What makes a MBP better than the E1505?

[nickelbackmac]

Well. This kind of sucks. I did a speech the other day for class on why you should by a Mac. This guy picked a fight with me. I saw it coming, but yeah.

So he comes to class today, and says the E1505 can be had with just about the same specs as the MBP but right now for only $1100 as opposed to $2499. How does one refute that!?

I mean, I would buy the MBP. But how do you convince someone who loves Dell and things that are cheap into buying one?

I am having a tough time with this. When I buy an Apple computer, I usually look for a deal, like the used market or just do the Edu discount. But for someone who goes straight to the source and is incapable of finding deals, what incentive is there to buy a Mac in this Windows world.

Sorry, for going all over the place. I just really wish I had something to come back with. I mean, there is so much more that you get when you buy a MBP over a Dell, but these things don't seem to matter to someone who wants it cheap.

*Frustration*

1: Dells are hideous

2: Even when I see an older Mac next to my Dell, I get jealous (Even if my 17" Inspiron is compared to a 12" iBook!)

3: It's a Mac

4: The Apple light glows, but Dell's circle doesn't

5: Wireless is standard

6: I could go on on and on

 

[kumbaya]

Yes, that's what I'm saying... as long as your original screen as either 15.4" or 17".

cool, that's good to know!

 

[kumbaya]

How do you figure that the M1710 is the closest specced machine to a 17" MBP?
It adds no additional features missing from the E1705 that are found on a 17" MBP. The only advantages in a M1710 over the E1705 are mostly cosmetic (except for the Geforce GTX 7900 option, 667mhz ram which can be purchased at newegg, and the 9-cell battery).

So, other than ridiculously overpricing the M1710, what makes it closer to the MBP? I could see you grasping at straws for the M1210 since it has a webcam, but come on...

closest specced in the sense that m1710 has a bunch of stuff which e1705 doesn't have - just like the MBP

they both have loads of extras when compared to e1705. not the same extras, but extras nevertheless.

it is therefore *closer* to being a comparable computer

hey let's throw in another analogy to illustrate my point.

let's compare three houses:

one has a jacuzzi (MBP)
one has a sauna (m1710)
one has neither (e1705)

when comparing, which houses are more comparable?

that's the point i'm making.

features = benefits and functionality = increased price

you pay for what you get.

 

[vv-tim]

closest specced in the sense that m1710 has a bunch of stuff which e1705 doesn't have - just like the MBP

they both have loads of extras when compared to e1705. not the same extras, but extras nevertheless.

it is therefore *closer* to being a comparable computer

Not when the features of the M1710 are completely useless to EVERYONE. Glowing LEDs that can change colors have absolutely no point. I guess if you stretch it you can say that's comparable to the glowing Apple (which I might add is a complete joke -- Apple just made part of the casing translucent -- I do like it, but it's not a "feature").

The 667mhz RAM can be purchased and installed easily on the E1705 as well as the extended life battery.

So really the only thing that separates the M1710 is the Geforce GTX 7900 and the ugly case with glowing leds.

Your comparison would be better like this:

MBP: Jacuzzi
M1710: Bath tub with lights built in
E1705: Bath tub

All of them are going to get you clean just as well as the others.

 

[poppe]

So in all this discussion of Dithering. What is the other option and who has it better? Wasn't that why dithering was brought up because its not that great?

 

[vv-tim]

So in all this discussion of Dithering. What is the other option and who has it better? Wasn't that why dithering was brought up because its not that great?

It was brought up because someone listed the "millions of colors" blah blah as a Mac selling point over the Dell.

The other option is either a fast response time display (expensive) or a display with slow response time that has ghosting. Either of those can use 8-bits per color. Ghosting used to be a big problem on laptop screens because its tougher to give laptop screens the higher voltage needed for the fast pixel response times of desktop LCDs. Dithering was used to improve response time and get rid of ghosting.

 

[kumbaya]

Not when the features of the M1710 are completely useless to EVERYONE. Glowing LEDs that can change colors have absolutely no point. I guess if you stretch it you can say that's comparable to the glowing Apple (which I might add is a complete joke -- Apple just made part of the casing translucent -- I do like it, but it's not a "feature").

The 667mhz RAM can be purchased and installed easily on the E1705 as well as the extended life battery.

So really the only thing that separates the M1710 is the Geforce GTX 7900 and the ugly case with glowing leds.

Your comparison would be better like this:

MBP: Jacuzzi
M1710: Bath tub with lights built in
E1705: Bath tub

All of them are going to get you clean just as well as the others.

As a laptop designed for gamers, I'm assuming Dell would have selected quality components throughout the laptop to ensure that no bottlenecks remained to impact on gaming benchmarks.

E1705 specced out to equivalent of M1710 specced out to 17" MBP:
E1705 misses only a higher capacity battery now that both E1705 and M1710 can be fitted with nVidia 7900 GS 256MB:

E1705: $1833
M1710: $2919
17" MBP: $2848.

Dell is charging $1086 more just for flashing lights? Shurely shome mishtake??

PS It's interesting that options for RAM at 667MHz have been added to E1705 online store during the course of this discussion...

Big Brother Michael is watching you...

 

[j26]

A Dell laptop can drive external displays as well. It's all about the GPU. The E1505 gets SXGA+ (1680x1050) if you configure it as such. It only takes custom upgrades (which you can order from Dell) to get the 1920x1200.

And just so you know... your MacBook/MacBook Pro does NOT run at "millions of colors". They use dithering to get 24/32bit color.

Nice distraction you're on talking about millions of colours, to hide the fact that you're wrong about the display resolutions.

I wonder is anything you're saying accurate.

Troll.

 

[Abstract]

That's retarded.

Point at his shirt, then point at someone who has a much nicer or uglier shirt, and mention that the cost of production, along with the overall benefit of one over the other, is likely worth only $1, and yet the cost difference may be 10000%. Why? Because we never buy anything based on just technical stuff alone.

And the only thing the E1505 has that the MBP doesn't is free anti-virus software. *high fives*

 

[vv-tim]

Nice distraction you're on talking about millions of colours, to hide the fact that you're wrong about the display resolutions.

I wonder is anything you're saying accurate.

Troll.

Care to point out where I was wrong about the display resolutions?
At least quote me somewhere.
You are the epitomy of a troll.

 

[vv-tim]

As a laptop designed for gamers, I'm assuming Dell would have selected quality components throughout the laptop to ensure that no bottlenecks remained to impact on gaming benchmarks.

Dell uses all the same components for their laptops. The only difference is the case. The flashy design (and the ability to have a Geforce 7900 GTX) is what woos the gamer's heart.

If you want higher quality gamer laptops, Dell bought Alienware to provide you with that

Nice to hear that Dell's offering 667mhz ram on the E1705 though. They're still probably overcharging for it (like the $800 difference between 4GB of 533/667 ram, haha).

 

[j26]

Care to point out where I was wrong about the display resolutions?
At least quote me somewhere.
You are the epitomy of a troll.

Look back at post no. 140 which summasises it (it quotes you btw).
You said the MacBook only supports 1280x800, whereas Apple says that it supports 1920x1200. Not a difficult thing to find out, but rather than concede the point you move on to irrelevancies about dithering (which I doubt, but don't have the full specs to contest) and millions of colours (again, doubtful, but I remain to be PROVED wrong). I'm not trolling, merely pointing out an inaccuracy in your argument, and accusing me of trolling will not get you out of that inaccuracy.

If you make assertions back them up, otherwise you are trolling.

 

[poppe]

So not to get of screen resolution and all, but Fry's had a sale for RAM with 800mhz 2 gigs for 169. Who uses 800mhz? like company wise.

 

[zap2]

One..his price are off by a few hundred(its more like 1280 plus tax vs 2100 plus tax)

two- My friend just got a Dell 17'' 1705(same line just with a 17'' screen) and it had some trouble pickung up the internet, when my iBook did it just fine.

three-MacBook Pro is much smaller the 17'' Dell(so it likly its the same with the 15'') My iBook G4's lid closed is thinner then the Dell's lid open.

four-Mac OS X, FrontRow ,iLife ect

 

[poppe]

One..his price are off by a few hundred(its more like 1280 plus tax vs 2100 plus tax)

two- My friend just got a Dell 17'' 1705(same line just with a 17'' screen) and it had some trouble pickung up the internet, when my iBook did it just fine.

three-MacBook Pro is much smaller the 17'' Dell(so it likly its the same with the 15'') My iBook G4's lid closed is thinner then the Dell's lid open.

four-Mac OS X, FrontRow ,iLife ect

Mac OS X and iLife are nice, but front row to me needs alot of work... Media Center works just as well if not beats front row. Perhaps not so good looking as front row, but works a whole lot better (from what I've seen).

 

[jaduffy108]

It is cloes in config/ just go to dell and try it yourself you get an 80gb HD with the Dell for $1,085 however it is still windows.

### Well..if this is true...I will buy the Dell in a heartbeat! Same graphics performance??? There's no way ANYONE could convince me that OS X and sheer VANITY regarding looks is worth that much difference in price. Glad I saw this thread. I truly can't comprehend the "logic" in some of these posts. wow.


peace

 

[vv-tim]

Look back at post no. 140 which summasises it (it quotes you btw).
You said the MacBook only supports 1280x800, whereas Apple says that it supports 1920x1200. Not a difficult thing to find out, but rather than concede the point you move on to irrelevancies about dithering (which I doubt, but don't have the full specs to contest) and millions of colours (again, doubtful, but I remain to be PROVED wrong). I'm not trolling, merely pointing out an inaccuracy in your argument, and accusing me of trolling will not get you out of that inaccuracy.

If you make assertions back them up, otherwise you are trolling.

I was referring to the LCD panel of the laptop, not external displays, which would be obvious to pretty much anyone -- except you, obviously. 13.3" displays are purely 1280x800. No other resolution is made in 13.3" form factor.

You, sir, are not only a troll, but one that doesn't even realize he is one. I pity you.

### Well..if this is true...I will buy the Dell in a heartbeat! Same graphics performance??? There's no way ANYONE could convince me that OS X and sheer VANITY regarding looks is worth that much difference in price. Glad I saw this thread. I truly can't comprehend the "logic" in some of these posts. wow.


peace

The price/performance ratio of a Dell is much better, no doubt.

Honestly, I chose the Apple over the Dell, but only because I had the money at the time. I enjoy OS X much more than Windows (except for gaming) but the price difference is really hard to justify. Good thing I'm not married yet :]

 

[Miguel0019]

Well. This kind of sucks. I did a speech the other day for class on why you should by a Mac. This guy picked a fight with me. I saw it coming, but yeah.

So he comes to class today, and says the E1505 can be had with just about the same specs as the MBP but right now for only $1100 as opposed to $2499. How does one refute that!?

I mean, I would buy the MBP. But how do you convince someone who loves Dell and things that are cheap into buying one?

I am having a tough time with this. When I buy an Apple computer, I usually look for a deal, like the used market or just do the Edu discount. But for someone who goes straight to the source and is incapable of finding deals, what incentive is there to buy a Mac in this Windows world.

Sorry, for going all over the place. I just really wish I had something to come back with. I mean, there is so much more that you get when you buy a MBP over a Dell, but these things don't seem to matter to someone who wants it cheap.

*Frustration*

I gave that up a long time ago, arguin with windoez users is like arguin with a 3year old, and on top of that they're very cheap. But on top of all that they envy your mac beleive they do, wach out for that guy with the Dell PC, and you'll see he'll end up with a mac sooner or later.

 

[CrEsTo]

This thread is pointless.

 

[ColoJohnBoy]

What makes a MBP better than the E1505?

This: