Advice for mom: buying a new notebook computer
So which should you buy? I can’t really tell you. I believe Apple is making sound and powerful notebooks. They certainly make some of the world’s most attractive hardware. The problem for me is that I believe a lot of other companies are also making sound, powerful, and attractive (at least relatively so) computers.
If you have an unlimited budget and are attracted to Apple products than by all means, by an Apple. If you are like the rest of us, buy the best notebook on the Window’s side in your price range.
As a gross comparison I will provide the following. I am not endorsing either product nor am I condemning the other.
The lowest priced Apple notebook at this moment is $1,099.00 without any changes to its configuration. The lowest priced Windows notebook I could find at this moment is $399.00.
To be fair, we will try to find two notebooks as close in features as I can find.
A Dell Inspiron, $849.00
An Apple MacBook Pro, $1,999.00
Note: This is the most expensive Apple notebook but no other Apple notebook comes in a 15 inch screen. 13 inch screens are the default for Apple notebooks.
While it is very hard to compare notebooks across manufacturers, I believe that this is a fair representation. Both notebooks have:
Intel Duo Core 2 processors
2 gigs of Ram
DVD/CD burner and reader
15 inch screen
120 gig HD (both 5400 rpm)
Integrated webcams
My concessions to Apple would be that my wife’s notebook’s (a macbook pro) screen is beautiful and bright. It is clear enough that it is somewhat usable in direct sunlight. I cannot do that with my Dell Inspiron. My screen is matte and her’s is glossy. Maybe that is the difference? Her battery life also blows mine away. I would have to conceed that I bought the cheapest battery at the time. Did I mention buy the biggest battery? 😉
My argument against Apple is that I don’t think buying a Mac is a rational decision based on cost. I think people buy Apple products because they are beautifully designed and they like the look of them.
Wow!!
Lots of info. Writing that much would have taken me three weeks. (assuming I knew what I was writing.) Don’t know what Mom will do as she also has been Apple brainwashed by Apples very smart move into schools. For myself I have always been a two fords vs. one Cadillac guy.