So I see Macbooks are really super competitive in price...

[Parasitic]

A coworker was looking to buy a new laptop and the 13.3" Vostro was on her list, and that got me interested as well, so I started playing with configurations on the Dell website, and this is what I got:

(Some formatting was done but feel free to try it yourself)


Catalog Number: 4 BQCW31Z
Intel® Core? 2 Duo T8100 (2.1GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic, Service Pack 1
13.3 inch Widescreen XGA LCD Anti-Glare Display
1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 DIMM
Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
160G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive (no 120GB option)
No UPEK FingerPrint Reader Requested
Adobe® Reader 8.1
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo Drive with Roxio Creator
High Definition Audio 2.0
Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Wi-Fi Internal Card
Integrated 1.3MP Web Camera and Digital Microphone
Microsoft® Works 9. Does NOT Include MS Word
No Custom Image and Text on Notebook
No Anti-Virus/ Security Software
58 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery (think Macbook is 55WHr?)
1 Year Basic Limited Warranty plus 1 Year Mail-in Service
Installation Services No Onsite System Setup
No Online Data Back Up Installed
No Dell Automated PC Tune Up Installed
DellNetwork Assistant 1.7
Dell Wireless 360 Bluetooth Internal for Vista
Purchase is Not Intended for Resale

TOTAL:$1,089.00

So the Macbook is $1099 or $999 for education?



I hope that this calms the Mac haters a little.

 

[TheGizmo]

you could easily get that configuration for ~35 - 50% less than that price if you wait for the right time to buy it using the right coupon codes.. but i'd still rather buy the mbp honestly.

 

[bearxor]

Wow, they still MAKE CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drives?

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: bearxor
Wow, they still MAKE CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drives?

Actually, the base Macbook has a combo drive.

 

[slugg]

Originally posted by: bearxor
Wow, they still MAKE CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drives?

^^ I've only heard about these "combo drives" in ancient legends passed on for generations amongst the elders...

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: TheGizmo
you could easily get that configuration for ~35 - 50% less than that price if you wait for the right time to buy it using the right coupon codes.. but i'd still rather buy the mbp honestly.

I'd say the average for a user would be more like 20-30% off.. 50% is for the uber deal hunters, which are a small minority.

And a MBP is nice, but it's yet another level up. Apple is severely lacking in the midrange on all fronts IMO, but alas, I doubt that will change anytime soon.

Also, I noticed yesterday sony had the chiclet keyboard.. wow, didn't know they went that route, heh.

 

[bearxor]

Originally posted by: slugg

Originally posted by: bearxor
Wow, they still MAKE CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drives?

^^ I've only heard about these "combo drives" in ancient legends passed on for generations amongst the elders...

At least someone appreciates my comedy routine...

 

[sourceninja]

i was skeptical when I bought my macbook pro. But now that I've owned one for a week or so I have to say it is the best notebook I've owned.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: sourceninja
i was skeptical when I bought my macbook pro. But now that I've owned one for a week or so I have to say it is the best notebook I've owned.

I wasn't skeptical when I bought my Blackbook, but I have to agree with your conclusion: it is the best notebook I've ever owned.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

My Macbook is the best laptop I've ever owned. Now I'm hooked

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: SoundTheSurrender
My Macbook is the best laptop I've ever owned. Now I'm hooked

Did the hard drive upgrade make any noticeable difference in your system's performance?

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: SoundTheSurrender
My Macbook is the best laptop I've ever owned. Now I'm hooked

Did the hard drive upgrade make any noticeable difference in your system's performance?

it made a difference in mine (i had a 120GB 5400rpm stock), and i replaced it with the 200GB 7200rpm hitachi. in fact, it was quiter and faster and the same time so double bonus!

 

[Megatomic]

When OS X 10.6 comes out I plan to get a 7200RPM drive and do a fresh install on the new disk. I can live with the drive I've got now for another year or two. Thanks for the opinion secretanchitman. :thumbsup:

 

[Chadder007]

You need to add Vista Ultimate and 802.11n to make it more like the Macbook in terms of features...

 

[Parasitic]

Originally posted by: Chadder007
You need to add Vista Ultimate and 802.11n to make it more like the Macbook in terms of features...

Point is that without discounts or sales incentives the Macbook is already competitive enough.

 

[marketsons1985]

*Doh* nevermind.

 

[Chiropteran]

What did you do, build the most expensive dell possible?

I bought a Vostro 1000 3 months ago for $499. It has a 1.9ghz dual core CPU, DVD writer, wireless, etc. It's hard drive was lacking at 80GB, and it only had 1GB of RAM which I upgraded for $40 to 2GB.

Overall I don't really see what you gain from your post for the extra $600. 200mhz of CPU speed? On a laptop that is going to be running at lower than max speed most of the time anyway, to conserve battery life?

 

[Kmax82]

No.. he picked a similarly equipped Dell machine. Obviously there is going to be a price difference, but the fact is that if you don't count the Dell rebates (that you have to go hunting for to find), and you equip them with equal components... that their prices are very close.

 

[TheStu]

Any time someone tries to make the point that Dell's are not much cheaper than Macs, another person comes along and talks about how when they last got a pack of gum from a vending machine, out popped 3 fully specced Dells, take that Apple!

The point is, if you are looking for budget, go as far away from Apple as possible, it simply does not exist there. However, if you are looking at the MacBook, or MacBook Pro, and actually want the features that it comes with, and you spec out a machine from Dell, Asus, HP, Lenovo, whoever, they all end up within a few hundred dollars of each other. In order to do this though, you don't skimp. You don't put in the 8400m GT instead of the 8600m GT, you don't leave out the bluetooth, or 802.11n. If you have the choice between LED and CCFL backlighting, you choose the LED. You get a fair, even as you can comparison.

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: Kmax82
No.. he picked a similarly equipped Dell machine.

He picked a particular similarly equipped Dell that also happens to be one of the most overpriced Dell laptops available.

In 3 minutes, I configured the following-
My System Details
Intel® Core? 2 Duo T8100 (2.1GHz/800Mhz FSB/3MB cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate, Service Pack 1
1 Year Basic Limited Warranty plus 1 Year Mail-in Service
15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA LCD Anti-Glare Display
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 DIMM
8X CD/DVD+RW Read and Burn CD and DVD
128MB NVIDIA® GeForce? 8400M GS
120GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
Dell Exclusive MediaDirect? Instant Play Software Application
Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Wi-Fi Internal Card
Integrated 2.0 mega pixel Web Camera
My Accessories
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
My Software
Microsoft® Works 9. Does NOT Include MS Word
No Pre-installed Anti-Virus/Security Software
Free Microsoft Office Live Small Business
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader
My Services & Warranties
No Online Data Back Up Installed
No Dell Automated PC Tune Up Installed
Dell Network Assistant
Purchase is not intended for resale.
Also Included
High Definition Audio 2.0
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Windows Vista? Premium
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
No Onsite System Setup

Total $947

That is NOT INCLUDING any rebates or coupons or special deals. I just went to dell.com, small business laptops and selected vostro and configured it to match the specs of the OP. I have no idea how exactly he found a Dell laptop with inferior specs for $200 more, but to use it as evidence that Macbooks are economical is somewhat unethical.

It's like taking an overpriced geforce 9600 from circuit city that sells for $299 and comparing it to an ati radeon 3870x2 at bargain prices at newegg and using it as evidence that nvidia cards are inferior.

 

[rikadik]

Originally posted by: Chiropteran

Originally posted by: Kmax82
No.. he picked a similarly equipped Dell machine.

He picked a particular similarly equipped Dell that also happens to be one of the most overpriced Dell laptops available.

In 3 minutes, I configured the following-
My System Details
Intel® Core? 2 Duo T8100 (2.1GHz/800Mhz FSB/3MB cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate, Service Pack 1
1 Year Basic Limited Warranty plus 1 Year Mail-in Service
15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA LCD Anti-Glare Display
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 DIMM
8X CD/DVD+RW Read and Burn CD and DVD
128MB NVIDIA® GeForce? 8400M GS
120GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
Dell Exclusive MediaDirect? Instant Play Software Application
Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Wi-Fi Internal Card
Integrated 2.0 mega pixel Web Camera
My Accessories
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
My Software
Microsoft® Works 9. Does NOT Include MS Word
No Pre-installed Anti-Virus/Security Software
Free Microsoft Office Live Small Business
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader
My Services & Warranties
No Online Data Back Up Installed
No Dell Automated PC Tune Up Installed
Dell Network Assistant
Purchase is not intended for resale.
Also Included
High Definition Audio 2.0
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Windows Vista? Premium
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
No Onsite System Setup

Total $947

Ok, now try that spec but in a Dell laptop with a ~13" form factor. I think you'll find it costs more and closer to the MacBook.

As TheStu says, you have to do a like for like comparison. But then I sitll admit Dells are cheaper all in all. Just not as much as people often assume.

 

[Kmax82]

Again, you have no argument. I don't particularly want to debate this.. but when you buy a Mac, you are paying a premium. But if you spec them similarly, you will not notice a huge difference in price.

The Macbook is less than 5lbs, 13.3" LCD, and about an 1" thick. If you go by those.. the cheapest Dell that meets those requirements is the XPS M1330 that goes for a base price of $999. With additions to match the features of the Macbook then you're looking at $1200-1400.

So we can just agree to disagree.

 

[Parasitic]

Originally posted by: Chiropteran

Originally posted by: Kmax82
No.. he picked a similarly equipped Dell machine.

He picked a particular similarly equipped Dell that also happens to be one of the most overpriced Dell laptops available.

In 3 minutes, I configured the following-
My System Details
Intel® Core? 2 Duo T8100 (2.1GHz/800Mhz FSB/3MB cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate, Service Pack 1
1 Year Basic Limited Warranty plus 1 Year Mail-in Service
15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA LCD Anti-Glare Display
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 DIMM
8X CD/DVD+RW Read and Burn CD and DVD
128MB NVIDIA® GeForce? 8400M GS
120GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
Dell Exclusive MediaDirect? Instant Play Software Application
Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Wi-Fi Internal Card
Integrated 2.0 mega pixel Web Camera
My Accessories
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
My Software
Microsoft® Works 9. Does NOT Include MS Word
No Pre-installed Anti-Virus/Security Software
Free Microsoft Office Live Small Business
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader
My Services & Warranties
No Online Data Back Up Installed
No Dell Automated PC Tune Up Installed
Dell Network Assistant
Purchase is not intended for resale.
Also Included
High Definition Audio 2.0
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Windows Vista? Premium
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
No Onsite System Setup

Total $947

That is NOT INCLUDING any rebates or coupons or special deals. I just went to dell.com, small business laptops and selected vostro and configured it to match the specs of the OP. I have no idea how exactly he found a Dell laptop with inferior specs for $200 more, but to use it as evidence that Macbooks are economical is somewhat unethical.

It's like taking an overpriced geforce 9600 from circuit city that sells for $299 and comparing it to an ati radeon 3870x2 at bargain prices at newegg and using it as evidence that nvidia cards are inferior.

15.4" is not the same as 13.3". The Vostro 1300 is a 13.3" machine. Heck, it's not even the "most overpriced" Dell laptop available. Have you seen the sticker on those XPS's?

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: Parasitic

15.4" is not the same as 13.3". The Vostro 1300 is a 13.3" machine. Heck, it's not even the "most overpriced" Dell laptop available. Have you seen the sticker on those XPS's?

Are you for real? A bigger screen is considered BETTER, not worse. Take a look at Macbook Pro prices, the 17" costs more than the 15".

Is that your only complaint, the screen size of the Dell is too big?

 

[Parasitic]

Originally posted by: Chiropteran

Originally posted by: Parasitic

15.4" is not the same as 13.3". The Vostro 1300 is a 13.3" machine. Heck, it's not even the "most overpriced" Dell laptop available. Have you seen the sticker on those XPS's?

Are you for real? A bigger screen is considered BETTER, not worse. Take a look at Macbook Pro prices, the 17" costs more than the 15".

Is that your only complaint, the screen size of the Dell is too big?

Are you for real? People have different needs. Just because the screen is bigger doesn't make it better. I'm just drawing a fairer comparison between the Macbook and a more comparable system.

Take a look at Dell Vostro prices, the 13.3" costs more than the 15". Even the 14" costs more than the 15".

Some people prefer the smaller mobility of the 13.3".

Is that your only contribution, the screen size of a cheaper Dell is bigger?