Study Finds Macs Cost 2X Windows PCs

[gxsolace]

A new study released by NPD Group today says that the average price for Macs are twice as expensive as those for the "average PC." According to NPD’s study the average price for a Windows laptop has dropped from $877 to just $700 today. Although at this

Study Finds Macs Cost 2X Windows PCs : Read more

 

[Guest]

so much for the mac cost misconception

 

[anonymous x]

this article is by the same author?

 

[decoppel]

Yeah I find this ironic.

 

[cruiseoveride]

shaping up T.dawg

 

[tuannguyen]

Yes, it's by the same author.

 

[Guest]

Instead of the Dell Inspiron 518 why didn't you compare it against the Inspiron 530? For $849 you get the following specs:

Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600 (8MB L2 cache,2.4GHz,1066FSB)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Service Pack 1
20 inch SP2008WFP Wide Flat Panel with Webcam and Mic
3GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz - 4 DIMMs
500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache?
16X DVD+/-RW Drive
ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 128MB
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
Dell USB Keyboard and Dell Optical USB Mouse

I find your choice of Dells to compare against Macs biased.

 

[decoppel]

[citation][nom]tuannguyen[/nom]Yes, it's by the same author.[/citation]

Seriously, way to man up here.

I didn't think you would but this is good to see this.

 

[sphericaline]

Why did you compare the baseline iMac with the Dell Inspiron 518 instead of the Inspiron 530? For $849 you can get the Inspiron 530 wtih the following specs:

Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600 (8MB L2 cache,2.4GHz,1066FSB)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Service Pack 1
20 inch SP2008WFP Wide Flat Panel with Webcam and Mic
3GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz - 4 DIMMs
500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
16X DVD+/-RW Drive
ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 128MB
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
Dell USB Keyboard and Dell Optical USB Mouse

Isn't this clearly better than the baseline iMac for less money? I think you choice of Dells for comparison to Macs quite biased.

 

[weepee]

hi decoppel

 

[decoppel]

[citation][nom]weepee[/nom]hi decoppel[/citation]

Hi WeePee

 

[tuannguyen]

[citation][nom]werasdfasd[/nom]Instead of the Dell Inspiron 518 why didn't you compare it against the Inspiron 530? For $849 you get the following specs:Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600 (8MB L2 cache,2.4GHz,1066FSB)Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Service Pack 120 inch SP2008WFP Wide Flat Panel with Webcam and Mic3GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz - 4 DIMMs500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache?16X DVD+/-RW DriveATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 128MBIntegrated 7.1 Channel AudioDell USB Keyboard and Dell Optical USB MouseI find your choice of Dells to compare against Macs biased. [/citation]

No, because the 513 has just the same specs and an even bigger gap between it and the iMac. This indicates a even better value for the end user if they went for the 513. The 513 is about $500 cheaper than the iMac for essentially the same internal hardware and is even cheaper than the 530 you mentioned. I don't think I'm being biased this time around.

/ Tuan

 

[bardia]

This article is a bit more balanced, but I still have issues with it. The author still characterizes people who find Apple expensive as either 1) Hardcore Gamers, or 2) "Loyal Windows Users.

Many of us don't fit in either category. I use OSX, Vista, and Ubuntu on a regular basis, and enjoy different aspects of all of them. And although I'm a gamer, neither do I need any video card above the $100-$200 range. I've only payed more than $150 for a video card ONCE.

Yet I still complained as loud as the rest of them about the last article. It was gross caricature of average retail PC field, not to mention custom building, which pulls out even further ahead.

A Mac simply can't come close to a PC in advanced computer tasks for the price. Compare a Mac with my Antec Case/PS, E8400, HD4850, 4gb RAM, and RAID (Mirror) desktop in performance and options. NOTHING exists like it. To get raid for example, you'd have to hit $2800 as a base unit, and mine would still be an overall better system.

Macs have their place as idiot computers and highly specialized programming computers, NOT as mainstream enthusiasts computers.

Tuan may like Apple's offerings a lot. Great, I loved my ibook, and love my father's macbook... but seriously, I expect an editor of THG to have a little more common sense when it comes to the intelligence of his readers.

 

[tuannguyen]

[citation][nom]tuannguyen[/nom]No, because the 513 has just the same specs and an even bigger gap between it and the iMac. This indicates a even better value for the end user if they went for the 513. The 513 is about $500 cheaper than the iMac for essentially the same internal hardware and is even cheaper than the 530 you mentioned. I don't think I'm being biased this time around. / Tuan[/citation]

Er sorry, the 513 has BETTER specs than the baseline iMac for a far lower price.

/ Tuan

 

[tuannguyen]

[citation][nom]bardia[/nom]This article is a bit more balanced, but I still have issues with it. The author still characterizes people who find Apple expensive as either 1) Hardcore Gamers, or 2) "Loyal Windows Users.Many of us don't fit in either category. I use OSX, Vista, and Ubuntu on a regular basis, and enjoy different aspects of all of them. And although I'm a gamer, neither do I need any video card above the $100-$200 range. I've only payed more than $150 for a video card ONCE.Yet I still complained as loud as the rest of them about the last article. It was gross caricature of average retail PC field, not to mention custom building, which pulls out even further ahead. A Mac simply can't come close to a PC in advanced computer tasks for the price. Compare a Mac with my Antec Case/PS, E8400, HD4850, 4gb RAM, and RAID (Mirror) desktop in performance and options. NOTHING exists like it. To get raid for example, you'd have to hit $2800 as a base unit, and mine would still be an overall better system.Macs have their place as idiot computers and highly specialized programming computers, NOT as mainstream enthusiasts computers. Tuan may like Apple's offerings a lot. Great, I loved my ibook, and love my father's macbook... but seriously, I expect an editor of THG to have a little more common sense when it comes to the intelligence of his readers. [/citation]

Nah it wasn't like that at all, or at least not suppose to mean that.

What I was trying to say is that, Apple's is trying to go after Windows users, and EVEN hard core Windows-based PC gamers. If they want to do that, they seriously have to offer:

1. more options
2. cheaper prices
3. more variety of upgrades
4. more partnerships with 3rd party vendors like graphics card makerse
5. lower systems that aren't permanently tethered to a display
5. lower systems that aren't cramped into a box with no avenue for upgrade

The problem with Apple is that all their affordable gear is locked down. That's a problem.

/ Tuan

 

[Slobogob]

Ah, the winds of change...


Repent! Repent! Repent!

 

[zunaro]

"My suggestion to Apple: Create several options that allow expansion, with a more balanced system spec instead of being heavy in the CPU department and lacking everywhere else. Offer a few more graphics card options and work with third party manufacturers to offer more compatible add-in cards and Apple may swing more favorable impressions from loyal Windows PC users."

I agree 100%, I have considered giving OS X a spin, but the price and limited options make me consider the validity of the choice. I wouldn't mind trying it, but at the same time don't want to be bit in the backside and end up with something that doesn't suit my needs properly.

 

[Guest]

Lenovo will sell you the same setup (except - larger HD and nVidia video rather than ATI) for $3057, or $700 cheaper than the Dell. Still $250 more than the Apple...

...except that Lenovo includes 3 years of next day on-site warranty. Apple Care is another $250 dollars, bringing the price difference to a whopping 10 dollars. Lenovo's warranty docs include time guarantees... Apple says they'll send someone, *if* you're close to an Apple store, with no word on when they'll show up.

The Mac Pro isn't obscenely overpriced like the laptops are, but it's only cheaper if you don't bother comparison shopping.

 

[JTWrenn]

[citation][nom]tuannguyen[/nom]No, because the 513 has just the same specs and an even bigger gap between it and the iMac. This indicates a even better value for the end user if they went for the 513. The 513 is about $500 cheaper than the iMac for essentially the same internal hardware and is even cheaper than the 530 you mentioned. I don't think I'm being biased this time around. / Tuan[/citation]


So you were biased the first time around?

 

[spaztic7]

[strike]Can we say, told you so?[/strike]

Other, please view these:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=56&post=1985&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0"e_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/apple-mac-leopard-windows-vista,1985.html



[strike]I vote no confidence in THG.[/strike]



*UPDATE*
I chose on my own will to strike what I said because it was wrong for me to do what I did and make a remark as such against THG. It is not THG that the comment should have been against, but the people who are defending their distorted point of view about Mac's not being more expensive.

 

[tuannguyen]

[citation][nom]JTWrenn[/nom]So you were biased the first time around?[/citation]

I may have been?
The point here is this:

I spent a considerable amount of time last night reading through each and every comment. Although, there were so many that I couldn't reply to any of them directly anymore. Many of them wanted me dead anyway.

The outcome of that thinking and observing everyone's comments is this: My original article had a different argument, one that was something along the lines of "can you build the exact same spec, feature for feature, as Apple, for cheaper?" With that, the answer is not that much cheaper.

According to the feedback I observed however, people were essentially saying "OK. But that does not equal Macs not being over priced."

So I took a closer look at everyone's concerns and went to price out workstation for workstation, desktop for desktop. And the bottom line, desktops, Apple loses. Hence this article.

/ Tuan

 

[spaztic7]

Sorry about my other post. I stooped to the OP and authors level, I wont ever do it again.

 

[JTWrenn]

You know I just don't think you get the point when you are looking at pc's to match the hardware. You can't just check Dell....that is silly. I mean did you even look at HP, or Gateway, or well anywhere? Did you look at the HP xw8600? A system with almost the same hardware for $2369?

If you really want to do a comparison of Macs to PCs, you need to take at least 3 prices of similar hardware, and get as close as you can, even if you need to add to the Mac system. You almost have to add the warranty because all real workstations come with a 3 year warranty.

Go take 3 samples of each category you are comparing and average them. You just need one from Mac because well, they are not a category of computer they are a manufacturer. But if you don't pull from at least 3 manufacturers on the pc side your numbers don't mean a thing.


So far you have only argued about how a Mac stacks up against a Dell.

Just in case you didn't know....Dell is not the only PC maker. I know..strange huh?

 

[tkphill]

Although at this point, NPD Group did not reveal what laptops it was referring to

I would assume that the article says AVERAGE price means of all the laptops (high end and low end combined) from all manufacturers as compared to all the apple laptops sold.

the question should be where did the pricing info come from? they did not look at a specific combination of equipment only the price period

 

[JTWrenn]

[citation][nom]tuannguyen[/nom]So I took a closer look at everyone's concerns and went to price out workstation for workstation, desktop for desktop. And the bottom line, desktops, Apple loses. Hence this article./ Tuan[/citation]

And then you just looked at Dell's....that is fairly weak research.