The cost vs that much better performance do not correspond. But there is certainly the prestige factor. Same for the fly reels. Maybe 30 years ago I picked up a click & pawl metal stamped reel for something like $38.00 - been a good reel and we've caught a lot of fish together. Also have a machined reel, no doubt a better reel, that I like, too, and the price was something like $250.00 - and so is the later worth more then six times as much the first mentioned? No ... (Unless, of course, that's what you want).

And the debate goes on.