Why so much?

[rdf8585]

I switched a year ago and like OSX... it's something more people ought to use. And Apple has gotten much more competetive on the desktop market with the Mini, but why are their laptops so expensive? The next computer I buy likely will be a laptop - my Dell is over 3 yrs old - but the fact they are so much more is a major deterrant.

The MacBook starts at $1099. OSX/iLife. You get a 1.83 C2D, 512 RAM, 60 GB HD, a 13.3 screen, a combo drive, and 64 MB VRAM.

For $70 less, I can get a Dell with MCE 2005 (+ Vista upgrade), a 1.8 ghz Turion 64x2 Mobile processor, 2048 MB RAM, a 120 GB HD, a 15.4 in screen, 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability, and an ATI Xpress 1100 card with 256 MB VRAM.

As good as OSX/iLife is - and I don't especially care about iLife being included - the decision there shouldn't be hard for people that need to be somewhat careful on how much they spend. The MacBook is just not competetively priced, but why?

I'm not saying they should offer crappy $399/499 laptops, but they need something around $699/799 if they want to get more people buying their laptops. I know I would be more likely to, but they're just blown out of the water hardware wise by other places. I remember getting excited last year when thinksecret and other places were talking about a $799 ibook. Of course that never came true and I bought this Mini, which is easily the worst mistake I ever made as far as personal purchases go (shoulda waited and i knew it)

 

[xfiftyfour]

This topic has been discussed to exhaustion.

Apple will never offer a laptop that low, nor do they need to. People pay the premium on their hardware because, coupled with the OS, they're stable and virus-free. Additionally, they have the monopoly on OSX, which, to many people, is worth the premium alone. Lastly, they're nice to look at. And sexy sells. Dell laptops? Not sexy. Apple laptops? Sex-a-licious.

 

[rdf8585]

I guess even if you like OSX, you're not automatically the right person to get a Mac. I'm more about getting the most bang for the dollar than anything else, and FWIW, I haven't had any viruses etc on a PC since I was a dumb high school kid 4-5 yrs ago.

I was just at an Apple store a week ago... they are designed nicely but I just would expect to get more for the money. It's a shame.

 

[Sesshi]

As I may have remarked in another post, Apple is best off driving people to higher-end hardware than they would normally consider. Most people who buy an iMac would have gone for a lower-midrange PC if they'd gone the Windows route. Most people who would consider a Mac Pro would have gone the upper-end PC, not the workstation that the Pro is. Macbook Pro? If they'd stayed in the Windows world they probably wouldn't have gone with the price-comparable uberduper Fujitsu / Sony models which beat out the MBP.

This way, the Apple halo effect is enlarged and they still don't have to be compared like for like by the entranced customer.

For those of us who buy uberduper PC hardware to begin with, the Apple halo effect is not so pronounced. But despite the gripes about build quality, I think Apple have acceptable value for money these days at the respective spec/design/price points.

 

[JAT]

Can we just lock this thread now? People who like Dell do not see the advantages of an Apple laptop, and therefore should just buy the Dell. Decide which you are and act accordingly.

 

[26139]

The MacBook starts at $1099. OSX/iLife. You get a 1.83 C2D, 512 RAM, 60 GB HD, a 13.3 screen, a combo drive, and 64 MB VRAM.

For $70 less, I can get a Dell with MCE 2005 (+ Vista upgrade), a 1.8 ghz Turion 64x2 Mobile processor, 2048 MB RAM, a 120 GB HD, a 15.4 in screen, 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability, and an ATI Xpress 1100 card with 256 MB VRAM.

Then just buy the Dell.

Have fun with windows.

 

[rdf8585]

Sorry I brought up "Dell," but I could apply the same argument to HP or some other major PC brands.

I thought it was a legit question and wanted to know why. If they can make affordable desktops, they should do the same for laptops.

 

[Allotriophagy]

Oh God.

Guys, he is right.

He has a majorly serious and important point.

I cannot believe we missed this for so long.

I am throwing my iMac in the bin.

And the PowerBook.

And the iPod.

Oh God.

 

[Koodauw]

Well you don't need to mock him.

To some people low cost up front is more important than say less hassle and mess further down the road. I think it depends on what type of person you are. I have a friend who has an iMac, and he likes it, but without fail he brings up the price every time he says something about. Some people you just can't please.

I think the OP just needs to figure out what you want your computer to do, and if the an Apple will do it for a satisfactory price.

 

[rdf8585]

Browsing, chat, word documents, spreadsheets, dvd playback, streaming audio/video listening/viewing are the bulk of what I would do. The Mini I have can do most of it, but not too quickly, and it has trouble with some internet video thanks to a puny 32 MB VRAM and an old processor.

 

[ntsapp3]

.

 

[jsw]

Of all the explanations I've seen, the best is this: Apple charges a premium because they can. People buy their laptops, market share is rising, profits are great.

I wish they cost less, but, until people stop buying them in such record numbers, they'll stay priced as they are.

 

[PDE]

There really are some thick headed posters around here....Sorry but the man's got a legit question.Why must people be so protective of Apple...

I for one don't understand it.Is the actual raw material that constitutes Apple hardware/enclosures really that expensive?I would defintely like to see OSX on sale to see how much they would sell it for.

I mean most people I know call me crazy for thinking about getting a MBP...and well that's ok by me.I'm )I hope) getting a quality product.I just dont understand why Apple doesn't want/can be more competitive as far as prices go and try to catch that share of the market(i.e. most people).


Are they trying to prove a point;educating people saying "this is how much a computer packed with an OS should cost"?

I agree. If we could count on getting high quality computers that were not defective, it would be worth it. However, in the past few years they have not been that reliable and quality control problems have been rampant. Just look at the macbooks and macbook pros and all the issues there have been with them. Are they worth the high premium? Yes if you get a good one, but no if not. I've spent hundreds of hours dealing with faulty apple computers this year, making me feel that it wasn't worth it at all. Also, I no longer think Apple uses particularly high quality components compared to other manufacturers so we're paying for design, looks and maybe good service. AND, macos!

 

[Elisha]

Of all the explanations I've seen, the best is this: Apple charges a premium because they can. People buy their laptops, market share is rising, profits are great.

here's my opinion, market share is rising because MAC moved to Intel, making it possible to run Windows. not because of OSX. feel free to argue about it.

i only bought the macbook so i can run Windows on it. the reason i chose the macbox is cause it is small and beautiful and not cause of OSX.

OSX is nice an all but not as flexible as XP viruses or not.

 

[Fredou51]

here's my opinion, market share is rising because MAC moved to Intel, making it possible to run Windows. not because of OSX. feel free to argue about it.

i only bought the macbook so i can run Windows on it. the reason i chose the macbox is cause it is small and beautiful and not cause of OSX.

OSX is nice an all but not as flexible as XP viruses or not.

jsw was not saying that people bought Mac because of OS X. He was saying Apple keeps the price higher because people still buy their computer and let's face it, Apple hardly keeps up with demand right now. Also, from a business point of view, it's might be better to sell less computers with a better margin. Apple hire full time specialist to study what ratio of price versus computer sold is the most profitable. You even say in your post that you bought a Mac and it's not for OS X or iLife but because of the look of the computer. That another of their selling point versus other pc manufacturers. jsw is right, as long as people buy them, the prices will stay high.

Frederic

 

[Elisha]

yes i definitely agree that the looks is a selling point and so is the build quality.
its so solid and the weight is perfect.
but OSX is a small selling point compared to those and the ability to run XP.

 

[zap2]

Sorry I brought up "Dell," but I could apply the same argument to HP or some other major PC brands.

I thought it was a legit question and wanted to know why. If they can make affordable desktops, they should do the same for laptops.

It not about you use Dell, if a PC maker is cheaper and you feel that price makes it cheaper and better go out and buy it! Most of use feel in the long run price + look+ easy of use make Macs a better deal, but if you think the low entry price is important go buy it.


Really the Mac Mini is not that great of a deal, if cheap and fast but you do pay for the size. The iMac is a far better deal then the Mini. For 300 USD you get double the harddrive space and a faster harddrive, Core Duo 2, keyboard and mouse plus a 17'' LCD.

You pay for the Mini for how tiny it is...but its SO worth it!(but then again I think all Macs are worth the price!)

 

[iW00t]

Is Dell the best you can do? Come back again when Fujitsus and Thinkpads are cheaper than the Apple. It seems like each time people go on about how expensive macs are, the best justification they got is how much Dell is cheaper. Why Dell? Everyone knows how crappy Dell machines are, you just get what you pay for.

 

[cecildk9999]

It really comes back to the design and the premium we agree to pay for it, both in the OS and the hardware. Apple is less insulated now than before with the introduction of Intel, and they have made the effort to stay fairly competitive in terms of offering the latest tech hardware (this can be debated, but..). And while there have been very vocal complaints about shortcomings/quality issues in the computers, most people still seem to have a better experience on the Mac than they ever did on their PC. I also think that the machines hold their value better (in terms of what they can do, not what they resale for) for longer (again, possibly a change with Intel); my old mac lasted me 4 years, and could have kept going if the hard drive hadn't failed; it certainly outlasted any PCs I had owned up to that point. I know that this is all subjective, but when it comes to the premium we pay, these sorts of justifications are hard to quantify in a way that will absolutely convince others.

 

[deadpixels]

maybe apple pays their chinese sweatshop workers better?? so you should pay the price with a smile on your face knowing you're doing some good too or you can ask apple if they could make their chinese work twice as much for half of the pay so you an get your laptop cheaper

 

[Sesshi]

maybe apple pays their chinese sweatshop workers better?? so you should pay the price with a smile on your face knowing you're doing some good too or you can ask apple if they could make their chinese work twice as much for half of the pay so you an get your laptop cheaper

Nope. They're made by the same company employing people on the same terms and they're paid the same as when turning out other equally mediocre quality but far less pretty computers.

 

[Sun Baked]

This topic has been discussed to exhaustion.

But you won't get exhausted if you don't exert any effort in a forum search.

Nope. They're made by the same company employing people on the same terms and they're paid the same as when turning out other equally mediocre quality but far less pretty computers.

Yes, I don't think Apple is searched you the worst/lowest bidder anymore these days -- but sticking with a small group of trusted vendors which bid against each other with a check on outside vendor prices to keep em in line.

But these companies do work for other people cranking out everything from crap to premium PCs.

 

[Eraserhead]

Sorry but the man's got a legit question.Why must people be so protective of Apple...

Because it is an incredibly boring topic that keeps getting raised every five minutes, if I went on a PC forum and said "What about Viruses/Spyware?" in every thread every five minutes everyone would tell me to shut-up and rightly so.

 

[gauchogolfer]

but OSX is a small selling point compared to those and the ability to run XP.

I'd say that this is way off base, considering the attraction for OS X to almost everyone on this forum. Also, think of how many threads there are titled "Why won't Apple release OS X for PCs?". For me, OSX is THE reason I have my powerbook, followed by aesthetics and build quality/feel.

 

[deadpixels]

Nope. They're made by the same company employing people on the same terms and they're paid the same as when turning out other equally mediocre quality but far less pretty computers.

i know, i was kinda half kiddin' , china delivers good and bad, in other terms,you get what you pay for