Doing the Math On the New MacBook

Technologizer writes "Apple's new MacBook is a significantly different machine than its predecessor — a slicker laptop at a higher price point. But does it carry a large price premium over similar Windows PCs? I did a painstaking spec-by-spec comparison versus three roughly comparably-configured Windows machines, and came to the conclusion that the value it offers for price paid is not out of whack with the Windows world." The article uses the phrase "Mac tax," which one commenter points out is a recent Microsoft marketing canard.

Comments

Re:Well, someone paid a tax

[TitusC3v5]

Nonsense. Everybody who's anybody knows the real tax you pay with a Mac is the pain of being hipper than all of your friends.

Re:the big diff

[sqrt(2)]

And thank goodness for that!

(Mod me down, it was worth it)

Re:Well, someone paid a tax

[Anonymous Coward]

It's all relative. For the average slashdotter to be hipper than all his friends he can do any of the following:

1. Walk up to a girl and say "hi".
2. Move out of his parents basement.
3. Shower.
4. Stop reading /.
5. Stop quoting The Simpsons/Star Wars/Monty Python/etc.
6. Beat the Cheetos and Mountain Dew addiction.
7. You know what - screw this list. I'm way too hip for this.

I also like this

[caitsith01]

From Apple's Macbook mini-site:

All engineered to standards that don't even exist yet.

So there you have it. If Apple is funding the development of technology to send their designers into the future, where they must then spend years infiltrating futuristic IEEE meetings before returning to the present to design laptops, then of course their machines will be a little more expensive.

But just think of the money you'll save when you can browse the Omninet using remote mind-control in 3245AD while those Dell suckers are stuck with forking out for Dell's by-then outdated brain-implant technology.

Re:I also like this

[lymond01]

All engineered to standards that don't even exist yet.

Is that even possible? That's like giving directions and using landmarks that haven't been built yet. "Do a gravity-assisted left turn as you approach over Moon Base Alpha...Stay on course until you see the Asteroid Collection Colony...go through the Ceres tunnel...and then it's basically a straight shot to Jupiter Red Spot Resort and Spa."

Re:Well, someone paid a tax

[Anonymous Coward]

You forgot ... profit!

Re:From artickle

[SL Baur]

"The differences between OS X and Windows are far more significant than any spec I discuss in this article.

Oh, but it's very simple. Unix (4 legs) good, not Unix (2 legs) bad.

Re:You've been owned

[Uberbah]

Tell me, what is the marginal utility of that special Mac aura?

What is the marginal utility of your snob aura?

Re:One big difference: discounts.

[RulerOf]

More like old bread with a specially seasoned crust?

Re:Well, someone paid a tax

[goombah99]

8. Just saying "I'm hipper" with confidence. Man that should be hard enough.

No you should use the latin:

8) I'm a Hippo

Re:You've been owned

[wolfemi1]

Stuff like being able to write appx 10% faster is also the "marginal" utility of a Mac.

Sorry, but I just love the irony of writing about avoiding hitting neighbouring keys on the keyboard, then hitting one in the next sentence. :)