Apple's online store now allows customers to 'Compare Macs'

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
A new "Compare Macs" option was added to Apple's online store Thursday, allowing customers to review the hardware specifications and prices of multiple machines at once.



The Apple Store was down temporarily early Thursday, and returned to quietly offer the unannounced new feature, which was first noted by The Loop. When browsing the Mac section of Apple's online store, the new feature is listed to the left of the product lineup atop the page.



After selecting Compare Macs, users are taken to an interactive Web application in the browser that allows them to select up to three different Macs, including notebooks and desktops. Users can view the standard hardware, or make additions such as more RAM or a larger hard drive, and compare the prices of each machine.



The side-by-side breakdown of each computer is presented in five categories: hardware, software, technical specifications, environmental status report and configuration summary.



After configuring a Mac in the comparison tool, if customers decide they want to buy that machine, they can quickly add it to their cart with the click of a button. In addition, customers save the configuration for later as they ponder their purchase.







Shoppers can also compare prices on Macs from Apple and other resellers by turning to the AppleInsider Mac Pricing Matrix, including below. Deals are available on all current generation Macs, which include the MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini and Mac Pro.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 30
    I do not see this as a big deal. The Macs that the store sells are pretty easy to classify and compare. They do not try and emulate the Dell shopping experience with hundreds of nearly identical models.



    Lets take a look at we find at Apple.com.



    Plastic note book.

    Metal notebook.

    Thin Metal Notebook.

    Note book w/o a screen or battery.

    Notebook with a really big screen but no battery.



    Large cheese grader that starts at 2 bazillion dollars.



    Did I miss anything?



    Ok, so I am being a little sarcastic but it's not like there are dozens of models to compare.
  • Reply 2 of 30
    shaun, ukshaun, uk Posts: 1,050member
    I wish they would let you configure your Mac at the Apple Retail Store for later collection instead of leaving it as an Internet Store option only. I hate buying via the internet as I'm out all day and have had real problems with delivery companies in the past. I would rather visit my local AppleStore, specifiy what configuration I wanted from the options available and collect it at a later date. Either that or stock all the configutation options in-store for popular products like the MB, MBP and iMac. It can't be that difficult.
  • Reply 3 of 30
    This new feature is totally awesome! It pisses over the likes of Dell and HP.



    Disclaimer: I don't work for Apple, but am very slightly biased.
  • Reply 4 of 30
    nkhmnkhm Posts: 928member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigdaddyp View Post


    I do not see this as a big deal. The Macs that the store sells are pretty easy to classify and compare. They do not try and emulate the Dell shopping experience with hundreds of nearly identical models.



    Lets take a look at we find at Apple.com.



    Plastic note book.

    Metal notebook.

    Thin Metal Notebook.

    Note book w/o a screen or battery.

    Notebook with a really big screen but no battery.



    Large cheese grader that starts at 2 bazillion dollars.



    Did I miss anything?



    Ok, so I am being a little sarcastic but it's not like there are dozens of models to compare.



    There are millions of configurations your can customise and compare the end prices, it's a very useful, very intuitively designed feature. Can't wait to pull apart the code and see how the auto scroll/collapse works, very nice indeed.
  • Reply 5 of 30
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkhm View Post


    There are millions of configurations your can customise and compare the end prices, it's a very useful, very intuitively designed feature. Can't wait to pull apart the code and see how the auto scroll/collapse works, very nice indeed.



    Millions?
  • Reply 6 of 30
    onhkaonhka Posts: 1,025member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigdaddyp View Post


    I do not see this as a big deal. The Macs that the store sells are pretty easy to classify and compare. They do not try and emulate the Dell shopping experience with hundreds of nearly identical models.



    Lets take a look at we find at Apple.com.



    Plastic note book.

    Metal notebook.

    Thin Metal Notebook.

    Note book w/o a screen or battery.

    Notebook with a really big screen but no battery.



    Large cheese grader that starts at 2 bazillion dollars.



    Did I miss anything?



    Ok, so I am being a little sarcastic but it's not like there are dozens of models to compare.



    Obviously you did.



    You couldn't have even bothered the check out the Compare Macs feature to make such a dumb assumption?
  • Reply 7 of 30
    I must be blind. I do not see the option.



    ???????



    Dr. L
  • Reply 8 of 30
    Took them long enough!
  • Reply 9 of 30
    onhkaonhka Posts: 1,025member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hledgard View Post


    I must be blind. I do not see the option.



    ???????



    Dr. L



    Go to the Apple Store. Select a Mac. Click the Compare Macs photo in the top bar to the right of the Apple Store icon.



    http://store.apple.com/us/browse/hom...co=MTAyNTQzNDQ



    http://www.macrumors.com/2010/08/19/...tion-sections/
  • Reply 10 of 30
    daharderdaharder Posts: 1,580member
    Apple doesn't really offer enough variety on their computers for many buyers to even care... especially when compared to Windows-based offerings.
  • Reply 11 of 30
    nkhmnkhm Posts: 928member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigdaddyp View Post


    Millions?



    I actually believe there are over 100 million available configurations across the range, can't remember the exact number in amongst the sales pitch from Apple...
  • Reply 12 of 30
    nkhmnkhm Posts: 928member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DaHarder View Post


    Apple doesn't really offer enough variety on their computers for many buyers to even care... especially when compared to Windows-based offerings.



    When you're customising your mac, it's great to have three versions of your ideal machine, customise them side by side, see the cost outcome and then decide which one to "buy now"...
  • Reply 13 of 30
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkhm View Post


    There are millions of configurations your can customise and compare the end prices.



    Actually, there's ony 14, not "millions".

    You can customize these 14 by adding/changing stuff.
  • Reply 14 of 30
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Onhka View Post


    Obviously you did.



    You couldn't have even bothered the check out the Compare Macs feature to make such a dumb assumption?



    I was trying to point out in a somewhat humorous way that there are not that many models to compare. It is a nice enough feature and well implemented but something that I find to be not that a big deal. If it is useful for you then that is great, but still they are not a Dell or HP with dozens or even hundreds of different models to choose from.
  • Reply 15 of 30
    ssquirrelssquirrel Posts: 1,196member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chris_CA View Post


    Actually, there's ony 14, not "millions".

    You can customize these 14 by adding/changing stuff.



    No, you can have multiple CPU, RAM, keyboard language, software, etc options. If you actually look at available number of options in the customization fields it does get into the millions.
  • Reply 16 of 30
    Just needs to let us add refurbished Macs to the comparison.
  • Reply 17 of 30
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SSquirrel View Post


    No, you can have multiple CPU, RAM, keyboard language, software, etc options.



    No, there are only base 14 models to choose from.

    You can customize these 14 models into the "millions" of configurations.



    If there were "millions of configurations your can customise" (as posted by nkhm), there would be +++squillions of possible configurations.
  • Reply 18 of 30
    hledgardhledgard Posts: 265member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Onhka View Post


    Go to the Apple Store. Select a Mac. Click the Compare Macs photo in the top bar to the right of the Apple Store icon.



    http://store.apple.com/us/browse/hom...co=MTAyNTQzNDQ



    http://www.macrumors.com/2010/08/19/...tion-sections/



    Merci ! ! Got it !
  • Reply 19 of 30
    ssquirrelssquirrel Posts: 1,196member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chris_CA View Post


    No, there are only base 14 models to choose from.

    You can customize these 14 models into the "millions" of configurations.



    If there were "millions of configurations your can customise" (as posted by nkhm), there would be +++squillions of possible configurations.



    14 models, millions of configurations between them. Nothing is incorrect in the claim. You're just wrong.





    Low end 21.5" iMac



    Options

    2 Memory

    3 Mouse

    8 keyboard

    3 iwork

    2 final cut express 4

    2 logic express 9

    3 filemaker

    3 Office

    2 Applecare

    3 MobileMe

    2 One to One

    2 Apple Remote

    2 Apple Charger

    4 Printer



    2*3*8*3*2*2*3*3*2*3*2*2*2*4= 995,328 options just for this ONE model. You may not like how they figure this, but that is the metric they are using when making the claim.
  • Reply 20 of 30
    drdoppiodrdoppio Posts: 1,132member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SSquirrel View Post


    ...

    2*3*8*3*2*2*3*3*2*3*2*2*2*4= 995,328 options just for this ONE model. You may not like how they figure this, but that is the metric they are using when making the claim.



    LOL. Let Apple have quality, innovation, good value for the money... but leave variety and choice to others. You cannot have it all -- being too greedy may make one look silly. Just saying.
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