I would tend to agree that the Blackmagic Pro eGPU is overpriced relative to the non-pro, as the cost difference between the 580 and the Vega 56 doesn't seem worth a $500 price increase—perhaps $900–$1000 for the pro would have been more reasonable.
It is also the only enclosure I've seen that can drive a 5k monitor and is exceptionally quiet, so it's really your only option if that happens to be your set up. Given how they had to engineer this to dissipate the heat without a whirring fan, I don't know how you could make this upgradable without sacrificing that.
That said, Apple has long positioned itself as a premium/luxury brand and therefore charges a higher price for its wares than similarly spec'd competitors. It's like buying a Lexus instead of a Toyota. Is the engine really that different? No, but you get a better build, some amenities, better customer service, and a je ne sais quoi cachet for owning it. Where Apple has gotten itself into trouble recently is not delivering that premium experience for some its most demanding users—creative professionals and software developers.
It is also the only enclosure I've seen that can drive a 5k monitor and is exceptionally quiet, so it's really your only option if that happens to be your set up. Given how they had to engineer this to dissipate the heat without a whirring fan, I don't know how you could make this upgradable without sacrificing that.
That said, Apple has long positioned itself as a premium/luxury brand and therefore charges a higher price for its wares than similarly spec'd competitors. It's like buying a Lexus instead of a Toyota. Is the engine really that different? No, but you get a better build, some amenities, better customer service, and a je ne sais quoi cachet for owning it. Where Apple has gotten itself into trouble recently is not delivering that premium experience for some its most demanding users—creative professionals and software developers.