Why a macbook is a good investment.

notanewuser

Naf wrote: »

Evidently I've been under the impression its harder to do than it really is. Not because you're a girl; I thought Apple made it deliberately difficult.




Because the market has moved. If you've upgraded, then perhaps yours isn't. But for the same price, macs are always behind.

In the world of IT products are behind the second they're released to market!!!

It's easy to upgrade macs. I've been doing it for the best part of 20 years. Sounds like you're commenting on something you have no experience of!

They've proven themselves indestructible for me. Touch wood, they've not failed me yet!

Sasahara

notanewuser wrote: »

In the world of IT products are behind the second they're released to market!!!

It's easy to upgrade macs. I've been doing it for the best part of 20 years. Sounds like you're commenting on something you have no experience of!

They've proven themselves indestructible for me. Touch wood, they've not failed me yet!

Apple have been making it harder to upgrade almost every generation. The current gen of laptops will be far more awkward to upgrade.

You get what you pay for though, a windows laptop priced at the same level as a mac laptop will generally keep it's value inline with the mac.

In some cases the PC will be higher if Apple drop a certain hardware spec, leaving a generation of macs obsolete. The switch to intel is a particular extreme example of this that probably won't happen again for a long time if at all.

Still for the average user that just need the basics they can buy 3 windows laptops for the same price and the resale price of those laptops combined would almost certainly match or beat the mac.

Mr_Toad

Naf wrote: »

Evidently I've been under the impression its harder to do than it really is. Not because you're a girl; I thought Apple made it deliberately difficult.




Because the market has moved. If you've upgraded, then perhaps yours isn't. But for the same price, macs are always behind.

First off a computer, of any sort, isn't an investment, it's a tool, or a toy. You choose the tool that's right for you if you don't you end up with at best a compromise or at worst the wrong tool.

Second, a Mac is a PC! It's just running a different OS to Windows and it can run Windows or Linux just like any other PC.

I've upgraded my MacBook Pro, 16GB RAM and a 500Mb SSD it took only a few minutes to do. Not a lot different to most Windows based laptops really.

Some people seem to be hung up on cost. For some people cost isn't an issue. Laptops are like cars some people buy a cheap banger others a new Merc, they both get you from a to b. I wouldn't insult a banger driver for their choice neither would I insult the Merc driver for spending £40k on something a banger will do, it's a pointless debate.

When I bought my MacBook I wasn't specifically looking for an Apple machine. I wanted a laptop with certain capabilities and the MacBook was one of several under consideration and it was one of the cheapest that I was looking at. I wanted a *nix OS so would have dumped Windows had I opted for a different machine. I don't have a downer on Windows I just work in a *nix environment and know the unix OS a lot better than I know Windows.

Your comment about Macs being behind is pointless, every manufacturer is constantly updating and replacing their hardware and most machines are obsolete before they are sold as the factory that made them is probably already making the next generation while you're still unboxing your new pride and joy.

Humans can be funny creatures, some of them like their choices in life validating by their peers. They like to think their every choice is informed and that they've made the best one and anyone who makes a different choice is just plain wrong.

And yet, in spite of all this decision angst they like to imagine that they're individuals and not just sheep following the herd.

moneysniffer

notanewuser wrote: »

:huh:

I upgraded the RAM and HDD on my MBP myself too - and I'm a girl!

What has your gender got to do with anything? :huh:

notanewuser

moneysniffer wrote: »

What has your gender got to do with anything? :huh:

Exactly!!!

I was responding to somebody who thought it couldn't be done with Macs and highlighted "myself" in their reply. I was stressing just how simple it is.

almillar

bebewoo - please find a Windows laptop of the same spec of 'a macbook' for half the price. If you do, go ahead and buy it. What a bargain! Specs may include a unibody chassis, retina screen, and of course the same processor and battery life. I'm not saying Apple are cheap - they are not. But a £500 Dell is not the same as a £1,000 Apple.

Boasting about your computer not needing anti-virus shows the kind of attitude that will very quickly get you a virus.
I've got OSX and Windows, and I use free anti virus software (Sophos on OSX, recommended) on BOTH.

Naf - behind - Apple often get the Intel chips before the rest of the manufacturers. The MacBook Air has got their new 'Haswell' chips - is that behind?

People mentioning Apple making it more difficult to upgrade - yes, I hate this. MacBook Air, and the new Retina Macbook Pros cannot have their RAM upgraded. But this is in the pursuit of thin laptops. They kindof invented the Ultrabook category, and PC makers are following them. iMac going the same way too. Do you want thin, or do you want upgradeable? The question is the same, PC or Mac.

esuhl

As above, Macs are PCs anyway. And there's no need to pay for any software or use an antivirus with a PC -- just stick Linux on it! If you choose the right distro, it will perform faster than Windows or Mac OS. And the hardware will be cheaper without Apple's branding. And you'll have a lot more control over the OS since Linux is open source.

I think your OS of choice comes down to usability and personal preference, rather than because it's some kind of financial investment.

I built my PC 4.5 years ago, on the day the Core i7 chips were first released. It was cheaper than a Mac, and is still the fastest PC that I've used. And, when it comes time to upgrade in several years time, I'll only need to buy a motherboard, CPU and maybe some faster RAM.

andrewjf

The problem with PCs is the operating system most people choose to run on it. There are alternatives to Windows which will make a PC run more efficiently. One of the reasons Macs are so good is because they run a Unix based O/S. Just buy a PC for a fraction of the cost of a new Mac, and install Ubuntu desktop. You have the best of both worlds!

esuhl

notanewuser wrote: »

Exactly!!!

I was responding to somebody who thought it couldn't be done with Macs and highlighted "myself" in their reply. I was stressing just how simple it is.

So simple, even a woman could use it! :eek:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6744387/Sexism-row-over-store-boast-that-a-product-was-so-simple-even-a-woman-could-use-it.html

wba31

I use iAntivirus for free on my Macbook, and when i buy a fully upgradeable Mac Mini in the autumn i will install it on that too...

I buy Mac because i like the iLife apps, love the operating system, and like how all my apple stuff works together. But my 3rd point about stuff working together works well for my mate with a PC and an android phone etc...

each to their own...