Would You Buy Lego Mindstorms If It Were Less Expensive?

[hrontos]

It is interesting for me, but I consider it quite expensive just for me. To be more precise, I am not sure I would have a time to really use it regularily. And I do not want to buy it just to try it for a few days or weeks.

But I hope my kids will have an interest in it and I will happily buy it for them (and also for me to borrow it sometimes ). We have RCX 2.0 now and I hope to "upgrade" to NXT2 or EV3 in 2-4 years.

[Boxerlego]

I would say Yes (since the box DOES say "Mindstorms" on it). However, the 9748 Lego Droid Developer Kit uses the 32344c01 "White Micro Scout with Dark Gray Base" instead of the more-capable RCX, NXT, or (upcoming) EV3 intelligent brick. It's kind of like a "Mindstorms-light" kind of device.

The Droid Developer Kit is the only Mindstorms I own then. I got it because it was R2-D2. The "white micro scout with dark gray base" was just a light controlled motor with a coded flash light game, A Jedi master will understand that. If Lego made a second droid developer kit and was another R2-D2 with the reconstructability, functionality that the previous kit has and was able to control the Power Functions motors and servo, I would buy it.

Edited January 25, 2013 by Boxerlego

[shadowhearth]

I would LOVE the 3.0 one. It does look fantastic, but price tag really really scares me. It is 350$, so it will be around 350eu for us here. that is A LOT of money for a toy. I love my Lego hobby, but damn, that is on a very high side, considering it is only 500 pieces kit...

[Jim]

I would LOVE the 3.0 one. It does look fantastic, but price tag really really scares me. It is 350$, so it will be around 350eu for us here. that is A LOT of money for a toy. I love my Lego hobby, but damn, that is on a very high side, considering it is only 500 pieces kit...

You should consider it a Lego compatible computer. 350 euro sounds cheaper that way

But if you just want it for fun, as a toy, or for the parts, it's indeed pretty expensive.

[S.I]

I code all day at work, and while I have tried to control lego via FPGA / VHDL, I'm not interested in the mindstorms language/capabilities. Only thing I would want to use is a rotation sensor.

[hrontos]

But if you just want it for fun, as a toy, or for the parts, it's indeed pretty expensive.

I try to treat it as educational toy. At least for kids.

Many people buy RC plane or heli and serious ones really start at more than 350EUR. And those are really just toys. Very nice hobby also, but those are really just toys.

But with every toy (to make it worth the money) you have to play and Mindstorms projects probably require more time than the standard LEGO.

[Jim]

I try to treat it as educational toy. At least for kids.

Many people buy RC plane or heli and serious ones really start at more than 350EUR. And those are really just toys. Very nice hobby also, but those are really just toys.

But with every toy (to make it worth the money) you have to play and Mindstorms projects probably require more time than the standard LEGO.

I totally agree with you!

Personally I think 350 euro is justified, considering the possibilities at hand. Seeing a robot come to live and do what you tell it to do, is just so much fun.

If you only want to build some of the robots included in the set, than it will be collecting dust after some time, which is a waste of money. You do need to invest some time in Mindstorms to make it worth your while.

[hrontos]

If you only want to build some of the robots included in the set, than it will be collecting dust after some time, which is a waste of money. You do need to invest some time in Mindstorms to make it worth your while.

Yes, exactly, that's why I would buy for my kids, but probably not for me. I do not want risk making a dust collector out of it. With kids there will more users for it.

350 euro is not that bad for such toy, I have seen terrible RC cars for 120 euro. And they were really terrible - awfull plastic, suspension, weak parts. So programmable robots for 350 euro is definitely better invested money. Of course, 350 USD would be nicer, but that is the pricing policy which is quite difficult to change.

If you take a look at this poll, if the Mindstorms was cheaper, 50% more people would buy it. Not 20, but 30 people.

I don't know how big discount is expected, since it was not specified in the poll question, but with not more than 33% discount, the TLG income would be the same (20*350 = 7000, 30*350*67%=7035).

It looks like the price is really well justified and it is not the price that stops people buying it. Or the expected price would not be reasonable for TLG (total profit for more sold units would be lower than for less sold units).

Edited January 25, 2013 by hrontos

[Jim]

Although I don't have any kids yet, buying something for them, is always the best excuse

From what I understood, Mindstorms is TLG's most profitable/succesful (?) product line ever, so they don't need to worry about not selling due to high prices.

It is interesting so see that more people would (probably) buy it, if is was cheaper. I wonder how well it would sell if you can buy it for around 250/275 in a regular Toy Store. A large percentage of the parents probably don't even know Mindstorms exists, because it's not for sale at your local retailer.

[Erik Leppen]

OK, I added another Poll choice to Question #2 that says "I did not answer "Yes" to Question #1."

The last question starts with "If you are interested" - so I can't answer because I am not interested. So the results of this question are skewed.

Anyhow, I'm not really interested in Mindstorms as a system because it doesn't seem very technical except from the programming, and I think programmability makes models less interesting than gear systems. also, the motors are way too large to be of any use: the shape and scale of MOCs is defined by the motors, and that limits freedom too much for me to like. Also, the current power functions system with remote control can do the same minus the programmable aspect (which I don't really care for. I love programming, but I find that programmability does not combine well with LEGO).

[Blakbird]

"Would I buy Mindstorms if it was cheaper?"

Well sure, but I'd also buy a Ferrari if it was cheaper, and I'd buy a 747 if it was cheaper, and I'd buy a 50 room mansion if it was cheaper. Sadly for me, amazing things are not cheap and for good reason. The only way a product like Mindstorms could be cheap is if LEGO drastically reduced the quality and I don't think any of us really want that. The price is high and that is certainly a barrier to entry, but such is reality for something so cool.

Personally, I don't buy Mindstorms because it is too good. If I were to get into Mindstorms I'd kill thousands of hours on it and I wouldn't have time for all my other hobbies. So I hope the cost stays up!

[hrontos]

"Would I buy Mindstorms if it was cheaper?"

Well sure, but I'd also buy a Ferrari if it was cheaper, and I'd buy a 747 if it was cheaper, and I'd buy a 50 room mansion if it was cheaper. Sadly for me, amazing things are not cheap and for good reason. The only way a product like Mindstorms could be cheap is if LEGO drastically reduced the quality and I don't think any of us really want that. The price is high and that is certainly a barrier to entry, but such is reality for something so cool.

I can imagine, that a "Mindstorms Light" would be nice. Just like ultralight instead of 747. With reduced capabilities in means of comunication with other bricks, bluetooth, wifi etc. May be less memory. And some other features which are used only by more advanced users. But I am not sure how big impact on the price it would have. And if parallel development of a similar product is reasonable. Sofware company usually sells Home and also Pro version. Tool makers also sell Hobby and Pro versions.

Personally, I don't buy Mindstorms because it is too good. If I were to get into Mindstorms I'd kill thousands of hours on it and I wouldn't have time for all my other hobbies. So I hope the cost stays up!

[shadowhearth]

You should consider it a Lego compatible computer. 350 euro sounds cheaper that way

But if you just want it for fun, as a toy, or for the parts, it's indeed pretty expensive.

True. Problem is i dont have those "things", what you call them? "Kkkkkkkids"? So i dont have an excuse when i say misses: "Hey,love, there is that cool lego robot! Its sooooooooooooo cool, but it is 350eu" *Misses not impressed.

Its a really really cool set. It is worth every penny for what it is, but i just dont have 350eu spare, specially when 350eu will buy me A LOT of lego!

[Jim]

Hehe. I don't have kids either, but a friend of mine has. He is already preparing a purchase strategy to convince his wife. Educational value for his son is at the top of his list

I must admit that I do feel lucky to be able to pick this one up right away.

[AndyC]

Not quite sure the poll fitted my answers, but I tried anyway. I already have a NXT2, which is a cool piece of kit although I haven't ever really done as much with it as I'd hope. Having to code all day probably makes the thought of doing it after-hours a little less exciting.

Would I buy more if it were cheaper? Probably. Although I suspect a cheaper version would end up having to be inferior at the same time and I'm not really sure that's the way to make it more desirable. I certainly remember from when I looked into the costing, that buying all the bits individually didn't end up being much cheaper than buying the complete set, so I don't know that excluding the pins/liftarms would really improve things (and it would certainly be harder for TLG to market like that)

[CP5670]

I've had in mind to get a Mindstorms set (or at least a controller brick) for many years but have never done so. On one hand, the concept is great and seems right up my alley, but like others said Mindstorms models focus on the software and the mechanisms, which are the main attraction of Technic to me, are often simplistic. I don't have any concrete ideas on what to build with it either, so I might end up not using it much. I do have the old 9735 Scout set and it's fun to play around with, but its potential for MOCs is limited.

As for the price, one problem is that Mindstorms sets are based around the electronics instead of conventional bricks, and electronic Lego pieces have frankly always been overpriced. The EV3 looks quite nice, but looking at its specs the price doesn't make sense in this day and age compared to modern phones and other gadgets. The same applies to many of the sensors and other components. We have seen in the past many times as well, like the speed regulator and control center prices in the 90s.

[jonwil]

I own the yellow RCX (was a gift many years ago but I did have it on my list) but because I have been unable to find a way to make it (the USB IR tower and the programming software) work with Windows 7 x64 I can't make MOCs with it at this point.

Would I buy the new EV3 if I had the money? Most definitely providing LEGO complies in full with the license for any software they include with the device including the Linux kernel. (the idea of a Linux-capable computing device that is compatible with LEGO bricks and creations is VERY much something I like the sound of) . But I don't have the money to buy it (or the NXT).