I think Ian McLeod Ethereum Price Prediction 2019 of $500 is more realistic if we are to based on how the price move, second quarter is coming and the price is still moving slowly even though the hard fork is already over, there's still big news for Ethereum that will make the price go higher than $500.
I agree with you, $500 is more realistic price for ethereum for this year. Today Ethereum price icrease to $180 but i think this increase is very slow.
$500 seems so realistic, but to me $1500 seems possible as the growth at present is slow and steady. Earlier it grew mutually with the growth of bitcoin. Maybe by the end of the second quarter of the year price could grow high. Ethereum is so strong in the market serving as the leader to the entire altcoins that are listed to the coinmarketcap.