Rene Ritchie's weird iPad storage choice metric

[Arctic Moose]

Per-gigabyte price is used a metric iPad purchase decision-making all throughout this article:

https://www.imore.com/what-ipad-pro-storage-size-should-you-get

To calculate this metric, Rene divides the entire price of the iPad to deduce the per-gigabyte value, which makes the base models look like terrible purchases in comparison, i.e. $10.15/GB for the 64 GB iPad Pro, compared to $1.85/GB for the 512 GB model. It also makes the 10.5" models look like much better value than the 12.9".

Am I missing something? I cannot think of a single way in which this metric could possibly be relevant to anyone for anything, unless you are looking to use an iPad only as a storage device, in which case a thumb drive would be a much better choice.

Not only does it seem to be an entirely useless number to base a decision on, it also appears to me to be completely misleading.

If you would instead subtract the base model storage (64 GB) from the higher tiers (256 GB and 512 GB respectively) and divide the price difference ($100 and $300 respectively) by the storage difference you would find that for both pro models the per-gigabyte upgrade price is $0.52 for 256 GB and $0.67 for 512 GB. (The upgrade price for the 9.7" to the 128 GB model is $1.04, but as that is the only possible storage upgrade there is no comparison to be made.)

So, from a storage perspective the 256 GB models are better value than the 512 GB, and by extrapolation it is probably safe to assume that the 64 GB models are the best value.

Of course, the article does mention other aspects to take into consideration, but I wonder if the article wouldn't be much better if the upgrade storage divided by the upgrade price had been used instead, or if the per-gigabyte price had been excluded altogether.

Thoughts?

 

[aakshey]

X + 64y = 649
x + 256y = 749
192y = 100
y = approx 0.5

x + 256y = 749
x + 512y = 949
256y = 200
y = approx 0.8

Hence the 256GB version is the sweet spot. That guy sucks at math.

 

[BlueGoldAce]

Per-gigabyte price is used a metric iPad purchase decision-making all throughout this article:

https://www.imore.com/what-ipad-pro-storage-size-should-you-get

To calculate this metric, Rene divides the entire price of the iPad to deduce the per-gigabyte value, which makes the base models look like terrible purchases in comparison, i.e. $10.15/GB for the 64 GB iPad Pro, compared to $1.85/GB for the 512 GB model. It also makes the 10.5" models look like much better value than the 12.9".

Am I missing something? I cannot think of a single way in which this metric could possibly be relevant to anyone for anything, unless you are looking to use an iPad only as a storage device, in which case a thumb drive would be a much better choice.

Not only does it seem to be an entirely useless number to base a decision on, it also appears to me to be completely misleading.

If you would instead subtract the base model storage (64 GB) from the higher tiers (256 GB and 512 GB respectively) and divide the price difference ($100 and $300 respectively) by the storage difference you would find that for both pro models the per-gigabyte upgrade price is $0.52 for 256 GB and $0.67 for 512 GB. (The upgrade price for the 9.7" to the 128 GB model is $1.04, but as that is the only possible storage upgrade there is no comparison to be made.)

So, from a storage perspective the 256 GB models are better value than the 512 GB, and by extrapolation it is probably safe to assume that the 64 GB models are the best value.

Of course, the article does mention other aspects to take into consideration, but I wonder if the article wouldn't be much better if the upgrade storage divided by the upgrade price had been used instead, or if the per-gigabyte price had been excluded altogether.

Thoughts?

Rene Richie....

That guy is the most biased tech journalist I have seen. I have yet to see him say a single negative thing about Apple. The things he writes are often comical, at best. He is the reason I stopped visiting his site. Contrasting him to other writers on iMore, or even Android Central and Windows Central highlights how ridiculous he can be.

I love Apple, among other tech companies, but I have no problem criticizing them.

That being said, I agree with your take on the math. The best way to look at it is this: When one considers the cheap price of SSD to the cost of upgrading the storage on Apple devices, one should conclude it is a rip off. This can be said for other tech devices, such as the surface line, and not just Apple. Thus, the best value is to get the cheapest model you can make due with, in terms of storage.

In Rene's model, the most expensive device will always be the best bargain...which doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[profets]

Rene Richie....

That guy is the most biased tech journalist I have seen. I have yet to see him say a single negative thing about Apple. The things he writes are often comical, at best. He is the reason I stopped visiting his site. Contrasting him to other writers on iMore, or even Android Central and Windows Central highlights how ridiculous he can be.

I love Apple, among other tech companies, but I have no problem criticizing them.

That being said, I agree with your take on the math. The best way to look at it is this: When one considers the cheap price of SSD to the cost of upgrading the storage on Apple devices, one should conclude it is a rip off. This can be said for other tech devices, such as the surface line, and not just Apple. Thus, the best value is to get the cheapest model you can make due with, in terms of storage.

In Rene's model, the most expensive device will always be the best bargain...which doesn't make a lot of sense.

One thing that drove me nuts was last year he kept arguing why 16GB was good as a base storage option years after people had been criticizing apple about it.

 

[satchmo]

Rene Richie....

That guy is the most biased tech journalist I have seen. I have yet to see him say a single negative thing about Apple. The things he writes are often comical, at best. He is the reason I stopped visiting his site. Contrasting him to other writers on iMore, or even Android Central and Windows Central highlights how ridiculous he can be.

I love Apple, among other tech companies, but I have no problem criticizing them.

He used to be less fanboy. But since being given access to some Apple events/personnel, he's now just an Apple puppet.
Difficult to sit through a MacBreak Weekly now.
He always has some excuse defending an Apple decision or move...Apple had to compromise this or that.
At least Ihnatko is more willing to slam Apple particularly when it comes to thinness and loss of ports.

 

[Alrescha]

That guy is the most biased tech journalist I have seen. I have yet to see him say a single negative thing about Apple.

Even if true, he does not begin to offset the absurd negativity toward Apple in the media, and for that matter, here. Apple could give everyone a new iMac Pro for free and The Verge would find something to complain about it.

A.

My phones were always 8GB/16GB or whatever the minimum was. I use them as primarily as communications devices and - in emergency - computing devices. Nothing that fits in my pocket will ever be a primary computer unless Siri gets really, really good.

 

[BlueGoldAce]

Even if true, he does not begin to offset the absurd negativity toward Apple in the media, and for that matter, here. Apple could give everyone a new iMac Pro for free and The Verge would find something to complain about it.

A.

Negativity here?

All you have to do is read the post in the news related threads, when the news deals with Samsung. All things Apple are superior for the majority of posters here. That doesn't mean everyone is bad, but as a recent poster on one of these threads stated (roughly):

"Anyone who buys non-apple has no class".

You will have complainers/trolls anywhere....but the mood here is largely apple positive.

Apple makes great, innovative products. But they deserve the criticisms for lack of features, etc at the price points they charge.

I'll be the first to critize Apple if the iPhone 8 cost 1000+ on the base model...and I'll do the same thing If the story holds true on the Note 8.

 

[havenyoung]

X + 64y = 649
x + 256y = 749
192y = 100
y = approx 0.5

x + 256y = 749
x + 512y = 949
256y = 200
y = approx 0.8

Hence the 256GB version is the sweet spot. That guy sucks at math.

That's a really clear way to see this.
Also considering this:
13-inch MacBook Pro 128GB->256GB would cost an outrageous $200 (~1.56/GB), and upgrading any Macs above 256GB basically has a fixed rate of $100 per 128GB (~0.78/GB).
iOS devices 32GB->128GB would cost $100 (~1.04/GB)
iPhone 7/7 Plus 128G->256G would cost $100 (~0.78/GB)
Apple TV 4th gen 32GB->64GB would cost $50 (~1.56/GB)
So upgrading iPad Pro from 64G->256G for only $100 is the most "generous" Apple storage upgrade among all their product.

 

[Alrescha]

Negativity here?

Yes, here.

I have never been on any forum where the non-fans flock in such droves to spew their anti-whatever rhetoric than here. It is bad elsewhere, make no mistake. Just not this bad.

All you have to do is read the post in the news related threads...

Sorry, no. I have been here for nearly ten years and I have read quite enough, thank you.

See also: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macrumors-has-become-a-cesspool-of-haters.2027512/

A.

 

[BlueGoldAce]

Yes, here.

I have never been on any forum where the non-fans flock in such droves to spew their anti-whatever rhetoric than here. It is bad elsewhere, make no mistake. Just not this bad.



Sorry, no. I have been here for nearly ten years and I have read quite enough, thank you.

A.

Relax....it was rhetorical.

If you have been here that long, and read as much as you state, then you know what I said is true, as is your statement. That is to be expected on a forum. If you can't handle a difference of opinion, as well as trolling, then an online forum isn't the ideal place.

 

[spiderman0616]

He used to be less fanboy. But since being given access to some Apple events/personnel, he's now just an Apple puppet.
Difficult to sit through a MacBreak Weekly now.
He always has some excuse defending an Apple decision or move...Apple had to compromise this or that.
At least Ihnatko is more willing to slam Apple particularly when it comes to thinness and loss of ports.

It's equally exhausting on the other end though. If Rene wasn't on MacBreak Weekly, it would be just a bunch of Apple slamming rather than arguments from both sides. Most of the people on Leo Laporte's shows don't like Apple, including Leo himself. I actually stopped watching all of his shows long ago. Criticizing Apple is totally acceptable, but a lot of the things they say on that site have no better basis than the typical clickbait garbage I read on Business Insider or Forbes. Leo turned on Apple long ago and the guests and hosts he brings on seem to lean that way as well.

 

[Alrescha]

Most of the people on Leo Laporte's shows don't like Apple, including Leo himself. I actually stopped watching all of his shows long ago.

Agreed on both points. I can only imagine that Rene participates out of a sense of duty.

A.

 

[profets]

It's equally exhausting on the other end though. If Rene wasn't on MacBreak Weekly, it would be just a bunch of Apple slamming rather than arguments from both sides. Most of the people on Leo Laporte's shows don't like Apple, including Leo himself. I actually stopped watching all of his shows long ago. Criticizing Apple is totally acceptable, but a lot of the things they say on that site have no better basis than the typical clickbait garbage I read on Business Insider or Forbes. Leo turned on Apple long ago and the guests and hosts he brings on seem to lean that way as well.

This! I try to listen to Mac Break Weekly but at times it feels like they rant/criticize based on very stupid reasons.

Lol there was some painful banter last week between Rene and Andy about the new keyboards. Andy calling them pure garbage and Rene saying he loves them. I mean, it was almost a metaphor for the whole show itself.

 

[satchmo]

It's equally exhausting on the other end though. If Rene wasn't on MacBreak Weekly, it would be just a bunch of Apple slamming rather than arguments from both sides. Most of the people on Leo Laporte's shows don't like Apple, including Leo himself. I actually stopped watching all of his shows long ago. Criticizing Apple is totally acceptable, but a lot of the things they say on that site have no better basis than the typical clickbait garbage I read on Business Insider or Forbes. Leo turned on Apple long ago and the guests and hosts he brings on seem to lean that way as well.

True, I suppose Rene counters Leo. Andy blathers on too much, but is for the most part pretty objective when it comes to Apple. It's also difficult to sit through a episode knowing so much of what Leo says is just to rile up Apple fanboys. Regardless, I don't listen much anymore.

Many old timers here (me), have been with Apple for decades. So much of the complaints or criticisms come from knowing Apple's history and how things once were. Don't get me wrong, Apple screwed up a lot in the past too.
And even though we criticize, we do so because we expect more from Apple.

 

[spiderman0616]

True, I suppose Rene counters Leo. Andy blathers on too much, but is for the most part pretty objective when it comes to Apple. It's also difficult to sit through a episode knowing so much of what Leo says is just to rile up Apple fanboys. Regardless, I don't listen much anymore.

Many old timers here (me), have been with Apple for decades. So much of the complaints or criticisms come from knowing Apple's history and how things once were. Don't get me wrong, Apple screwed up a lot in the past too.
And even though we criticize, we do so because we expect more from Apple.

My point is, at some point it just starts sounding ridiculous to constantly be expecting more. What I expect Apple to do is ship polished, high quality products. When they do that, whether I like what they ship or not, then great. For the most part that's what they do. I just get tired of people saying "I want more more more more more" all the time. It's counterproductive. I feel like people spend too much time being armchair quarterbacks and not enough time living life.

 

[retrospek]

Rene is on the Apple Payroll - I'm sure of it.. It is impossible for him to say a single thing slightly negative.. He is the worst kind of so called 'Journalist/Reviewer'

 

[Xenden]

One thing that drove me nuts was last year he kept arguing why 16GB was good as a base storage option years after people had been criticizing apple about it.

I believe he argued for 16GB for enterprise. He would say that having a $500 entry point (or whatever the price is) was to attract the enterprise buyer.

I do agree that his writing seems a bit unsophisticated, but listening to him on Mac Break Weekly, he comes off much more knowledgeable than his writing would let on.