Doesn't sound like the 'cheap small computer you can run your hobby electronics project on' that the original Pi used to be. It is not as cheap and a power hungry beast, still small, though. More and more like a PC and less and less a small cheap embedded platform. For some people it is a plus (I guess for most people here), for some not so much.
I tend to build my projects on Raspberry Pi Pico now, but sometimes I would need something more powerful and Raspberry Pi 5 will be too much.
The project goal has never been a 'cheap small computer you can run your hobby electronics project on'. The whole point of the project is to build a small cheap PC to give away to school children to increase computer literacy, while making it attractive enough for normal people to buy to fund the charity side
I just noticed on rpilocator that there are a couple US sellers who have RPi4-1GB boards in stock for $35. I might have to try and snag one since my Kodi device has been acting up lately.
I’m agreeing with them. By the time you buy the Pi 5, and all the add-ons you need, it’s going to rival these SFF systems with full x86 Intel chips with efficiency cores.
You're right, if there's no need of GPIO.
For example I'm using a Fujitsu Futro S720 that I've bought for about 30/40€ and it consumes about 4W idle and 10/15W maximum (I don't really remember).
My point of view is like yours: those boards are not good for self hosting, are good for IoT, digital signage and...mmm...I don't know what else.