I don't tried to bring a lengthy discussion, it was a play with memories: remembering assembling your own PC and travelling the city choosing the specific components carefully based on price.
I didn't mean to take it in a negative direction either! And I agree with you anyway, my computer at around that time was also much cheaper than the example given (I think an IBM Aptiva on sale from a shop that was trying to get rid of inventory) and played games just fine (at least for the first couple years of its life)!