UK Prices

[Dave245]

I'm in the South East

I suppose it's VERY dependent on the age of the people you know and the types of work they do.



Perhaps a little unfair, but I would instantly draw a conclusion about anyone with a iMac
I know I'd looks a bit sheepish and have to explain myself if I had to admit to owning one

I have to say i agree with this, i use a 2011 Macbook Pro for university along with most of the fellow students, but that's because they do video editing and TV production work. Yet computing students use Windows machines, personally i prefer Mac's having switched from a Window's machine about 4 years ago.

As for the Watch i do think that Apple are going to try and appeal to a number of different people and incomes, the base Sport Watch will (probably) be the cheapest for those who don't want to spend to much on a watch.

What will be interesting will be the prices here in the UK, if the Apple Watch Sport is $349 that would make the UK price around £231.

 

[OllyW]

What will be interesting will be the prices here in the UK, if the Apple Watch Sport is $349 that would make the UK price around £231.

US prices don't include taxes so with VAT and the other bits Apple UK add on it's probably going to be more like £279-£299 depending on the exchange rate when it goes on sale.

The 32GB iPad mini 2 is $349 in the US and sells for £279 in the UK.

 

[Dave245]

US prices don't include taxes so with VAT and the other bits Apple UK add on it's probably going to be more like £279-£299 depending on the exchange rate when it goes on sale.

The 32GB iPad mini 2 is $349 in the US and sells for £279 in the UK.

That makes sense, along as the Stainless Steel version of the Watch with a sport band and a couple of extra bands i want to buy doesn't go over £1000 i will be happy. It would be nice to get one for around £500 but i think it might be wishful thinking. Personally i don't mind paying a higher price for a quality product that lasts a few years.

 

[Piggie]

I agree that the price of the base model in the UK will be kept under £300

Apple don't generally do the £199.99 or £299.99 type pricing others do.

$349 (US Price without sale tax) converted to UK Pounds, then slap on our glorious 20% sales tax (The Americans would riot over that much!)

Then add on a little bit of Apple UK Tax, because as we all know it costs more to send things to the UK than anywhere else in the entire universe, so things have to be priced higher to compensate the poor manufacturers!

And I'd suggest we're going to be looking at around the £270 to £280 mark.

Mentally that FEELS quite a long way away from "OMG It's £300" level.

Just a guess, but I'd feel I'm not a million miles away.

£249 would be cheaper than the US (when you add on our VAT tax)
£300 would be ripping UK people off a bit too much, and I think many would think £300 was too expensive for a mark 1 bottom end model.

So I'll stick to my £270 to £280 range.

And we'll see how wrong I am in a few weeks time

 

[Dave245]

I agree that the price of the base model in the UK will be kept under £300

Apple don't generally do the £199.99 or £299.99 type pricing others do.

$349 (US Price without sale tax) converted to UK Pounds, then slap on our glorious 20% sales tax (The Americans would riot over that much!)

Then add on a little bit of Apple UK Tax, because as we all know it costs more to send things to the UK than anywhere else in the entire universe, so things have to be priced higher to compensate the poor manufacturers!

And I'd suggest we're going to be looking at around the £270 to £280 mark.

Mentally that FEELS quite a long way away from "OMG It's £300" level.

Just a guess, but I'd feel I'm not a million miles away.

£249 would be cheaper than the US (when you add on our VAT tax)
£300 would be ripping UK people off a bit too much, and I think many would think £300 was too expensive for a mark 1 bottom end model.

So I'll stick to my £270 to £280 range.

And we'll see how wrong I am in a few weeks time

I hope your price estimates are correct what do you think about the Stainless Steel version? around £500? and extra bands maybe around £50 for sport £70 for leather and around £100 - £150 for the Stainless Steel Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop? - i'm probably wrong with these as they are ONLY a guess

 

[Piggie]

I hope your price estimates are correct what do you think about the Stainless Steel version? around £500? and extra bands maybe around £50 for sport £70 for leather and around £100 - £150 for the Stainless Steel Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop? - i'm probably wrong with these as they are ONLY a guess

Well.

Stainless Steel is not looked upon as anything fancy.
In fact is pretty cheap sounding.

Most people have kitchen sinks made out of the stuff, as is their knives, forks and spoons in the kitchen, perhaps even their pots and pans also.

Its not really a "OMG Look, It's Stainless Steel everyone... WOW" type of metal.

Titanium has more of a WOW factor, but actually it's not much different to stainless. We use both at work all day long, and whilst Titanium is more expensive, it's not night and day difference.

Anyway, Apple are not "YET" making a Titanium version. (I wonder why actually, perhaps they will in the future?)

So, You have the Stainless Steel, But you also have the different glass? issue, Sapphire and not glass? That sounds good

Again, if the price it too high it's off putting.

If Apple price the Stainless version too high, then I think they are in danger of too many people doing the obvious, and just saying, oh I'll get the Aluminium one for now and see how it goes.

It's funny really. Apple, and their fans, have spent the past decade telling us how Aluminium is THE best quality material for a case, and now, all of a sudden it's the cheapest option so I think that is still in people's minds, that they have Aluminium high quality iPhones, iMacs, MacBooks and iPads and the bottom end watch will feel a great one to match along side these.

If anything I could of seen the stainless one as the cheap one.
Boring old heavy stainless steel, or higher quality, light weight Aluminium as Apple always uses.

Funny huh ?

I would agree with you. I'd expect to see the Steel model under £500

£200 more expensive for the change from Aluminium to Stainless with the crystal is, I'd think plenty enough. that's not a million miles from twice the cost of the Aluminium model then.

The straps I think will bump the price over that level.
Let's say £470 to £480 with the rubber/sports strap in your choice of colour, but given the way Apple is happy to charge UK buyers £30+ for a bit of rubber around an iPhone or some plastic/fabric for an iPad case. I'm not expecting the metal straps to be cheap.

If we leave gold out, as that's a different category. I'd not be surprised at £50 to £150-£200 on other straps, leather/metal etc.

Remember, there will be a flood of 3rd party watch strap makers offering metal straps at a fraction of Apple's price before long, so that is always another option.

 

[fousfous]

Apple uses stainless steel in iPod Touch, and I can say that aluminum is better than stainless steel.
And that's no the aluminum of iPhone, that's a series 7000 aluminium.

And I think that ion-X is better than sapphire (more light, more light passed thru, choc resistant...)

 

[Piggie]

Apple uses stainless steel in iPod Touch, and I can say that aluminum is better than stainless steel.
And that's no the aluminum of iPhone, that's a series 7000 aluminium.

And I think that ion-X is better than sapphire (more light, more light passed thru, choc resistant...)

Thanks.

As I say, we work with both Stainless Steel and Titanium every day of the week. Both highest surgical grades for being implanted inside your body.

Titanium machines very nicely with the right tools, and can have many type of finish and colours applied using various methods.

I think Titanium would of given Apple much more of a PUNCH on that model in the public's mind than Stainless Steel which is used, as I say for most domestic sinks, and cheap kitchen utensils.

It would be lighter weight and stronger too, and as I've said it's perceived as much more high tech fancy material in the eye of the typical consumer I'm sure.

 

[fousfous]

Yeah but Mac's in titanium had some problems...

 

[Piggie]

Yeah but Mac's in titanium had some problems...

I'm only speaking of the watch.

Titanium is, for me a no brainer.
It's lighter than stainless, it's stronger than stainless.
The manufacturing difference is minimal.
It can have more interesting finishes applied
It sounds a lot more impressive

 

[fousfous]

Yeah but it doesn't resist to time

 

[Dave245]

Well.

Stainless Steel is not looked upon as anything fancy.
In fact is pretty cheap sounding.

Most people have kitchen sinks made out of the stuff, as is their knives, forks and spoons in the kitchen, perhaps even their pots and pans also.

Its not really a "OMG Look, It's Stainless Steel everyone... WOW" type of metal.

Titanium has more of a WOW factor, but actually it's not much different to stainless. We use both at work all day long, and whilst Titanium is more expensive, it's not night and day difference.

Anyway, Apple are not "YET" making a Titanium version. (I wonder why actually, perhaps they will in the future?)

So, You have the Stainless Steel, But you also have the different glass? issue, Sapphire and not glass? That sounds good

Again, if the price it too high it's off putting.

If Apple price the Stainless version too high, then I think they are in danger of too many people doing the obvious, and just saying, oh I'll get the Aluminium one for now and see how it goes.

It's funny really. Apple, and their fans, have spent the past decade telling us how Aluminium is THE best quality material for a case, and now, all of a sudden it's the cheapest option so I think that is still in people's minds, that they have Aluminium high quality iPhones, iMacs, MacBooks and iPads and the bottom end watch will feel a great one to match along side these.

If anything I could of seen the stainless one as the cheap one.
Boring old heavy stainless steel, or higher quality, light weight Aluminium as Apple always uses.

Funny huh ?

I would agree with you. I'd expect to see the Steel model under £500

£200 more expensive for the change from Aluminium to Stainless with the crystal is, I'd think plenty enough. that's not a million miles from twice the cost of the Aluminium model then.

The straps I think will bump the price over that level.
Let's say £470 to £480 with the rubber/sports strap in your choice of colour, but given the way Apple is happy to charge UK buyers £30+ for a bit of rubber around an iPhone or some plastic/fabric for an iPad case. I'm not expecting the metal straps to be cheap.

If we leave gold out, as that's a different category. I'd not be surprised at £50 to £150-£200 on other straps, leather/metal etc.

Remember, there will be a flood of 3rd party watch strap makers offering metal straps at a fraction of Apple's price before long, so that is always another option.

I can see why they chose Aluminium for the Sport Watch, it's light to run and work out with but really i don't know what the 7,000 series means i'm not familiar with that side of things. In terms of the Stainless Steel version the only reason i've said that i would like that version is because it looks good, and i'm guessing the sapphire screen will be very durable (which i need for the gym and daily life).

Also i like the look of the Stainless Steel Bracelet (among others) but i will be buying a Sport Band for the gym/exercising. I'm looking forward to seeing how this all works out after all it's a new type of product category for Apple.
But i will probably go to the Apple store and try one on before just to help me decide.

Third party bands will be interesting and so will Apples reaction to them.

 

[Piggie]

I can see why they chose Aluminium for the Sport Watch, it's light to run and work out with but really i don't know what the 7,000 series means i'm not familiar with that side of things. In terms of the Stainless Steel version the only reason i've said that i would like that version is because it looks good, and i'm guessing the sapphire screen will be very durable (which i need for the gym and daily life).

Also i like the look of the Stainless Steel Bracelet (among others) but i will be buying a Sport Band for the gym/exercising. I'm looking forward to seeing how this all works out after all it's a new type of product category for Apple.
But i will probably go to the Apple store and try one on before just to help me decide.

Third party bands will be interesting and so will Apples reaction to them.

It's all down to taste.

Home people love a shiny finish on things, other people like a matt finish.

Myself, I quite like matt (a matt black car can look amazing!) but god knows how you keep it looking that way

3rd Party straps Apple will hate, but there is nothing they will be able to do about them.
They may try and use legal muscle on anyone over here/USA/ type places to stop them, but there is not a hope in hell that will stop you being able to ebay one from China.

And yes, totally agree. go to the store, and pick one that fits you and that you like the look of before deciding.
Or course, the price is going to have a major factor when we know it.

Some people are crazy enough to suggest the Stainless one would be $1000 which in the UK would be around £800 in store.

Considering this is version 1, and there may be version 2 next year.

If you could get the Aluminium one for £280 and it works exactly the same, would you then pay £800 instead for the steel one?

Personally I would not.

If I was definitely getting one, knowing this is going to probably be improved in 12 months time, I'd only get the Aluminium one. But that's my choice

 

[MattZani]

You must accept that Apple is a VERY small player in the UK with computing goods. It's doing ok with phones that people buy for little on a 2 year contract, but you go look in a computer store.

Only 1 person (one of the boss's friends) has an iMac, everyone else has PC's and not good ones either, and they 95% have Android mobiles.

I know a fairly large group of people in the 20something range, being one myself.

The majority own a Mac of some sort, mainly MacBook Airs. All but one owns an iPhone of some sort, most bought SIM free to then have a cheap SIM only contract. My family are all Mac's and iPhones, there's even a few iPads.

One friend is buying an iPad soon, asked me how much they were, when I told him he was surprised they were that cheap, thinking they were all around £600+.

It's genuinely hilarious that you think people aren't used to spending money on watches, one of the most common expensive purchases for people. I know numerous people who own £1000+ watches, and all they do is tell time, something their phone also does.

A base of around £300 is what I'm expecting.

 

[Dave245]

It's all down to taste.

Home people love a shiny finish on things, other people like a matt finish.

Myself, I quite like matt (a matt black car can look amazing!) but god knows how you keep it looking that way

3rd Party straps Apple will hate, but there is nothing they will be able to do about them.
They may try and use legal muscle on anyone over here/USA/ type places to stop them, but there is not a hope in hell that will stop you being able to ebay one from China.

And yes, totally agree. go to the store, and pick one that fits you and that you like the look of before deciding.
Or course, the price is going to have a major factor when we know it.

Some people are crazy enough to suggest the Stainless one would be $1000 which in the UK would be around £800 in store.

Considering this is version 1, and there may be version 2 next year.

If you could get the Aluminium one for £280 and it works exactly the same, would you then pay £800 instead for the steel one?

Personally I would not.

If I was definitely getting one, knowing this is going to probably be improved in 12 months time, I'd only get the Aluminium one. But that's my choice

That is true, i'm not saying i don't like the look of the Sport Watch because i do i just assumed that the Stainless Steel Watch would be more durable and long lasting because of the Sapphire screen.

I would not pay £800 for the Stainless Steel one if they are the same. I just assumed they would be different quality because of how Apple have split them into categories Watch Watch Sport and the Watch Edition.

 

[Piggie]

It's genuinely hilarious that you think people aren't used to spending money on watches, one of the most common expensive purchases for people. I know numerous people who own £1000+ watches, and all they do is tell time, something their phone also does.

Whilst I'm sure there are MANY people that do spend £1000+ on watches, I would suggest this is far from the normal UK household.

Why do I say or think this?
A good question

Let me answer it this way, and see how you feel about my reply.

In the UK we have small jewellers that have a range of products, some reasonably priced as well as holding much more expensive items.
If you want something expensive and special, let's say a wedding ring, or high quality jewellery then you may go visit a small jewellery store.

From my experience, such places are not a throbbing and heaving with people type store, actually very quiet places, people only visit in general when they want that "something special"

Then you have the busy high street, and shopping mall stores, that ARE busy places. They also often stock high end items, but also stock lower end ranges for more mass appeal.

H.Samuel's
F. Hinds
Ernest Jones

And many others.

Now then, let's use a little logic on this front shall we

These above companies, and others, are in the business of selling many items across the UK to the majority of the normal population.
That's why they are in business.
They don't want to sell a couple of items per day to the passing managing director to wear whilst sailing on his yacht

So, logically they select, buy and hope to sell a LOT of items that are popular.
Their buyers are not going to go out and buy items the mass population are not going to buy.

In any business, if you want to see what's popular, and what sells, you look in the BIG stores selling items today and see what's selling the most.
What's popular, and, they will all day, every day be changing their stock and what they buy more stock of based upon the current market and what's popular now.

So, let's just take one of the companies I listed above. F. Hinds and their website, sorted by "most popular"

http://www.fhinds.co.uk/Watches/Men...yBJjUdrEFf1ZxPg8CqYfAlWJiDcxe48EsOUy+P3ldtg==

Also, note in the left hand column the price ranges, which shows how many of each watch in each of their price brands they have in stock.

Tells you a lot does it not?

I'm sure you could go to any of the other BIG name stores across the UK and find a similar result.

I'm glad you find it "hilarious" that people won't spend £1000 on a watch, and I'm sure there are many that will.

However, I would suggest that is a fraction, a tiny fraction of the typical watch buying UK population.

Either that, or you are saying that all these large stores spread across the UK, packed full of customers are all stocking the wrongly priced watches that no one is buying. Which I think even you can accept is, obviously not the case.

You can also, if you wish, deem all these stores as junk, and people who buy from them just poor people who know, no better. That's up to you also.

I stand by my view that your price you feel is typical is not a typical price that the majority or even a large percentage of normal people in the UK Pay right now for a watch.

 

[MattZani]

Whilst I'm sure there are MANY people that do spend £1000+ on watches, I would suggest this is far from the normal UK household.

Why do I say or think this?
A good question

Let me answer it this way, and see how you feel about my reply.

In the UK we have small jewellers that have a range of products, some reasonably priced as well as holding much more expensive items.
If you want something expensive and special, let's say a wedding ring, or high quality jewellery then you may go visit a small jewellery store.

From my experience, such places are not a throbbing and heaving with people type store, actually very quiet places, people only visit in general when they want that "something special"

Then you have the busy high street, and shopping mall stores, that ARE busy places. They also often stock high end items, but also stock lower end ranges for more mass appeal.

H.Samuel's
F. Hinds
Ernest Jones

And many others.

Now then, let's use a little logic on this front shall we

These above companies, and others, are in the business of selling many items across the UK to the majority of the normal population.
That's why they are in business.
They don't want to sell a couple of items per day to the passing managing director to wear whilst sailing on his yacht

So, logically they select, buy and hope to sell a LOT of items that are popular.
Their buyers are not going to go out and buy items the mass population are not going to buy.

In any business, if you want to see what's popular, and what sells, you look in the BIG stores selling items today and see what's selling the most.
What's popular, and, they will all day, every day be changing their stock and what they buy more stock of based upon the current market and what's popular now.

So, let's just take one of the companies I listed above. F. Hinds and their website, sorted by "most popular"

http://www.fhinds.co.uk/Watches/Men...yBJjUdrEFf1ZxPg8CqYfAlWJiDcxe48EsOUy+P3ldtg==

Also, note in the left hand column the price ranges, which shows how many of each watch in each of their price brands they have in stock.

Tells you a lot does it not?

I'm sure you could go to any of the other BIG name stores across the UK and find a similar result.

I'm glad you find it "hilarious" that people won't spend £1000 on a watch, and I'm sure there are many that will.

However, I would suggest that is a fraction, a tiny fraction of the typical watch buying UK population.

Either that, or you are saying that all these large stores spread across the UK, packed full of customers are all stocking the wrongly priced watches that no one is buying. Which I think even you can accept is, obviously not the case.

You can also, if you wish, deem all these stores as junk, and people who buy from them just poor people who know, no better. That's up to you also.

I stand by my view that your price you feel is typical is not a typical price that the majority or even a large percentage of normal people in the UK Pay right now for a watch.

These watches of course are not daily drivers, are rarely bought from high street stores and sometimes not even new.

You also have to remember those watches purely tell time. Is it unreasonable to expect someone who would buy a ~£150 watch to pay £300 for a smart watch?

I just feel watches is one of the only areas where consumers are used to the premium pricing of the product, it's not like for example when the iPod was introduced, and the general public weren't already used to spending that much on an MP3 players. Everyone knows watches are expensive, so I don't think people will be shocked that a premium smart watch is £500+.

Of course as said I think they'll start around £300. The high end model is anyones guess but I can easily see it being around £1500. A way for people who want a more exclusive Apple Watch to separate themselves from the general consumer models.

 

[Dave245]

These watches of course are not daily drivers, are rarely bought from high street stores and sometimes not even new.

You also have to remember those watches purely tell time. Is it unreasonable to expect someone who would buy a ~£150 watch to pay £300 for a smart watch?

I just feel watches is one of the only areas where consumers are used to the premium pricing of the product, it's not like for example when the iPod was introduced, and the general public weren't already used to spending that much on an MP3 players. Everyone knows watches are expensive, so I don't think people will be shocked that a premium smart watch is £500+.

Of course as said I think they'll start around £300. The high end model is anyones guess but I can easily see it being around £1500. A way for people who want a more exclusive Apple Watch to separate themselves from the general consumer models.

Also the point is that the Watch isn't just a watch, it does a lot more than tell the time.
There is still some stuff on the Watch that we still don't know about, Tim Cook himself said "I don't want to show you that, there's some stuff on here that's still a secret" when he was asked in an interview if the watch was tracking his heartbeat.

 

[dekadent]

Stainless Steel is not looked upon as anything fancy.
In fact is pretty cheap sounding.

http://youtu.be/9UuDJl93Z1g

Rolex didn't get your memo.

 

[yegon]

This'll be the rare occasion where I'll buy the absolute cheapest model - I generally max out storage/LTE/cpu etc as I use Apple stuff for years - even though really I want the space grey with stainless steel link strap. It's not a matter of what I can afford, it's the fact that I'm fully cognisant that v1 will be horribly eclipsed by its successors in no time at all. That said, I know I won't be able to sit on the sidelines for a year without one, no way no how.

 

[Piggie]

This'll be the rare occasion where I'll buy the absolute cheapest model - I generally max out storage/LTE/cpu etc as I use Apple stuff for years - even though really I want the space grey with stainless steel link strap. It's not a matter of what I can afford, it's the fact that I'm fully cognisant that v1 will be horribly eclipsed by its successors in no time at all. That said, I know I won't be able to sit on the sidelines for a year without one, no way no how.

Oh I can do that no problem.

When something is not up to "my personal standard" I can happily wait.

Good example. I want a 3D printer, no REAL use, but I do want one to play with and make Real Life Models of 3D models I can make on my computer.

But they are not up to my standard yet.
Or rather I'd have to pay perhaps £20,000 to get something that is.

So I will wait, see the poor quality models pass by, and when they are to a level I'm happy with, at a price I'm happy with I'll get one.

Am I missing out?

Well, no, I don't feel that, as I could buy one tomorrow for say £1000, but the models it made would be so low quality I'd simply not be happy and not want to use it anyway, so would be a waste.

Likewise with a SmartWatch today.
I'd buy it, fiddle with it. It would not do what I wanted, so I'd end up with it in a drawer after a few weeks.

So really is no point in buying. I'm interested in them, yes indeed, and enjoy seeing what's made, but, like the 3D printer, I will wait till something I consider good enough for me comes along.

 

[yegon]

Fair enough.

I usually don't bother with stuff too early, but I'm curious above all else and the cost of entry is, for me, small. I'm fully aware that later revisions will be sleeker, have better battery life and be more fully featured.

Not talking about you specifically Piggie, but I'd advise anyone on a budget to steer well clear of v1. It's a very ill advised purchase for people on a tight budget, I expect it to be largely useless in a couple of years. The word obsolete is bandied around too much - for example, only the first iPad* is obsolete imo - but the likely pathetic battery life and limited feature set will be laughable in two years and I'm skeptical that it'll even function properly with iOS11+.

*Yeah yeah, "I still use an iPad 1, it's fine". Good for you, although I'd argue that one of its key features is web browsing, and if my experience with my long since passed down iPad 1 is anything to go by, 50%+ of modern websites flat do not load and/or crash. Ergo, it no longer performs the task for which it was purchased for at the time. By the same token, given the v1 Watch is so dependent on an accompanying iPhone, it'll be interesting to see how long it's supported in future iOS's. Sure, keep your iPhone at iOS10, but do you really intend to skip iOS12 for the benefit of your v1 Watch? Click update on your phone, and like that the Watch is useless. I expect this to be less of an issue in later Watch's as they'll be more independent.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I like to feel my watch on my wrist. Can stand the look of Alu and the likes....I still think my Rolex Oyster Perpetual in stainless steel and gold is a great combination....

But yet @Piggie thinks it is cheap sounding and nothing special And also thinks people don't spend much on watches....Damn I wish I could get a decent watch, that hasn't got a cheap and nasty chinese generic clock in it, and looks good and is made of quality material....Sorry but I just don't seem to see them that cheaply...

So Apple's smart watch, we'll see...they better sort out the battery life..

 

[Piggie]

I'd like to point out I'm not "on a budget" here.

Just because I'm unwilling to pay £20,000 for a 3D plastic printer, does not mean I'm on a budget, it means I can't justify paying £20,000 just for toy to play with that I have zero REAL use for

It's not the cost of the Apple watch that's the issue for me, it's what it does, or more importantly, what it does not do.

Other than a 5 minute toy, I have no use for what it can do.

Allow me to go out, and leave a phone at home, and just wear a watch, NOW we are talking about something I could have a genuine use for.

But then, we are all different.

If you like what something does, and you can justify the price, then buy it, and be happy.

I never worked out why people bought colour dot matrix printers. they were HORRID.
but people bought them.. God knows why!

 

[yegon]

I'd like to point out I'm not "on a budget" here.

I did stress in my post I wasn't referring to you

I'm in complete agreement, being unwilling to buy something isn't necessarily in anyway related to not being able to buy something. By the same token, I drive a small noddy car as I've a) no interest in cars and b) rarely use it (I get free rail travel via work and live close to a well connected station). I could go out and buy something vastly superior to my tiny Hyundai with hard cash, but I'd far rather save the money and/or spend it elsewhere i.e. the house, holidays, specced out rMBPs and stupidly priced gpus for my pc

I stand by what I said re: anyone on a budget though, it's a borderline silly purchase at this stage....which I'll certainly be purchasing! When I see posts bemoaning its "high" price I think, hmm, suck it up and face the fact Apple aren't interested in you. That may sound harsh, but it's true.