My dad avoided buying a home PC for a long time, because he felt the systems he used at work in the 80s were so much more powerful than anything for the home at the time, that he didn’t see a point.

I can’t help but draw parallels here.

And he wouldn't be wrong for that era. Prices also dropped pretty quickly while specs would almost double within a span of months. Whatever he could've bought in Jan would be easily outclassed by anything 12 months later.

We don't have that anymore. Specs have more or less stabilised and what you're buying now could easily last you years.