Build Your Own Mac

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I have a friend who says he has not purchased a computer in more than ten years. "It's a waste of money," he says, "when all I need to do is get a new part once in a while." He built his own Windows PC many years ago, and the "new part" he mentions may include a motherboard with new processor. I believe the only thing original is the box itself!



I find it appealing that he is able to do this, and wonder whether such a strategy would work for Apple? Modified of course. Suppose Apple chose to build something like a consumer mini tower, a universal, low-end Mac. Just for this model, Apple could create their own standard motherboard pattern, and use that pattern for all future revisions. Then, beside selling just this model of Mac, Apple could enter the component market. Actually, Apple would need to sell just three new items in the Apple store.



First would be the motherboard, which would come packaged with the latest version of OS X. In this way, it would keep someone from building a Mac without buying an OS. Also, if several years later someone upgraded the motherboard, it would insure the OS was updated too. Some may object to this, but I think it would be good business.



Second would be the case. Apple may have a different case than the standard PC box. Selling the case also has advantages. It give Apple a little more business, and it offer the opportunity to make special cases at a little higher price. Third party cases may start to appear too if such a thing catches on. Designer cases may become fashionable. Someone might like a camouflage case that looks like a piece of military equipment. The possibilities are endless.



Third would be a power supply. Apple might choose to use a standard, off the shelf supply and avoid selling the supply. It would be their choice from an engineering and marketing perspective. Of course Apple would sell a keyboard and mouse and even display to some customers too.



Surely most would simply buy the off the shelf Mac, already built. But having the option to build your own, and easily upgrade later, would be very attractive to many customers. Comments?



[ 01-16-2003: Message edited by: snoopy ]</p>

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    thuh freakthuh freak Posts: 2,664member
    it's actually possible now to build your own mac now. there was a /. on it a while back. for the life of me i cant remember what site it linked to. you can use peecee cases, or cleared out mac cases, and i think peecee power supplies too. the mobo doesn't come from apple, i think; i dont remember where it does come from tho.
  • Reply 2 of 3
    snoopysnoopy Posts: 1,901member
    I didn't make a good subject for this posting. It would have been better as "Should Apple Sell a Mac Kit?" I really wasn't interested in how people can build their own Mac now, but am looking at it as a possible business opportunity for Apple. There seem to be good reasons for Apple to have a lower priced Mac, to boost market share, but it is unreasonable for Apple to offer a $399 Mac as some suggest. However, a starter kit might sell for that, or not much more. Let's say Apple offers the motherboard with processor and some RAM, OS X, a case, a power supply and a fan for less than $500 in a kit? Each of these items would be available separately too, but the kit would offer a little price break. The assembled version consumer mini tower might sell for $799, with drives and fully tested. This is low-end equipment I am suggesting. Maybe a G3, or whatever is in the iBook at the time.
  • Reply 3 of 3
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    [quote] Originally posted by thuh Freak:

    it's actually possible now to build your own mac now. there was a /. on it a while back. for the life of me i cant remember what site it linked to. you can use peecee cases, or cleared out mac cases, and i think peecee power supplies too. the mobo doesn't come from apple, i think; i dont remember where it does come from tho.
    <hr></blockquote>





    <a href="http://www.macopz.com/buildamac/"; target="_blank">http://www.macopz.com/buildamac/</a>;



    Is this the link you were thinking of?



    [ 01-17-2003: Message edited by: CubeDude ]</p>
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