Convince me to buy a macbook pro!

I'm in the exact same situation. For me it ends up being a 500-700 difference in price when i add up the tax, all the discounts for an xps1530, and student discount from apple, depending if i go with the Apple Store or MacMall. I'm trying hard to justify the 500-700 dollar price difference but as of now i can't figure out how. I guess i'm secretly hoping the Dell goes up so i can overlook the price and the better Dell warrantee.

Update: You can also knock an additional 200 off the price using an ADC student membership. I'm still trying to figure out how it works but it looks like a pain in the ass.

 

I agree with you. The higher expense is largely due to exactly that, fanboyism and brand loyalty. There is no technical difference, as a matter of fact, Macs are probably technically challenged (weaker specs) than a comparable PC. This doesnt mean PCs are better...or Macs are better...they are just DIFFERENT computers.

Buy the computer that will suit your needs and your budget. If the Mac is too expensive for you, get a similarly spec'd Dell 1530, they are solid machines too, and I really like them.

People need to examine what they need and how much they are willing to pay, if Macs are out of the pricerange then just dont get one. It's so simple, I dont get why people make such a hassle out of it.

 

You have to ask yourself, WHY do you want an Apple computer? And then you have to justify that reason and ask yourself if its worth the 5-700. Why are you waiting? If you need a computer and the Dell has the same specs, why not just go for it and save the cash...its not like the Apple machine will be any better than the Dell. So I say go with the Dell.

 

I went through two Dell 1530's last fall that died in less than 30 days each. I personally will never ever deal with Dell again. Their customer service is the worst I have ever dealt with. I was just wanting to know WHY the other poster was saying you can't use them for a cost comparison. I personally do not give a patooty about brand loyalty. I just want a nice machine. I was looking at Mac Pro re-furbs and the savings are pretty substantial.

 

I've been a Dell user for years and I get them for even less than most people here as we have a government account through work so it works out substantially cheaper than even EPP. So what does that tell you when someone like me would not buy another Dell?

Cheaper parts are one thing but their designs are clunky. Too much flex in the chassis, trackpads that are way out of tolerance for sensitivities, build quality that leaves a lot to be desired and the screens they use are atrocious. Look at the Dell forums, there are literally thousands of posts on bad screens, some people went through 5-6 exchanges and finally gave up and settled for it because of the hassles.

I don't want to turn this into a Dell bashing but honestly you really cannot compare a Dell to a mac. That's why I mentioned the Vaio line as they use better parts, more functional designs and significantly better LCD panels. If these things are not important to you then you should look at Dell, HP et al... and save yourself some money.

But the biggest advantage of a mac IMO isn't merely the hardware and design but rather the OS. OSX is amazing and this is coming from a die hard windows user till this year. It is something that has to be experienced to be appreciated.

We can compare specs and prices all day long but the things that don't make it on to a spec sheet are the difference. And herein lies the trick in trying to convince someone to buy a mac. It can't be done. One has to experience it which is what I did. I bought a MBP from a place that had a 14 day no-questions-asked return period (eg. BestBuy). I ended up keeping mine and have decided to change all our PCs in our house to macs before year end.

 

OSX is a major reason why I chose the MBP over the Sony Vaio FZ. Also, I like the fact that I can take my MBP to an Apple Store to get it looked at for problems. I had to do that recently due to some weird battery problem. We couldn't reproduce it for some reason while I was there, but they still offered to run some tests on it. 24 hours later they called back saying nothing was wrong with it. These days its not just the quality of the parts, its the quality of the service department that plays into many purchases.

 

As a user that never used a Mac but has seem plenty around the University. You are right, when you purchase a Mac, you are paying them for the Engineering they put into the machine to put all those part together in a tight case while still looking elegant. Macs are nice but I just can't stand the arrogant fanboyism of the Mac Users. One day I will be converted, but until then I hate you all.

 

Thinking hard about coming to the dark side. Has any one here bought a re-furb from Apple. It looks like they come with the same warranty.

 

Screen quality and design, along with OS is the main difference I see. (Although you CAN get better laptop screens than Apple offers). If you just compare them by the spec sheet, then yes, you can get a PC with the same specs for cheaper. But that PC won't have OS X, which should be the reason for buying a Mac, above all else... There's also some neat features like a multi-touch trackpad, backlit keyboard, LED backlit screen, very, very good speaker quality, and magsafe adapter. But in the end you are still paying a premium for an Apple computer. If you would prefer to get a normal PC rather than pay a premium, then you obviously don't need or want OS X, or unfortunatley simply can't afford it. If someone wanted OS X, and has the money, then chances are, they'd get a Mac, even though a PC with similar specs would cost them less.

Also if you're comparing the MBP to say, a Dell Inspiron then take into account the GPU on the MBP uses GDDR3 while the Inspiron does not. Has the Inspiron moved to Penryn too though?

 

Haven't personally, but I've heard only great things about Apple refurbs. They should feel and function like brand new ones. Worst thing I heard about a refurb was a scratch or two on the case. And yes they come with full warranties. Apple just cut prices on the older model refurb MBPs too.

 

I love the macbook pros.

My two suite mates both have the santa rosa macbook pros.

I have a Compal IFL90

One roomate has the iMac w/ATI 1600

The other had a Dell inspirion 17 something.

The dell crapped out and is a ginormous eyesore.

Macbook pros are awesome, but personally I hate the dull grey color they have.

I much prefer my Matte black... ;P

Then again laptops are all about preference!

 

Yeah, reading through the first two pages of this thread was painful. In my opinion, I don't think it helped the OP that much. Apple users tend to get so defensive, right or wrong. It's almost pathetic. If people want to use Mac, that's great. If there are those who prefer to stick with Windows, then that's great to. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone who tries Mac OS X is going to become a convert, even with Microsoft's inept operating systems. At the end of the day, are you getting the job done that justifies you spending any amount of money on a new laptop? That's the question everyone should be asking to themselves.

 

Wow, how can you say that, that's a real copout and it's totally unnecessary to dismiss the Sony. You cannot conveniently dismiss the Sony because you feel it's convenient to do so. I notice many people who complain about the price of a Macintosh will dismiss Sony's ridiculously high priced PC's as if they are justified as well as it reduces their opportunity to complain about the price of a Mac.

At least on an Apple Macintosh you get a unique system that boots multiple OS's natively as well as great build quality, fit and finish.
On Sony you get great fit and finish but it's still a common Windows only PC but they cost extremely higher than a Dell machine so if you are going to complain about the price for a Mac against a Dell you have to answer to someone who calls you out about the cost of a Sony.

Also you mentioned Dell being the most popular IBM clone? Popular doesn't make it the best or best value.

 

Uhh, I dismiss Sony's after hearing about my uncle's horrible experience with them. Here is the story:

My uncle bought a new computer for my aunt. It was a good computer for about 3 - 4 months. The bad thing however was that the warrranty only covered it for 3 months and on the 4th month, for no reason at all, the Sony's screen started cracking. They tried to get Sony to fix the screen but Sony said the cost would be $600 without the warranty, which expired less than a measily month ago. So my uncle bought my Aunt a mac, and gave me and my brother the Sony .

Experiences like that can just ruin the reputation for certain people. And even though that event did not happen to me, I know I will definitely not be looking at a Sony as my next computer anytime soon. I actually would tell others to stay away from them if asked for advice.

My point is, people are perfectly justified to dismiss other companies for their reasons. But if it has nothing to do with a bad experience, it would be nice to say why....

 

I picked up a Macbook a year ago after previously owning both PC (Windows/Linux) and early-model Mac notebooks. The price difference with Apple's education discount for a similarly spec'd PC with comparable build quality (I compared to Thinkpads, Latitudes, and XPS) was marginal (some in favour of Apple). What made up my mind were the form factor and, more importantly, the OS; Mac's OS is superior to Windows in terms of stability, security – viruses are rampant in places such as Mongolia!, productivity and power management, and has less glitches – a given considering the enormous variety of available PC hardware/bios configurations – and superior power management compared to Linux.

After a year of daily use and extensive fieldwork, my Macbook has held up very well. I would prefer a brighter screen – as in LED screens used on other Macbook versions and several PCs – to allow for improved outdoor use, which will factor into my decision when I'm in the market for a replacement.

I recently installed Ubuntu on my girlfriend's HP, and am far more impressed with the current release than past versions. Should a future release (or alternate distro) overcome the said limitations, then I'll be glad to have more options in terms of notebooks. Until then, the Mac OS (and integrated software) provides too many advantages to trade for little or no price difference, though I'd be willing to pay somewhat of a premium for what it offers if necessary. That does seem to be the case with the Macbook Pro, but I'd expect to pay extra for the improved hardware configuration as well – i.e., a 15" widescreen in a smaller and lighter package than the competition without sacrificing battery, performance, HDD storage capacity, or build quality. It really boils down to one's needs and priorities, which will always vary widely among users.

 

1) Easy. I don't like the Sony Keyboard or monitor. I don't like the product. I can dismiss Sony or any another brand as quickly as I like as long as I'm the one paying for it.

2) You really think so?

3) I never implied it was. In fact I shared my experience with Dell and that pretty much should have explained my stance on Dell.

 

I can easailly live with a scratch. It won't be long before I add one or two myself. The older MBP's are like $400+ off the price of a new one.

 

That is a small portion of it, but yes.

I think the reason that we have "fanboys" (A term which I think is annoying in it self) is because Mac users are constantly under attack by Windows lovers/fanatics. (The PC side has fanboys too, they just don't get called that).

But as you can see, people like jcovelli come to Mac discussion threads and troll to trash on Macs, while offering no facts, and after a while it really grinds on nerves.

The reason to switch to a Mac? Because you like it. Go look at them in person at a store, play with the a little, and ask yourself if it's right for you. If not, go buy a Dell/Sony/HP if you feel it's better.

But if you want to see a real laptop fanatic, check us Panasonic guys out. Almost every one of us in that section has ripped their toughbook down completely, soldered something, and modified it pretty well. I'm also willing to bet $10 that nobody else would use their laptop as a bullet proof shield besides us

 

Well, I think the whole issue of "Mac fanboyism" is a lot more overblown that it really is. Most of the time, users of a product will defend it if its being attacked, no? "Oh, you think that Toyota really sucks? I've had that car for ten years now, it still runs great, I love it!". Unless you had issues with it, most likely you'll defend the product you bought.

With Macs, its the same...many Windows users constantly attack Mac users, about everything possible. And most Mac users love their Macs, which is why they will defend it.

Of course, there are a few fanatics that should not represent the Mac user base as a whole.

 

Of course you can, you merely say that they overprice their machines even worse than Apple does.

As you do pcs.

No, because Sonys are a poor match to compare with Macs. You should compare them on value-for-money basis rather than a straight price basis. If you take a £300-400 Dell Inspiron consumer laptop and compare it to a £1000-2000 MBP business laptop then of course you'll come to the conclusion that the Mac is better, choose something comparable such as a Dell Latitude and you'll get a different picture.

Could you enlighten me as to how something can be "extremely silent"

Yeah, because plastic and aluminum really count as high-quality materials......

Untrue.

Nothing special.

It depends what you pay for and, concerning case designs: I far prefer a slightly dull but extremely durable case to a flimsy but sleek one.

I'm betting you went for the barest minimum with no added support, did you not? You get what you pay for...

By "better parts", you mean "more expensive because you've paid more" and "more functional designs" you mean "designs that look cool"?

I might actually try that for my next pc, if I can find a niche for the Mac to fit: I need a high-performance desktop replacement (Currently filled by my Dell Latitude D610) and an Ultraportable notebook (Currently filled by my Latitude D420), I'm not sure if Apple can replace either.

Comparing an Inspiron to an MBP is an excercise in futility. As I said before, of course the £1000 MBP will be better than the £400 Insprion.

 

Useless fanboy post.

 

Yep. As the saying goes, "there's a clown in every circus".

 

I think you misunderstood my post. If you bothered to read what I quoted you'd see the user was trying to justify some price difference between other laptops, like a Dell compared to a Mac. I was just bringing to his attention that If he was in fact comparing it to something like an Inspiron, he should take some of the differences in hardware into account, like the GDDR3 in the GPU.

Also, it's my opinion that every Dell line except for the 13-15 inch XPS's (yes the 17 inch XPS) are just plain ugly. I seriously wouldn't be caught dead owning one. My brother has an inspiron, and yes, it's damn ugly and huge. I'd rather pay more for a laptop that had some good design and engineering efforts put into it, than a huge black box with laughable attempts to make it look something stylish. I know people say "well they're meant to look professional." I just never thought professional = ugly.

 

Arquis,
Your points were indeed noted. I got so wrapped up in comparing the specs that I failed top consider build quality. I definatly place a value on that. Photography is a hobby and I keep hearing from other photogs how great the MBP's are. In either event your post was helpfull to me as were most others. Sometimes it really is fairly difficult to sort out what is the best value, or more importantly what is the best choice for me. Thank you to those who responded sincerely.

 

Let's try to keep this place a little less finger-pointing, please . Thanks!

 

The issue I was having with your dismissal of the Sony Vaio is the same issue I have when I see posters doing the same thing as you. You for example like many others complain about the price of an Apple Macintosh vs. a Dell then someone will quote you and call you out and say, "Why not compare the Mac to the Sony Vaio?" The answer generally is, "Oh I'm not even going to say anything about Sony because it's crap!"
Truth of the matter is those replies are just copout's because you know as well as everyone else that Sony's build quality is good their pricing is on par if not higher than a Mac and that's the machine you are suppose to compare to the Mac, not the Dell.

The XPS 1530 is a fine machine in terms of specs alone but it stops there, I have played with it and the build quality is pretty bad with the spray painted keys and cheezy plastic lid and cheap looking brushed alu palm rests. Because the Dell's build quality is poorer the pricing will be lower than a Macintosh but you have to compare a Mac to what's on par with it.

Honestly Sony has no just call to be so much more higher than other PC's just because they are built a little better but since they do it's only fair to compare a Mac to them.
People like you only compare the Dell to a Mac because it's easy to pick on Apple because some of you just don't really like the company.

 

Yeah I will admit my friends m1330 feels very well built. Just as good as my macbook. The xps line is very good indeed. If configure the dell with all the high end components that are in the macbook pro we are going to get a lesser price of about $200. So lets see you also with the pro get an led display a backlit keyboard and a very impressive thinness all around the machine. so yes the $200 is justified.

 

In addition to what's already been mentioned about build quality differences, both HP and Dell seem to have this issue with their last two models and current ones with what's being described as a "cpu whine". It just so happens that this problem surfaced with the introduction of the C2D cpus but it's not actually coming from the CPU but something in the board design that causes this intermittent high-pitched noise. I saw two new Dells and a current HP model that had this whine and it's horrible, especially if one has good hearing. The HP and Dell boards are full of posts about this yet there's been no fix or even any acknowledgement buy either HP or Dell about this seemingly widespread issue.

I have no idea how apple did it, but both my wife's MBP and mine have zero whine using the same CPUs. I even listened to some display models of MBPs and none had this.

I'm not even going to go into the other huge problem affecting many dell notebooks with the buzz-noise through headphones (you can google that one if you like), and all these little things just keep adding up yet we'll see no end to people trying to tell others how one can save so much going with a Dell and that macs are such a rip-off.

Personally, I think this thread should be closed.

 

Well, guess it may be just mine, but I do have CPU whine. Although nothing close to as loud as I heard some of those XPS's get! CPU whine for me happens in Vista, and it sounds like morris code, and if you scroll the browser window it goes away, but comes back when you stop. I think Apples solution had something to do with OS X itself. In OS X the only way to hear it is if you press your ear up against the keyboard and try... then you can faintly make it out.

 

I know, I was merely also pointing out that even a similarly speced one would be an unfair comparison.

I hate to say it, but I actually agree with you here: Dell have a long way to go in making laptops that can match the likes of Apple in terms of looks. I have found that the Latitude looks grow on you over time, you won't love them but you won't hate them.

 

Didn't you post this on another thread?

"It's amazing that the only negative and rude responses come from the common PC lovin' crowd. As soon as I read a very rude post I check out the signature and it's proves it to be from a common PC... "

I guess you just proved yourself wrong. In either event this will be my last response to you. I have no idea what you are talking about. I never said Sony was crap. I never made any price comparisons to Dell. I only asked another poster why they wouldn't compare the two and received an explanation. You obviously chose to to over look that.

 

I had all of those issues with the two Dells I received. Please don't even get me started on the third lap top they built and sent to me after I told them I wanted a refund. I refused the shipment that I never ordered and they still billed me for it. It took months of fighting Dell Hell with Visa to get my money back.
Never again.

 

I haven't read all the 9 pages, but just judging from the title itself, it really looks like you've had a good look at the MBP, love it, but for some reason still can't pull the trigger.

You're stuck now. You want to get the MBP. Go get it!