Working at a computer store, I know this:
People often think Macs are expensive.
But people always know that PCs have more problems.
And because of that, we sell more Macs than PCs. Simply put, these commercials work. Keep rubbing in the virus issues, and people will always be reminded about how much their PC sucks. Apple doesn't need to show off their products as much as people say: showing how BAD the competition's products are has a much stronger effect. And then impress the customer once they've shown interest. That's what reels them in.
In my opinion, you pay for so much more than the "brand" or even the hardware and technology. There are so many things that you just can't measure monetarily, like the whole presentation and user experience when buying/using a Mac. I think that Macs simply offer more value for your money. I don't like how Microsoft has to mislead people with their ads about "paying more for the brand" because its a lot more than that. Apple does exaggerate their ads a little too, but for the most part their ads are truthful.
You're paying for better hardware, better design, superior engineering, better software, and more advanced technology thats standard on Macs...like DDR3 ram standard in all MBP's, the beautiful LED display, Wireless N technology standard, much faster integrated graphics, etc. You pay more money but you do get more features and technology. No PCs come standard with the type of things Macs do. Wireless technology has been standard on Macs since the late 90s lol. When you price similar hardware and technology on a manufactured PC, you usually see similar prices.
But I think theres so much more to it than that, and you can't measure its true value that way. Bottom line, in my opinion, for that little extra money you pay, you get a lot more value. Not just the hardware, but its the overall experience and higher quality that make it more value per dollar.
My philosophy is you get what you pay for, end of story.
