Apple Hardware

[Emulex]

i have 4 macbook's and OG intel imac and mac pro. i was thinking of bringing the mac pro with ZR30w and cyberpower 1200 to starbucks.

If you take care of 70+ windows boxens. patch tuesday, adobe,java. - you might with time come to enjoy the experience of not having to deal with that at home after a long day work. plus they look nice. like a bmw. I like nice things i work very very hard.

apple is odd - you pay alot but honestly buying used with applecare is not a bad idea. i've gotten some insane deals that would still turn profit 1 year later. easy. the resale value (like a bmw) makes the TCO far lower than you think.

2007 macbook - $350-450 easy locally/ebay - I can't even get that for a dl380 G4 (~2007) server lol. or any desktop of that time. or any pc laptop.

So my net cost on that 2007 macbook that i paid $20 for 4gb of ram and $300 for the unit - plus time to load snow leopard upgrade - wow i'm still in the black and will be for another year or two since its lion compatible.

 

[Eug]

Macs do tend to keep their resale value, but BMWs don't. Furthermore, high end Macs don't keep their resale values anywhere near as well as lower end to mid-end Macs.

If you want to make Mac cost of ownership work for you if you like upgrading regularly is to buy a MacBook instead of a 17" MacBook Pro.

 

[Nothinman]

Which ones?

MotionMan

My previous personal notebook was an Alienware and it was awesome, except for the fact that it ran pretty hot because it essentially had a desktop P4 in it, but that's what I went for. I've also felt that the few IBM/Lenovo notebooks I've messed with were really well built. I also wasn't really a fan of the MacBook Pros that we've had here, the single button touchpad really turned me off but I didn't really like the aluminum case much either. Probably because I'm used to handling cheap, plastic Dells now, but who knows.

 

[MotionMan]

My previous personal notebook was an Alienware and it was awesome, except for the fact that it ran pretty hot because it essentially had a desktop P4 in it, but that's what I went for. I've also felt that the few IBM/Lenovo notebooks I've messed with were really well built. I also wasn't really a fan of the MacBook Pros that we've had here, the single button touchpad really turned me off but I didn't really like the aluminum case much either. Probably because I'm used to handling cheap, plastic Dells now, but who knows.

I believe you pay a premium for Alienware computers, no?

MotionMan

 

[Nothinman]

I believe you pay a premium for Alienware computers, no?

MotionMan

Yes, but they still start at 1/3 or lower than that of a MacBook Pro. The brand name does incur it's own markup, but that premium also includes mobile graphics and hard disk as close to on par with desktop as possible. At the time when I bought mine they were virtually the only manufacturer that offered nVidia graphics and that was a selling point for me because I was going to run Linux on it. I don't know how much Dell has diluted that since they bought them though.

 

[MotionMan]

Yes, but they still start at 1/3 or lower than that of a MacBook Pro. The brand name does incur it's own markup, but that premium also includes mobile graphics and hard disk as close to on par with desktop as possible. At the time when I bought mine they were virtually the only manufacturer that offered nVidia graphics and that was a selling point for me because I was going to run Linux on it. I don't know how much Dell has diluted that since they bought them though.

It is OK to pay a premium for better hardware (except Apple hardware).

Just kidding.

MotionMan

 

[Nothinman]

It is OK to pay a premium for better hardware (except Apple hardware).

Just kidding.

MotionMan

The difference is that the premium from Apple is only like 20-40% for the hardware and mainly just the higher end CPU and motherboard. The rest is pure markup because of the logo. I've said many times I'd consider a Mac for home to run Linux on if they had something in between the iMac and the Mac Pro, but with them there's no happy medium; it's one extreme or the other.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

The difference is that the premium from Apple is only like 20-40% for the hardware and mainly just the higher end CPU and motherboard. The rest is pure markup because of the logo. I've said many times I'd consider a Mac for home to run Linux on if they had something in between the iMac and the Mac Pro, but with them there's no happy medium; it's one extreme or the other.

It's maximum of 20% more. And it's not just the hardware, it's the complete package.

 

[MotionMan]

The difference is that the premium from Apple is only like 20-40% for the hardware and mainly just the higher end CPU and motherboard. The rest is pure markup because of the logo. I've said many times I'd consider a Mac for home to run Linux on if they had something in between the iMac and the Mac Pro, but with them there's no happy medium; it's one extreme or the other.

If you only look at the specs, then Apple's prices are quite high. However, when you expand your view to include fit and finish (not to mention the OS), the calculations change.

There is no right answer, though.

MotionMan

 

[postaled]

If you only look at the specs, then Apple's prices are quite high. However, when you expand your view to include fit and finish (not to mention the OS), the calculations change.

There is no right answer, though.

MotionMan

There is no right answer, and that is a good thing.

People prefer different things and having choices = win.

 

[Nothinman]

If you only look at the specs, then Apple's prices are quite high. However, when you expand your view to include fit and finish (not to mention the OS), the calculations change.

There is no right answer, though.

MotionMan

Fit and finish as in a one button touchpad that's practically worthless, an optical drive without a tray to make discs harder to manually eject and an OS that I won't be using? I get that Apple's final product looks a little bit better but I don't think it's worth the markup otherwise I would've shelled out for a Mac Mini to run Linux at home a while ago.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Fit and finish as in a one button touchpad that's practically worthless, an optical drive without a tray to make discs harder to manually eject and an OS that I won't be using? I get that Apple's final product looks a little bit better but I don't think it's worth the markup otherwise I would've shelled out for a Mac Mini to run Linux at home a while ago.

How is the touchpad useless?

OS you won't be using? Then why even consider buying a Mac?

 

[Nothinman]

How is the touchpad useless?

OS you won't be using? Then why even consider buying a Mac?

It's only got 1 button, that's retarded and I'd rather plug in a small USB mouse than fight with it.

And I'd be using Linux because I hate OS X, just like I am on this Mac Pro that I inherited at work. And I'm considering getting one because I don't want to deal with a lot of reading to catch up on hardware, I want something that's put together and just works. They would be awesome if there weren't so many minor things "wrong" with them.

 

[runawayprisoner]

It's only got 1 button, that's retarded and I'd rather plug in a small USB mouse than fight with it.

You can have a your second click enabled if you wish to do so. It's right in settings.

 

[Eug]

The no-button Apple trackpad is the best trackpad for laptops in existence IMHO.

Double-finger clicking for contextual menus works great, without the annoyance and awkwardness of having a great big right button that just gets in the way.

 

[MotionMan]

You can have a your second click enabled if you wish to do so. It's right in settings.

But it is not like that by default!!! That makes it a CRAPPY OS!!!!!!



MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

Fit and finish as in a one button touchpad that's practically worthless, an optical drive without a tray to make discs harder to manually eject and an OS that I won't be using? I get that Apple's final product looks a little bit better but I don't think it's worth the markup otherwise I would've shelled out for a Mac Mini to run Linux at home a while ago.

Macs are clearly not for you.

Then again, nice cars, big houses and fine dining is not for some people, too.

MotionMan

 

[Zaap]

Macs are clearly not for you.

Then again, nice cars, big houses and fine dining is not for some people, too.

MotionMan

Ugh. These things are in no way comparable.

I hate this type of useless 'argument'. Macs are great for what they are, but they don't equate to cars, homes, or what people eat, or for that matter, much of anything else except for one's choice of computer.

 

[Nothinman]

Ugh. These things are in no way comparable.

I hate this type of useless 'argument'. Macs are great for what they are, but they don't equate to cars, homes, or what people eat, or for that matter, much of anything else except for one's choice of computer.

Thank you. Just because I don't want to pay a premium for virtually nothing on Apple's hardware doesn't mean I don't enjoy a good steak from Ruth's Chris once in a while.

 

[MotionMan]

Ugh. These things are in no way comparable.

I hate this type of useless 'argument'. BMW's are great for what they are, but they don't equate to computers, or for that matter, much of anything else except for one's choice of car.

Hmmmmm.

MotionMan

 

[runawayprisoner]

Ugh. These things are in no way comparable.

I hate this type of useless 'argument'. Macs are great for what they are, but they don't equate to cars, homes, or what people eat, or for that matter, much of anything else except for one's choice of computer.

I think there is something called a "metaphor", which is what I believe he used.

 

[Zaap]

That's not a metaphor.

It's just another of those things that often makes people think Mac user=snobbish bore, even if not intended that way.

MotionMan, your misquote makes no sense. Once more, I saw a Mac user bring up BMWs as if a Mac was comparible. (Which is so typical it's practically a stereotype). Macs don't compare to BMWs or whatever other Yup-mobiles either.

 

[MotionMan]

MotionMan, your misquote makes no sense. Once more, I saw a Mac user bring up BMWs as if a Mac was comparible. (Which is so typical it's practically a stereotype). Macs don't compare to BMWs or whatever other Yup-mobiles either.

Why not?

MotionMan

 

[mike2fix]

My intent wasn't to stir up a hornets nest. I am a hardcore Windows guy but I can certainly appreciate nice hardware, no matter who makes it or why and the Mac stuff is nice hardware, IMHO. Just an observation, not a statement about life, cars or anything else.

 

[MotionMan]

My intent wasn't to stir up a hornets nest. I am a hardcore Windows guy but I can certainly appreciate nice hardware, no matter who makes it or why and the Mac stuff is nice hardware, IMHO. Just an observation, not a statement about life, cars or anything else.

I was a hardcore Windows guy for many years. I just like the fit and finish of BMW's, err, I mean Macs.



MotionMan