macdef wrote:
>
> Sorry to keep this off-topic thread going, but I have an
> obsessive-compulsive need to correct misinformation ;)
>
> Shawn Lin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >Macs commanded a premium price on hardware
>
> This was definitely true in the past, but it is not any longer.
Yes, but when I switched from Mac to PC *was* in the past when it was
very true.
Even my sister's G3 Mac that she needed for Graphic Design class cost 3x
more than what my dad and I could build her an equivelently powerful PC
for. Obviously G3 is still old enough to be considered "the past", but
it wasn't THAT long ago.
Even now, I doubt a Mac costs less than some cheap mail-order E-machines
PC clone.
> The thing most people forget about the "cost" issue is that the VAST
> majority of consumers don't build their own machine, and will never upgrade
> their computer (processor upgrade, etc.) in the future. When their current
> computer gets old/outdated, they sell it (or hand it down) and buy a new
> one. This is true of both Windows PCs and Macs.
Perhaps, but for myself, generational upgradeability is essential. I
have had this same "box" sitting next to me for about 4 years, the one I
had before I had for also 4-years or so. I think you also underestimate
the number of consumers that attempt their own upgrades. Even retail
stores like Best Buy stock motherboards, CPUs, and cases. The
mail-order scene for raw PC components (HD's, CPUs, heatsinks,
motherboards, etc.) is HUGE. A popular PC hardware DIY oriented website
I go to happens to be one of the busiest websites I ever get on
(http://www.anandtech.com).
> That being the case, the above statement about "Mac price premiums" is only
> true if you build your own machine. If you buy from a name vendor, as the
> majority of consumers do, there is no longer a price premium. For the same
> money, you get as much or more buying a Mac nowadays. And you can upgrade
> most Mac processors nowadays for pretty cheap as well.
I have seen name-brand PC's from Dell for $500 or so.
I'm going to guess that a lot of people DO build their own machines as
well. All my friends desktop PC's are homebuilt.
I also prefer homebuilt PC's because if it breaks, I can replace the
broken part for pretty cheap, even if the broken part is the
motherboard. I've seen good ones for less than $50, although I've
actually never had to replace one.
The motherboard on my sister's G3 Mac mysteriously went bad. I did the
initial diagnosis and I was right, but I couldn't get a new motherboard
for it. Used motherboards at the time were $300 on Ebay, and weren't
the same revision. She had to ship that thing to an Apple repair center
to get the motherboard replaced. I seem to remember it was fairly
expensive as well. I don't personally like things that aren't
DIY-friendly.
Mac may be best for you, but PC is best for many people and there will
have to be a LOT of changes before a Mac is right for everyone.
Shawn
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