+
smax013 wrote : "If you really want to compare prices, then match up processors, memory,
networking, hard drive, screen size, video graphics, etc as best as
possible. Where Windoze PeeCees are cheaper is that you can stripped
down versions that lack some features that Macs might have for less
money. But, if you compare actual comparable computers, then you will
tend to find that Macs are rather competitive pricewise."+
I did just that last week as an exercise. I compared a Macbook pro with a Dell Vostro, both configured with 2.4Ghz core 2 duo, 2 G of ram, 160 GB 5400 drives, wifi, dv-rw drives, Nvidia 8600M graphics, 17" widescreens, onboard sound, your regular set of I/O firewire, Lan, USB2....
Price: Apple 2600$ ; Dell 1700$, at this point one has to wonder is it Mac OS that is that expensive?
I admit that at the lower end price difference is often non-existent but at the mid-high range, Dell offers virtually the same thing at 30% less.
Anyways, untill Apple allows me to install their OS on my home built system, I will have to stick with the Linux or Windows route.
And reffering to the Eee pc, it's not a windows pc, it's a Linux one, the solid state drive installed is too small for windows.
To quote myself, "But if you compare actual comparable computers, then you will
TEND to find that Macs are rather competitive." (Note I added the emphasis on the important part this time) I never said that you may not find situations where Mac do some out more expenseive or even rather more expensive. But, in general, you will find them rather competitive.
Having said that, you still need to be a little careful with your comparison. Did you select a WUXGA or WXGA+ screen option for the Dell. The WXGA+ still uses 1440x900 resolution for the 17" screen, but the 17" MacBook Pro's screen resolution is bumped to 1680x1050. Admittedly, going to the WUXGA screen makes the Dell better at 1920x1200. Did you select the 802.11n option or just leave the default 802.11g option for the Dell...the MacBook Pro comes with 802.11n by default? Did you add the built in webcam to the Dell...the MacBook Pro has it built in? Did you add Adobe Photoshop Elements (or some sort of video editting software)...the MacBook Pro comes with iMovie, which is a rather powerful video editting software program (assuming you take up Apple's offer to download iMoive 6 in addition to the current iMoive, which was a downgrade in many ways)? Did you add in the price to purchase a Firewire 800 PCCard...the MacBook Pro comes with a Firewire 800 port standard (I will note to be fare, you would have to factor in the purchase of USB 2.0 port card or a USB hub for the Mac to up the number of USB ports for the Mac to a comparable level to the Dell)? What about factoring the price of upgrading the Dell to Gigabit ethernet, which is standard on the MacBook Pro?
My point from the immediately above is to be careful that you select hardware and software features that matchup as close as possible. There are a lot of people who have compared Windoze PeeCees to Macs. Some do a rather good job of matching things up...others makes choices to "spin" the match up to their desired wish (and BOTH sides do this). Obviously, you can never get a 100% match up (or rather it will generally be DARN hard to do), but you should still get as close as you can. That does not mean that there will be situations where a Mac might still come out rather more expensive. That seems to be the case in this situation. When I priced out the Dell, it came out to about $2000. Compared to the $2800 price tag for a 17" MacBook Pro when ordering directly from Apple or $2620 from Amazon for the exact same configuration (includes a $150 mail-in rebate), the 17" MacBook Pro is around $600 more, which is siginificant. I will note that it is potentially an unfair comparision as the Vostro is NOT a consumer level computer. I don't know if this is a factor or not as I don't know what requirements Dell might place on someone to be able to purchase "small business" computer. If that computer is not widely available to the consumer level purchasers (i.e. if you have to some how prove you have small business or some such), then it might not be a fair comparison. But, the problem is that Dell does not really offer a comparable consumer line computer...you cannot get the 2.4 Ghz processor in the Inspiron 1720 line and if you goto the XPS 1710 line, then you cannot get graphics cards in line with the 8600M (you get a LOT more)...but I will note that it appears getting into the 2.4 Core 2 Duo processor area on the Dell consumer line costs a LOT more than it does in the small business line.
Point is do the same exercise with the 15" MacBook Pro, the MacBook, the iMac and the MacPro. I believe you will find that at the Mac Pro level, the Mac actually can come out BETTER than a comparable spec'ed Dell (unless Dell has changed their pricing). I believe the 15" MacBook Pros have been shown to be rather comparable. And the iMac is pretty close pricewise to the new Dell One. And I am guessing that you might find it difficult to get a consumer level laptop in the Windoze world that matchs up well with the MacBook, mainly due to the fact that it still has a 2.2 or so Core 2 Duo.
So, my original point still stands. You will tend to find that Mac will price out rather competitively overall. Can you find situations where they don't? You bet. But, the old price arguement is NOT what it used to be. It used to be that there was basically NO WAY a Mac could compete pricewise. That is no longer the case.
Regardless, Macs are not for everyone. Some people just like Windoze better...heck, for somethings I like Windoze better...there are somethings that I can just do better on a Windoze computer (gaming is the obvious one). Some people like Linux better. If you want to build your own system, then Windoze is definitely better than a Mac...and is likely to some degree better than Linux (you can still have trouble getting drivers for some hardware on Linux, where Windoze tends to be much more "friendly" in that area). While I prefer Macs in general, my personal belief is that a person should decide what fits their needs and preferences best and go with that...whether it is a Mac, a Windoze PeeCee, or something else. I would hope that they give a Mac a fair shot...I believe that many people pick Windoze because they have not really taken an honest look at a Mac. For myself, I will continue to use both. I doubt that I will ever buy another Windoze laptop now that I can run Windoze on a Mac for my structural engineering applicaiotns (I
LOVE my 15" MacBook Pro) and it is HIGHLY unlikely that I will ever buy another mainstream manufacturer Windoze desktop, but I can see myself building another Windoze desktop in the future when the one that I just build no longer fills my needs.
[soapbox] Backup good...no backup bad!! [/soap box]
