Why are macs so expensive?

[mafao]

What can OSX do that Windows or Linux can't (and Linux can do most of it better). Seriously, the OSX kernel is utter shyte when compared to the Linux kernel...

Where do you have this nonsense from? There are no significant benchmark differences between latest Windows, Linux or Mac. The kernels are already as good as it gets. Compared to Windows, OSX has much more bells and whistles out of box (such as Unix, launchd, automator etc.). Compared to Linux (which linux are you talking about btw, there are more distros out there than stars in the sky), it has a unified user interface and APIs. You can do almost everything on any of these systems. IMHO, Linux is superior for servers (I run a number of virtual linux server machines for various purposes on my Mac), while OS X offers a better user experience. Windows... well, I can't do any work with that anymore, its just too inflexible and clunky in my taste. Windows is for gaming though.

BTW, AFAIK not every Linux distro allows you to hard link directories. This is possible on OS X.

And they're both based on Unix!

Go say it to Torvalds ^^ Linux is a completely independent product which is not based on anything. Yes, it intends a degree of compatibility with Unix, but thats a different thing. Darwin (OS) X is a FreeBSD with combined Mach/FreeBSD kernel, so its true Unix. Linux is not Unix-certified by the way. Not that it means anything much, anyway.

[evilcast]

I can't tell you how many people I know that bought $1200 Dells with Windows Vista that had 0 functionality after 12 months...

you're not a fanboi are u? NO not at all lol. I've built my own pc's for years now and never had a problem. Always get 3+ years out of them. I'm just not stupid enough to spend apples asking price.

Infracted.

[gasperk]

you pay for the brand and the color. PC's are superior in every way, and cheaper.

Pretty much this.

If you have tons of money and dont know what to do with it. Throw it away into expensive Mac and then you can brag around that you have Apple product... yaaay.

---------- Post added 2012-08-02 at 02:39 PM ----------

you're not a fanboi are u? NO not at all lol. I've built my own pc's for years now and never had a problem. Always get 3+ years out of them. I'm just not stupid enough to spend apples asking price.

But there are tons of Apple sheeps who are

[fruust]

i am a pc user but have been developing a lot on a mac.
i think both platforms are equal but i won't support apple as long as they keep it such a hassle to develop stuff for their platforms.
all the certificates, wait and shazz needed to get an app up on app store is almost not worth it.

[Drunkenvalley]

They make other OEMs build the hardware for them and then just put a Corsair label. It's not that impressive.

No, but paying every penny of transporting goods to Netherlands, then not even looking at the product before sending a new one in return with overnight shipping? That part is pretty impressive. :|

[Wries]

What can OSX do that Windows or Linux can't (and Linux can do most of it better). Seriously, the OSX kernel is utter shyte when compared to the Linux kernel... And they're both based on Unix!.

Linux has poor third party support. Video editing/gfx-wise there are some advanced solutions, say for example Smoke for Linux being better than the mac port (afaik), but you can't have it as an all-round video editing platform (say base an entire post-house around linux) when Adobe software, Avid etc isn't available for Linux.

Normal user concerns? Well, in Linux's case there's gaming (shocker!) ;o Windows windows winows. Developers developers developers!

(Regarding fluency)
It doesn't.

Depends. In terms of speed, no. We're not in 2001, all OS:es run fluent if you got the know-how and decent components. But in smoothness that is to say for example scrolling down a web page expecting natural movement of the page (err.. if the page was on some kind of oily surface), OSX does behave differently compared to windows. What one might feel about that is highly subjective.

[haxartus]

No, but paying every penny of transporting goods to Netherlands, then not even looking at the product before sending a new one in return with overnight shipping? That part is pretty impressive. :|

The customers service is good, yes. As well as the component quality. And they don't overcharge you for everything, like Apple.

[Wries]

So you pay them twice the amount in advance so if it breaks you get a new one?

Ok so find me an ultrabook that cost half of what I paid for my macbook air. Preferably with thunderbolt.

edit: $1,299.00

[Horrid Crow]

Then you have the people who like to shout that OSX is a superior operating system, despite the fact that anyone even close to being a power user will end up running Parrallels at some point due to the significantly smaller amount of OSX programs compared with Windows.

We're living in 2012. I can run everything I want on OS X.
As a graphic designer, for every program I need on Windows, I can find a (better) alternative on Mac.

[wvx]

As with all "brand" names , you pay 30-40% the parts and 60-70% the Name on the case .

[Wries]

discussed MBP also doesn't have dedicated GPU. I grabbed that laptop for comparison simply because it is hard to find official statement on battery life, most manufacturers list only battery specs but not actual time because it is dependent on usage scenarios.

However just FYI here is some comparison of different ultrabooks and their battery life is no worse than MBA (even better in some cases)
http://www.hightech-edge.com/best-th...tebooks/13475/

Discussed MBP does have a dedicated GPU. All 15" models do. Interesting that you didn't catch that. It's not a bad one either considering the laptop's thickness.

[anb]

Discussed MBP does have a dedicated GPU. All 15" models do. Interesting that you didn't catch that.

yeah which one then? i saw no info about GPU on macbook tech page i linked before:

Specifications

2.3GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz
4GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
Backlit Keyboard (English) & User's Guide (English)

P.S. nwm, found it on another page.

[kymmico]

I recently compared a baseline Macbook Pro(1200$) to a Lenovo 340E($600)

The Lenovo weighs .2 more pounds but also has a 1 inch larger screen and a 1 hour longer lasting battery.

The processors are a 2.5GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 for the Macbook Pro and a Intel Core i3-2350M. I compared them on the Intel site here, http://ark.intel.com/compare/53452,53438, and the Macbook Pro processor seems to be only a very slight advantage over the Lenovo one.

Both computers have the same ram.

The hard drive for the Macbook Pro is a 500GB 5400-rpm Hard-drive Vs. Lenovo's hard drive is a 320GB Hard-Drive with a 7200RPM difference. From what I understand, macs is slightly better but it can also be up to personal preference.

I also brought the Macbook Air in the comparison ($999) and it literally gets blow out of the water in every tech spec, making it weigh so little (~2.2 pounds)

I did all this to research the computer to get for college, and when I found this out it kind of surprised me, any opinions?

To answer your question: Because it's a brand name and because they can.

I would like to add to your search for a computer for college by saying...PC's and Mac's each excel at certain things. I have both. However, I use the Mac primarily for video/audio editing (and it's my back-up computer when I'm doing heavy processing on the PC) and I use the PC for (almost) everything else. My main reasoning for this is because I grew up on a PC and I'm used to it. There's nothing wrong with either of them.

Although I WILL say, if you get a Mac - - you NEED to put an antivirus on it. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise, they are wrong (I have explanations for why they are wrong, but this is not the place to go into it - if you're curious, PM me).

[noteworthynerd]

I'm gonna go ahead and lock this thread here, it's been mostly civil, but the flaming is starting to pick up (despite my in-thread warning that was subsequently edited into the first post) and the thread is starting to outlive its usefulness...