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Puncturing the "PCs Are Cheaper Than Macs" Myth
jcatcw writes "The recently converted Scot Finnie went notebook shopping. At the high end of the notebook spectrum, in order to get comparable power and features, a Dell machine comes in $650 over the Apple, and it was clunkier and weighed more. Sony couldn't beat the Apple either. Midrange and low-end machines, though, turn out to be pretty comparable, with more choices in the PC arena but some good values if you happen to want what Apple has decided you need. So, if you're talking name-brand hardware, it's just no longer the case that PCs are cheaper than Macs."
One of which is the small form factor, as you mention. The other is that it's cool-running and has near-silent operation. I have a MacM Mini serving as my HTPC (inside a storage ottoman, no less) and it is definitely a good choice for that use. The only thing comparable on the Windows side is a VIA chipset (I have a mini-ITX based PC in my garage) which doesn't compare performace wise. If you're looking for a "desktop" computer for general use, and not taking anything but the hardware into consideration, I'd agree that the bottom-of-the-line Mac Minis don't compete well against comparibly priced Windows boxes.
Of course, Macs have an-ease-of-use that's quite simply, sublime. As an example, every time a family member has visited and wanted access to our wireless network with their PC, it's been a hassle to set up. On the other hand, I took my Mac to my parents or in-laws and hopped on their wireless networks with nary a hitch.
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The fact that it looks like a modern piece of electronics that will fit unobtrusively in tight places, rather than looking like a big clunky piece of office machinery in your home, does help.
Of course they are. I spent a lot of time comparing the two when I recently replaced my music/video workstation. There's just no comparison. It would have cost me very nearly twice as much to go with Apple for the very same hardware, even if Apple had a configuration that fit my needs. And that's before even beginning to buy software. I use an expensive professional PCI audio interface that fits my needs precisely, so the Mac Pro was the only Apple product I could have chosen.
I would very much have liked to be using Logic Pro on a Mac Pro. It's what I learned on, and I enjoy the Mac interface, but not enough to go the extra price. But I'm running Sonar on a PC that has almost exactly the same specs as the Mac Pro and I came in at more than $1400 below the Apple system. Oh, and I also like using the DXi plugins, so that limited me to Windows. I could have found VST or RTAS equivalents, but I have a large investment in DXi gizmos.
I got 2 bucks worth of hope in the form of a couple of Lotto tickets sitting in my wallet. If I hit the number, I promise I'll switch to the Mac Pro, Logic Pro setup right away. But I'll keep the PC to run some virtual instruments and connect them via optical SPDIF. It might suprise the serious Mac fans, but I am able to be productive (and creative) on my PC.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Priced maybe, but feature wise it's not even close. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product
If we upgrade the mini to match the stats of that HP (gig of ram, 250 gig harddrive, dvd burner) well, we can't even match them, but we get close.. we're still stuck with a worse video card and only 180 gig harddrive.. but it still costs twice as much! $1074 for the closely equipped mini, compared to $549 for the HP.
Maybe you think the athlon64 x2 isn't as good as a core 2 duo.. that's ok, upgrading the PC to a core 2 duo makes it $669. Still cheaper, and the harddrive is even bigger.
Apple doesn't compete in the sub-$1000 range.. the mini is underpowered compared to PCs in the same price range.
I'm not suggesting that they start selling boxed OS/X to load on any X86 clone out there. I'm suggesting that they license a few OEM's to build systems guaranteed "to just work", just like the Apple equivalents. But either limit them contractually to the low end or just have enough faith in their own abilities to make their high-end hardware appealing enough to compete.
I guess I'm assuming that most of Apple's current mac customer base would stick with Apple hardware, either because they can already afford it, or because they're 'cult of Apple' types that would pay extra even if they didn't have to. Maybe that's a false assumption. But if it's not, then low-end clones would mean Apple's computers would be running a 'more mainstream' OS, and would have more available applications. That's got to be good for Apple. Whether it's better they their current monopoly control of a non-mainstream system with limited application availability is an interesting question. I just wonder whether they're asking it of themselves these days.
Posted from my Android phone. Oh, I can change this? There, that's better...
It's not that Macs cost more initially, the question is "why is the same hardware worth less when it's pre-loaded with Windows?"
...a little humor there if you didn't spot it...
Anyway, long term, Macs win hands down in price/maintenance/resale. Yes, we resell Macs after 4-6 years. Most of the PCs are in the dumpster by then.
Most of the stuff on
What the grandparent is trying to say is that you didn't actually list the hardware specifications. There is more than one model of Mac Pro, and I for one seriously doubt that you could undercut one at the same price, unless you build it yourself, and then that would be for perhaps a couple of hundred dollars. I know this because I have played the hardware spec game of Apple vs. PC for more than ten years, and since the G4, the only significant difference in hardware has been the processor. Now with the Intels, I'd have to say that by claiming a $1400 savings, you're blowing smoke. Unless you went with a completely different mid-range, single-core processor vs. the four-core offerings Apple currently has. Also, the PCI vs. the PCIe motherboard will also mean a significant price difference (not to mention it's hard to find video cards for it.) But at that point, the machine is already nothing like the Mac Pro and the comparison fails.
"Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day; set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life