New MacBook Pros Launched 411
Art Vanderlay writes "Apple's new MacBook lineup has launched with a refresh to the MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models. As expected, the MacBook and MacBook Air both feature Core 2 Duo processors, as does the 13. The 15 and 17 models come with a choice of i5 or i7. Memory is 4GB across the board, with an optional upgrade. Additionally, the new line may include three different types of screen options: Glossy, High Resolution Glossy, and High Resolution Glossy with Anti-Glare. A second person familiar with the matter adds that at least some models will support 512GB of Solid State Drive (Flash) storage."
Screens... (Score:3, Interesting)
We've gone full circle from matte to glossy to "glossy with anti glare"? Great!
(anti-glare comes at a premium I assume...)
Re:Still Overpriced? (Score:3, Interesting)
In my opinion? Yes. They are very well built, there is no denying that...but the Apple logo demands quite a premium. When you consider that there isn't anything you can do on a Mac that can't be done on a PC, the price gap becomes more noticable.
If absolutely have to have OSX, I would recommend putting together a hackintosh. [wikipedia.org] You get all the functionality of OSX but at a MUCH reduced price compared to Apple-branded hardware.
This is just my opinion, I don't speak for anyone else, etc.
Mac mini / Mac pro still NOT UPDATED and same pric (Score:3, Interesting)
Mac mini / Mac pro still NOT UPDATED and same price with the mac pro with it way out date and week video card. Also this makes the imacs prices look bad as most of them still have core2 and the lower systems did not get better video like the 13" mac pros did.
NOW apple where is the I5 / I7 desktop system (head less) with mid range with upgrades to better cards starting at $800 $1000 $1200? The Imacs at $1,499.00 with only core 2 and only 4670 graphics with 256MB is not cutting it for your new gaming push and the mini needs to be alot better at $800.
Re:Still Overpriced? (Score:2, Interesting)
I don't think they're overpriced as much as they are over-spec'd. The problem is that they just don't have any mid-range offerings; it's top-of-the-line or nothing. I don't know about you, but I never buy top-of-the-line; I'm usually a generation or two behind, which is where the sweet spot (in terms of price vs performance) usually lies. I guess I will never own a Mac for the same reason I will never own a Porsche.
Re:Still Overpriced? (Score:5, Interesting)
Actually, for once the RAM isn't that much overpriced. Buying two 4GB DDR2 SO-DIMMs from crucial.com costs $380 more than buying two 2GB ones. That's a pretty small difference. It's a far cry from when I bought my last MBP and it was cheaper to buy it with the minimal RAM configuration, buy new RAM, and throw the RAM it came with in the bin.
Charging $30 each for adaptors to plug in a VGA or DVI monitor is just cheap though - they should be included as standard, and were on older Mac laptops. Same with charging $20 for the remote. Part of the Just Works(tm) thing you get with a Mac is that it comes with everything you need in the box - making half of the things you need into 'optional' extras detracts from this. They've done the same with the iPod, removing things like the dock, mains charger, belt clip, and so on that used to come in the box.
Charging $150 extra for the non-rubbish display option is also a bit irritating.
Are they really that great? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Still Overpriced? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Apple Tax! (Score:5, Interesting)
But still, WHY would I pay $1,450 more for the MacBook Pro?
Screen resolution, quality and reliability of parts, decent touch pad, decent speakers, mag connect power, Firewire for video work, no driver issues with the video card and OS, faster hard drive, multiple non-mirrored video displays, 2 pounds lighter to carry around, DVI, backlit keyboard, more than twice the battery length, automatic graphic card switching, slightly better bluetooth... that's most of it. Well and it can run and comes with OS X, which means more to most of us than the rest of it.
You can make the same comparison though with a higher end Dell laptop. It has a lot more features than the Acer and it costs more. If you don't need a high end laptop, don't buy one. If you live you life in front of laptop, well you might want to spring for one that is higher quality, more reliable, and more featureful. A grand is what, a week or two of consulting for a professional. Hell adding the new Adobe CS Suite will bump up the price $2600 but if it's the best tool for the job, it pays for itself in short order.
what are they thinking (Score:2, Interesting)
15-inch: 2.53GHz (1440x900 -- Optional 1680x1050 still not 1080p and costs $100)
Intel Core i5
4GB Memory
500GB hard drive
SD card slot
Built-in 8- to 9-hour battery
Intel HD Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with 256MB
$1,999.00
Dell Studio 15
Intel Core i5-430m
4GB Memory
500GB 7200RPM HD
ATI Mobility Radeon 5470 1GB
15.6" HD 1080p High Brightness LED display
85 Whr 9-cell battery
$1,114.00
screen - winner Dell (even with the optional upgrade to the mac)
vid card - basically tie, slight edge to dell
memory - tie
cpu - tie
battery - tie
HD - tie
cost - Dell is still 965$ cheaper with the screen upgrade to the mac to make them as similar as possible.
I think it's clear which is better. You pay almost double for the mac and get less. I would like to switch but they just never make it viable. $100 premium is one thing. This is just insane.
The old overpriced arguments miss out . . . (Score:2, Interesting)
... That comparing Mac to PC prices on the basis that most computer buyers are not buying a specification. What most people use a computer for can be done on a netbook. Unless you will be using apps that require more horsepower, they're fine.
Many will choose between laptops on budget, screensize, appearance and intangibles.
Mac tend to win on appearance and intangibles, just like some car manufacturers do. If people can afford something the size they need they'll pay more for BMW than Ford; even if in someways the Ford is better.
Apple have built impressive brand values and get a higher margin for it.
Is that even news? Of something other than an acheivement?
Whaddaya want? Them to apologise for making more money selling essentially the samething?