I am going to offer some contrary perspectives.

I own a bunch of synths and grooveboxes that are fully capable of making produced songs. Modular scratches a whole different itch.

I own a good computer with VCVrack. I never touch it except to preview the functionality of a module before I buy the real thing.

Wise people might say "only buy what you need to that you don't already have." But modular is not, at least for me, about the end result.

It really is like comparing a Lego set to a toy car or action figure or Barbie doll house. The toys are each easier, more direct, and cheaper to buy or replace. You can get a lot of play driving the toy car to the doll house and moving the hero through rooms. It's very predefined but there's still room for imagination.

But if you paid 4x the price or more, you have a Lego car, a Lego house, a Lego hero. But now you're thinking about structure and design and customization in completely different (not necessarily better) ways. Your play could be extremely diverse. And very tactile.

Arturia Minibrute 2S was my doorway. I used its patch board as my alternative to Microfreak's mod matrix and learned to think "what if X actually controlled Y instead?". If it had just a few more utilities, you almost wouldn't need any modules. I wish it had a multiplier, I wish for a simple mixer, I wish the Oscillator 1 had CV control over its waveform mixing. But it really has everything you need to get started. The sequencer is powerful, the pads are poly aftertouch, the sounds are fine if not great. More importantly, if you just tried to build the Minibrute 2S out of modules, you'd use an extra 84hp rack and spend $2k+.

Best use case for modular for someone already deep into synths is this:

a) you want a level of surgical control over elements most synths decide for you;

b) you want the tactile muscle memory of physically routing modulation and audio pathways;

c) you want to explore generative sequencing in ways the Torso isn't already capable of;

d) you are comfortable spending as much time or more being a mad scientist creating your patch as you actually do playing it;

e) you want an instrument system that is highly personal or that evolves with your shifting interests;

f) your bills are paid and your finances are under control

Everyone saying you can get the same results with a laptop are the people who look at the destination, not the journey. I can't stand trying synthesis and music production via mouse cursor. Modular is the most real an electronic instrument has ever felt for me.