This question isn't as easy to answer as one would assume ... There is (and always has been) a distinct difference between cheap "Chinese" laser pointers and quality handhelds marketed by more reputable companies such as Laserglow and Optotronics, both quality and price-wise. While it is true that the prices have gone WAY down on the Chinese "budget lasers ($0.50/mW greens are everywhere these days), the manufacturing costs of quality, consistant and well-built lasers from manufacturers such as CNI, etc is still a relatively complicated and expensive proposition, and as a rule of thumb, this is the type of manufacturer the "Good" laser companies rely on.
Many of the true "Quality" handhelds (such as the LG Hercules and the OP RPL) are built to exacting, rigid specifications in limited quantities, to ensure top quality and performance, as well as reliability - this costs the "good guys" many times more than it costs companied like DX, KD, etc to purchase bulk, mass-produced lasers with no guaranteed output or quality assurances and throw them out on the market with limited profit margins (the lower costs generally mean higher sales volume, which is where they make the $$ on the cheap pointers). As the consumer, it is up to you to decide if you want to "roll the dice" and take what you get at a low price, or if you want to pay a bit more for a quality product from a company that will stand behind it 100% ...
Here's a little insight into how some companies are now offering seriously discounted pointers in addition to their standard, higher-priced styles - We'll use the FP 200mW pointer as an example, $60-70 all over the web from less-than-reputable suppliers. I have purchased several of these and tested them, and while one actually came through ith a 140mW+ output, the others were severely inconsistant, 88mW and 65mW respectively. Now, as a reseller, I have a real problem in that I have 3pcs of 200mW green that I can't sell as 200mW, therefore I lose, right? Wrong. I now have 1 "60mW", 1 80mW, and 1 140mW pointer that I can sell as "guaranteed output", so I adjust my margins accordingly, sell the 60's at just above cost, the 80's at a more standard markup, and the 140 at a healthy profit... And I'm selling a ton more pointers now as they are guaranteed, as well as lower cost to me than ordering individual, guaranteed-to-spec pointers from my normal manufacturer. As always, my company is standing behind the output of our lasers, we're just not spending 2X or more to our manufacturers to ensure we get what we ordered, we are "rolling the dice" for the consumer ourselves, and reaping higher volume sales accordingly.
Which of course, means that when the consumer decides to buy a higher-powered, quality laser, they already trust us and will be willing to spend a bit more to buy one of our guaranteed styles that we have always sold, at prices similar to what they have always been...
I for one find it refershing that the "Good Guys" are finally able to offer a "loss leader" to help bring people into the hobby yet still maintain integrity and honesty in sales (unlike the Chinese discounters who offer you one thing, send another, and reaaly don't care WHAT you think about it...)
ONE MAJOR EXCEPTION - Susie at O-like (
www.o-like.com) - she has an incredible, consistant, proven track record of providing us with impeccable customer service, guaranteed specs and quality control, and excellent pricing on her lasers and modules - Just thought I'd throw that in to compensate for what sounds a bit like an "Anti-Chinese-Supplier" rant
High-quality KTP crystal sets, high-powered C-mount IR diodes, quality hosts, optics, etc as well as stringent quality control has come down just a bit price-wise, but is still very expensive (and desevedly so) - mass produced "you get what you get" parts that are slapped together with the only prerequisite being that they emit green beams of some sort are definitely becoming cheaper, because many, many resellers have jumped on that bandwagon (as described above).
Hope this helped, anyone want to chime in or add to the theory?
