 58.4 95.4 68.6 74.0 Jul 2005 121.1 44.2 140.2 12.8 58.5 95.6 67.5 73.1 Aug 2005 121.8 43.2 143.1 12.4 58.5 95.1 67.2 73.2 Sep 2005 123.2 42.7 143.2 12.3 58.3 94.9 67.6 73.1 Oct 2005 123.5 42.0 143.6 12.2 58.3 94.9 66.9 72.6 Nov 2005 122.5 40.7 143.6 12.0 58.4 94.2 66.6 72.5 Dec 2005 122.0 40.4 143.8 11.7 58.5 94.5 66.1 71.3 Jan 2006 122.9 40.5 144.3 11.6 57.8 94.5 65.3 71.6 Feb 2006 123.2 40.2 144.9 11.5 57.3 94.5 64.8 71.3 Mar 2006 123.9 40.5 146.8 11.4 56.6 95.8 65.3 70.3 Apr 2006 124.9 40.2 148.2 11.1 56.0 96.6 65.3 69.6 May 2006 125.5 39.4 148.2 10.8 55.7 96.8 65.8 68.6 Jun 2006 125.8 37.9 148.4 10.7 55.1 97.4 65.6 68.1 Jul 2006 126.2 37.2 148.5 10.6 55.1 97.3 65.4 67.7 Aug 2006 126.4 36.2 148.7 10.6 54.5 94.7 65.2 67.2 Sep 2006 125.8 35.2 148.8 10.5 54.5 93.1 64.1 66.7 Oct 2006 125.1 34.2 148.5 10.4 54.0 87.0 64.0 66.3 Nov 2006 124.9 32.2 148.6 10.3 53.8 81.1 64.4 64.9 Dec 2006 125.1 31.2 147.6 10.3 54.2 77.2 63.2 63.4 Jan 2007 125.5 30.7 148.1 10.3 54.1 73.4 62.8 62.6 Feb 2007 126.2 30.6 149.1 10.2 54.0 73.3 62.4 61.9 Mar 2007 127.3 30.1 149.1 10.2 53.7 73.5 62.5 61.3 Apr 2007 128.1 29.8 150.1 10.2 53.2 73.9 61.9 60.5 May 2007 128.9 28.8 151.2 10.0 53.4 74.0 61.3 60.8 Jun 2007 129.2 28.5 151.2 9.7 53.2 73.1 60.5 60.9 Jul 2007 129.1 27.7 150.5 9.6 52.4 72.9 61.2 60.7 Aug 2007 128.9 26.8 150.3 9.5 51.0 73.1 60.8 61.4 Sep 2007 129.3 26.5 151.3 9.5 51.6 73.3 60.1 61.2 Oct 2007 129.5 26.6 152.0 9.3 51.5 72.8 60.5 60.6 Nov 2007 130.3 26.1 151.4 8.9 51.5 72.6 60.5 59.9 Dec 2007 130.2 25.5 151.3 8.9 50.7 73.2 60.2 59.0 Jan 2008 130.9 25.2 152.1 9.0 50.9 72.9 59.8 58.6 Feb 2008 131.2 24.9 153.2 9.0 51.2 73.3 59.8 58.5 Mar 2008 132.4 24.6 154.4 9.0 50.8 73.2 58.7 57.5 Apr 2008 133.2 24.7 154.7 8.8 50.9 73.0 57.8 56.8 May 2008 134.3 24.0 154.5 8.7 50.9 73.2 57.9 57.0 Jun 2008 135.7 23.5 153.6 8.5 50.6 73.5 57.5 56.9 Jul 2008 136.4 23.2 153.7 8.5 50.5 74.3 57.6 56.7 Aug 2008 135.8 22.9 154.9 8.3 50.4 74.3 57.8 57.0 Sep 2008 135.6 22.3 155.3 8.1 50.2 74.1 58.3 57.7 Oct 2008 134.3 21.8 154.4 8.0 50.7 74.2 59.4 56.8 Nov 2008 131.7 21.2 154.2 8.0 50.5 75.0 58.2 56.3 Dec 2008 130.3 20.6 154.0 7.9 50.2 75.9 57.3 55.4 Jan 2009 130.9 20.0 154.3 7.9 50.5 76.3 56.7 55.2 Feb 2009 131.6 19.7 155.9 7.8 50.6 76.9 56.2 54.7 Mar 2009 131.9 19.4 157.0 7.7 50.5 77.0 56.0 54.5 Apr 2009 132.2 19.4 157.5 7.7 50.7 77.5 55.4 54.8 May 2009 132.6 18.6 157.6 7.5 50.3 76.8 55.7 55.2 Jun 2009 133.7 18.0 158.3 7.5 50.3 76.8 55.3 55.1 Jul 2009 133.5 17.4 158.4 7.2 50.0 76.7 55.1 55.9 Aug 2009 133.8 17.0 158.4 7.0 49.7 76.6 54.9 55.7 Sep 2009 133.9 16.2 158.1 7.0 48.7 76.4 54.7 56.3 Oct 2009 134.0 15.4 157.4 7.0 49.5 76.1 54.8 55.3 Nov 2009 134.1 15.3 157.6 7.0 49.6 75.7 54.8 54.6 Dec 2009 133.9 14.9 157.6 7.0 48.9 75.6 54.5 54.2 Jan 2010 134.3 14.5 158.8 7.0 49.0 76.0 54.1 54.3 Feb 2010 134.4 13.9 158.7 7.0 49.3 77.5 54.4 54.0 Mar 2010 134.9 13.9 159.2 7.0 48.6 77.7 54.1 53.6 Apr 2010 135.2 14.0 159.4 7.0 47.7 77.6 54.0 53.1 May 2010 135.3 13.6 159.2 6.9 47.2 77.6 53.7 52.8 Jun 2010 135.1 13.5 160.5 6.8 46.0 77.5 53.5 53.0 Jul 2010 135.2 13.2 160.0 6.8 44.8 77.2 53.5 52.7 Aug 2010 135.3 12.9 159.6 6.8 45.1 77.1 53.4 51.7 Sep 2010 135.4 12.7 159.6 6.8 45.2 76.8 53.4 51.3 Oct 2010 135.6 12.5 159.9 6.7 45.2 76.5 53.3 50.9 Nov 2010 135.6 12.3 159.9 6.7 45.0 76.6 52.9 49.9 Dec 2010 135.9 12.1 158.0 6.6 43.8 76.4 52.3 48.6 Jan 2011 136.5 11.9 158.8 6.5 44.0 76.0 52.2 48.6 Feb 2011 137.2 11.8 160.7 6.5 44.0 76.4 52.1 48.6 Mar 2011 138.5 11.8 161.5 6.4 43.5 76.8 51.9 49.3 Apr 2011 139.4 11.7 162.1 6.4 43.3 76.6 51.9 50.6 May 2011 140.1 11.3 162.4 6.3 42.9 76.1 51.4 51.1 Jun 2011 139.9 11.2 162.1 6.2 42.9 76.3 50.7 50.4 Jul 2011 140.1 11.0 162.7 6.1 42.8 76.4 51.3 50.7 Aug 2011 140.4 10.7 162.3 6.0 42.9 76.5 51.1 50.6 Sep 2011 140.7 10.5 163.2 5.9 42.7 76.4 51.0 50.1 Oct 2011 140.4 10.3 163.4 5.9 42.1 76.2 50.4 50.3 Nov 2011 140.3 10.1 163.5 5.9 42.5 75.9 49.9 49.7 Dec 2011 139.9 10.0 164.0 5.8 43.2 76.0 49.1 48.6 Jan 2012 140.5 9.9 165.3 5.8 43.1 76.5 49.3 48.1 Feb 2012 141.1 9.8 167.1 5.8 42.4 76.6 48.9 48.5 Mar 2012 142.2 9.6 168.6 5.7 42.0 76.9 48.6 48.1 Apr 2012 142.6 9.4 169.2 5.7 41.8 77.4 47.9 48.9 May 2012 142.5 9.3 169.8 5.7 41.8 77.7 47.0 48.4 Jun 2012 142.3 9.0 170.0 5.7 41.0 77.3 47.1 48.3 Jul 2012 142.0 8.8 170.4 5.6 40.7 76.9 47.4 48.8 Aug 2012 142.8 8.7 170.9 5.5 39.8 75.9 47.4 48.6 Sep 2012 143.5 8.6 171.2 5.4 39.5 75.8 47.2 48.8 Oct 2012 143.4 8.4 170.0 5.4 39.4 75.6 46.9 47.6 Nov 2012 142.7 8.3 170.0 5.3 40.0 75.6 46.6 46.9 Dec 2012 142.3 8.3 169.9 5.3 40.1 75.8 46.0 44.9 Jan 2013 142.8 8.2 170.8 5.3 39.7 76.1 46.6 44.2 Feb 2013 143.9 8.1 172.8 5.3 39.9 77.1 46.9 45.7 Mar 2013 144.3 8.0 174.1 5.2 39.3 78.2 45.5 46.8 Apr 2013 144.2 7.8 174.3 5.2 38.7 77.9 45.0 46.1 May 2013 144.4 7.8 174.5 5.1 38.5 77.6 44.9 46.2 Jun 2013 144.8 7.7 174.3 5.1 38.5 77.3 44.5 45.6 Jul 2013 144.8 7.5 174.5 5.0 38.3 76.7 45.0 44.8 Aug 2013 145.0 7.4 174.4 5.0 37.9 77.0 44.9 45.5 Sep 2013 145.2 7.3 174.6 5.0 38.3 77.3 44.9 44.9 Oct 2013 144.8 7.2 174.5 4.9 38.5 77.2 44.6 44.3 Nov 2013 144.5 7.2 175.0 4.9 37.9 77.0 45.0 44.0 Dec 2013 144.5 7.1 174.5 4.9 37.2 76.9 44.3 43.1 Jan 2014 145.0 7.1 175.4 4.9 37.3 76.9 44.6 43.4 Feb 2014 145.6 7.1 176.8 4.9 37.0 77.4 45.1 43.1 Mar 2014 146.5 7.0 178.4 4.9 36.7 77.8 44.2 43.8 Apr 2014 147.0 6.9 178.8 4.9 36.7 78.1 43.9 44.8 May 2014 147.5 6.7 179.1 4.8 36.6 78.1 44.0 44.9 Jun 2014 147.8 6.6 179.3 4.8 36.9 78.3 43.4 44.5 Jul 2014 147.7 6.4 179.0 4.7 37.3 78.4 42.6 44.0 Aug 2014 147.5 6.3 177.7 4.6 37.4 78.3 42.3 45.1 Sep 2014 147.6 6.3 178.1 4.6 37.0 78.3 41.8 45.2 Oct 2014 147.2 6.2 178.7 4.6 37.1 78.5 41.8 44.2 Nov 2014 146.4 6.0 178.2 4.5 37.3 78.4 41.3 43.6 Dec 2014 145.6 5.9 178.3 4.4 36.8 78.2 41.0 42.1 Jan 2015 144.9 5.9 179.0 4.4 36.6 78.3 41.1 41.6 Feb 2015 145.5 5.9 180.3 4.4 36.6 78.3 41.3 41.6 Mar 2015 146.4 5.9 181.2 4.4 36.9 78.8 40.9 41.4 Apr 2015 146.7 5.8 181.9 4.4 36.8 79.0 41.0 41.5 May 2015 147.4 5.8 181.3 4.3 37.2 78.1 40.9 41.1 Jun 2015 147.9 5.8 181.4 4.3 36.9 77.9 40.5 41.1 Jul 2015 148.0 5.6 181.4 4.3 36.4 76.9 40.5 41.4 Aug 2015 147.7 5.5 180.5 4.2 36.8 76.0 40.4 41.5

In contrast to TVs, the price index for cable and satellite television and radio service increased 80 percent from December 1997 to August 2015. The price index for Internet services decreased about 25 percent from June 2006 to February 2007; since then the index has changed little.

The price indexes for photographic equipment and supplies (−59 percent), audio equipment (−60 percent), and computer software (−63 percent) all declined from December 1997 to August 2015.

These data are from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) program. The CPI adjusts prices to account for changes in the quality of consumer electronics and other items. These adjustments reflect innovation and technological changes in the items.

RELATED SUBJECTS Prices

Technology