No, a $50k Lamborghini is ridiculously cheap, actually (assuming it's new). Don't they typically cost about 4 times that? For that matter, a $200 diamond could very well be considered expensive, if it was an eighth of a carat. You should be more careful when you choose your examples.
As far as Apple's computers, you don't pay a lot because they use "better" hardware. I could build a PC using off-the-shelf parts (at retail prices) comparable to a PowerMac at half the cost. The reason Macs are so expensive is that you are paying for more than just a computer: Apple hires more/more expensive designers than HP or Dell and designs better-looking cases, even though they may use more expensive materials; you get the intangible benefit of being a "Mac user" (and yes, some people are willing to pay for the privilege, regardless of whether the product is any good or not - Bose, anyone?); and, most importantly, Mac hardware is so expensive because Apple has no competitors (duh).
That was a very long sentence.
Anwyay, you pay for the hardware PLUS the privilege of using their operating system. Most people who know computers know that OSX is easier to use and more powerful than WinXP (ignoring third-party software) The hardware, honestly, isn't all that great. It's often behind the technology curve due to the infrequent upgrade schedule, it can't be overclocked or played with easily, and it's almost prohibitively expensive to upgrade. Don't even get me started on Mac video card prices. I was strongly considering paying the OS tax myself, except that I'd rather have customizable/upgradeable hardware and the ability to play more games.
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No, a $50k Lamborghini is ridiculously cheap, actually (assuming it's new). Don't they typically cost about 4 times that? For that matter, a $200 diamond could very well be considered expensive, if it was an eighth of a carat. You should be more careful when you choose your examples.
As far as Apple's computers, you don't pay a lot because they use "better" hardware. I could build a PC using off-the-shelf parts (at retail prices) comparable to a PowerMac at half the cost. The reason Macs are so expensive is that you are paying for more than just a computer: Apple hires more/more expensive designers than HP or Dell and designs better-looking cases, even though they may use more expensive materials; you get the intangible benefit of being a "Mac user" (and yes, some people are willing to pay for the privilege, regardless of whether the product is any good or not - Bose, anyone?); and, most importantly, Mac hardware is so expensive because Apple has no competitors (duh).
That was a very long sentence.
Anwyay, you pay for the hardware PLUS the privilege of using their operating system. Most people who know computers know that OSX is easier to use and more powerful than WinXP (ignoring third-party software) The hardware, honestly, isn't all that great. It's often behind the technology curve due to the infrequent upgrade schedule, it can't be overclocked or played with easily, and it's almost prohibitively expensive to upgrade. Don't even get me started on Mac video card prices. I was strongly considering paying the OS tax myself, except that I'd rather have customizable/upgradeable hardware and the ability to play more games.