

Why you shouldn't buy a Mac - skala
http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/tech-fun/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/whynottobuyamac.png

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mistercow
You can criticize the Mac Pro for being exceptionally overpriced, or you can
criticize macs in general for being difficult to upgrade, but criticizing the
Mac Pro for being overpriced and then throwing in that it's also "difficult to
upgrade" is just silly. The main advantage of the Mac Pro over other macs is
that it _isn't_ difficult to upgrade.

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shadesandcolour
Wow, it's like you're making a completely new argument that no one has ever
made before. If you own a Mac you know that you personally can somehow justify
the extra cost. I'll add in that your computer is not going to be obsolete in
as long as a Windows computer will, because I've experienced it. Macbook that
my brother has from 4 years ago runs far better than the Windows laptop I had
before that did after 4 years.

Yes you can install Mac OS X on your PC, but it's a pain and it doesn't work
on every single computer. I'm not sure why you posted this in the first place
because you're providing common knowledge.

Go to Dell or Samsung or Sony's website and configure their high end desktop
and you'll find that upgrading the Hard drive or memory or graphics card will
cause you to be over charged as well.

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kaolinite
Meh, lots of people prefer Macs for whatever reason and if you use your
computer a lot, it's worth spending a bit more for something you enjoy using.

That said, my current monitor is a great example of the "Apple Tax". It's a
27" IPS monitor (2560x1440) with the exact same spec as the Apple Cinema
Display. Why the same spec? Because the screen in it is _exactly_ the same. It
cost me £450, whereas the Cinema Display costs around £900.

Granted, the cinema display has better audio and a nicer case - is it worth
£450 extra? I'm sure some would say so however I like to point this out to
people when they claim that Apple products are worth the extra money due to
the quality of the screen, etc. There is some truth in that, yet the Apple
logo on the back definitely adds quite a bit.

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dpio
Should've titled it "why you shouldn't buy a mac pro".

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orangecat
Exactly. Apple doesn't care much about desktops, and they really don't care
about traditional tower PC. The Mac Pro exists to milk users who are locked in
to the high end Mac ecosystem. For everyone else an iMac, mini, or MacBook Pro
is a much better value.

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msie
I love the fit and finish of my Macbook Pro and OSX. I also recently bought a
Thinkpad W520 and it's just not the same with the hardware and the OS. I can't
ignore the ugliness of the bootup screen, the clunky sound the DVD drive makes
when the laptop wakes up, the intrusive Lenovo software that reminds me to
install some anti-virus software, the ugliness of the shutdown process and
many parts of Windows 7 (I loved windows XP). I wouldn't be able to pay more
on the PC side to eliminate these if I wanted to.

I don't buy Apple monitors though. They do seem overpriced.

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duaneb
Unless, of course, you want to buy a Mac. In which case you should.

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bdfh42
We use Mac mini thingies for iOS development (hooked up to a decent third
party monitor) - but agree that otherwise the cost of Apple hardware is pretty
difficult to justify.

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phren0logy
I don't know, I think that other than the SSD price a 27" iMac is a solid buy.
Add aftermarket RAM, of course.

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eevilspock
Yet another ideology-driven misleading post. If it were honest, the analysis
would have been done with a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro.

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batista
A, the Mac is expensive myth. Including such insights that buying HD, memory
etc upgrades from the manufacturer is pricier that getting them off the
street. [You don't say].

Well, there have been tons of comparisons of similarly speced machines ON THE
TOP END OF THE MARKET and the Macs come as cheap or cheaper. And the
competition has had a hard time keeping up with the iPad/iPhone pricing.

For some reason people compare just the cpu model or the memory. Well, you
think the machine aluminum body doesn't cost to design, buy and manufacture
too? The tight innards design doesn't cost? The lightness doesn't come at a
cost? That thunderbolt port? That blinking light when it goes to sleep? That
someone though of adding hidden magnets instead of protruding latches to keep
the lid closed? That the DVD drive is internal come for free you think? The
glass touchpad with the multitouch surface that's not crappy like 90% of
touchpads out there? And tons of other seemingly hidden details that their
impact you notice all the time.

Compare a MBP to a Sony VAIO, not the cheapest plastic dell or a copycat
design with shitty materials and QA.

Plus, here's why you'll do well to buy a Mac from someone I assume has no
hidden agenda on the matter:

"Point me to a better laptop [than the Macbook Air]. Trust me, I tried. They
don't exist. It's sad. They are all big and clunky." (Someone suggesting
Lenovo) "no, Lenovo doesn't. I have the Lenovo X1. It's bigger, plasticky, and
has worse battery life."

Linus Torvalds, on his Google+ page.

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kaolinite
I agree with your comments, but check the part in my comment about the cinema
display. There is truth in both arguments, basically.

Edit: also, my £350 lenovo (with upgraded battery) gets about 10-15 hours
battery life, depending on use. I'm unaware of any Mac getting that. My
friends have said they get around 2-4 hours.

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batista
MBP from 2010+ are supposed to get 10+ hours battery life. That's from the
specs Apple publishes, and they are known to be on the conservative side by
independent reviews.

15 hours though, no, but I guess this is a tradeoff either for a lighter body
or a more bright screen (or both).

Also, your Lenovo get's that with an aftermarket battery, if I understand
correctly, right?

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kaolinite
I've heard the opposite that they only get the full battery life prediction if
you literally do nothing with them, i.e. just leave them idle (most companies
do this though - give the maximum battery life). The battery I have in my
Lenovo was bought with the laptop, you could just upgrade it during the
checkout process.

