The cost of making a thing sets the minimum price.

The actual price is set by demand.

If you make a thing that costs $3 to make and can sell 4 of them at $6 or 3 of them at $9, you sell them for $9.

Presumably, yes, people are paying this much for the cases so that’s why they cost so much.

The boutique manufacturers cost more but offer tech unavailable in the mainstream.

If that tech is successful, it’s then adopted by the mainstream for cheaper.

It’s a system that benefits everyone: people who want cool experimental features before everyone else, and people who want mainstream units with that same tech cheaper from a larger manufacturer.

What we don’t want is boutique brands effectively just making another Ally or steam deck. That doesn’t push the industry forward.