How Come Mac Book Pros Are so much better than competition??

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Macs used to be associated with more expensive, but also better hardware than pc's.



Im a pc and mac user, and in the market for buying a new laptop pc.



I just can't find ANYTHING that compares in spec and price to the mac book pro. I mean either dell, sony or IBM offers anything that matches the mid range macbook pro 15".



Apple is basically the only laptop producer that offers a thin/light notebook with a top class graphics card, at a reasonable price.





So i guess i will be buying a mac book pro only to run windows on it. Weird.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xyz001 View Post


    Macs used to be associated with more expensive, but also better hardware than pc's.



    Im a pc and mac user, and in the market for buying a new laptop pc.



    I just can't find ANYTHING that compares in spec and price to the mac book pro. I mean either dell, sony or IBM offers anything that matches the mid range macbook pro 15".



    Apple is basically the only laptop producer that offers a thin/light notebook with a top class graphics card, at a reasonable price.





    So i guess i will be buying a mac book pro only to run windows on it. Weird.



    Heh. That's what some initial reports I am getting indicate. People buying MacBookPro 15" to run Winblows. ...It's that ultra teh sexay nVidia 8600M GT card and super bright and clear and enviro-guiltfree LED-backlight screen.



    Core 2 Duo 2.2ghz 128mb VRAM or 2.4ghz 256mb VRAM, expandable to 4GB, w00t. Ready to rock. Please put in a 7200rpm drive though...!! (custom order????)
  • Reply 2 of 16
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xyz001 View Post


    I just can't find ANYTHING that compares in spec and price to the mac book pro. I mean either dell, sony or IBM offers anything that matches the mid range macbook pro 15".



    Apple is basically the only laptop producer that offers a thin/light notebook with a top class graphics card, at a reasonable price.



    So i guess i will be buying a mac book pro only to run windows on it. Weird.



    I found this out recently too and it came as a nice surprise, normally I have to say to PC users that they are only a little more expensive. Finally I can say they are cheaper and by quite a significant margin too. Apple still need to do a little work on the low end though so fingers crossed for Mini and iMac updates soon. Macbooks moving to Santa Rosa would also be good.
  • Reply 3 of 16
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Do also note that all MacBook (not Pro) Core2Duos support up to 3GB RAM. In this case, as per MacBookPro (non SantaRosa) go with 2x2GB for dual-channel, matched pair, etc. etc. benefits even though you see only about 3GB not 4GB.
  • Reply 4 of 16
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    I found this out recently too and it came as a nice surprise, normally I have to say to PC users that they are only a little more expensive. Finally I can say they are cheaper and by quite a significant margin too. Apple still need to do a little work on the low end though so fingers crossed for Mini and iMac updates soon. Macbooks moving to Santa Rosa would also be good.



    In Asia anyway the ultraportable laptop to go up against the Sony Vaios are more important. Due to very crammed cities, rough public and private transport, and let's face it, smaller and less physically strong people compared to caucasians. Edit: I am of Asian heritage, 159 pounds (72kg) and 5'7" (170cm) ...Somewhat above Asian average height. Though I am a frickin' DWARF in Australia !!!! ...Luckily I am in Asia now. Heh.
  • Reply 5 of 16
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    I found this out recently too and it came as a nice surprise, normally I have to say to PC users that they are only a little more expensive. Finally I can say they are cheaper and by quite a significant margin too. Apple still need to do a little work on the low end though so fingers crossed for Mini and iMac updates soon. Macbooks moving to Santa Rosa would also be good.



    2.2ghz and 2.4ghz 15-inchers are selling like hotcakes around the world. Distinct stock shortage in Asia Pacific right now, from my albeit 2nd-hand information.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xyz001 View Post


    Macs used to be associated with more expensive, but also better hardware than pc's.



    Im a pc and mac user, and in the market for buying a new laptop pc.



    I just can't find ANYTHING that compares in spec and price to the mac book pro. I mean either dell, sony or IBM offers anything that matches the mid range macbook pro 15".



    Apple is basically the only laptop producer that offers a thin/light notebook with a top class graphics card, at a reasonable price.





    So i guess i will be buying a mac book pro only to run windows on it. Weird.



    They have economy of scale over the smaller high end makers.



    Also, you can get one of the new Dells with the same specifications as the low end Macbook Pro at about $500 cheaper. They are a pound heavier though and nowhere near as sharp looking.
  • Reply 7 of 16
    xyz001xyz001 Posts: 117member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BenRoethig View Post




    Also, you can get one of the new Dells with the same specifications as the low end Macbook Pro at about $500 cheaper. They are a pound heavier though and nowhere near as sharp looking.





    Im not even sure that Dell can actually match Apple's offer, even with a bulkier model. Last time I cheked the Dell was more expensive.



    Remember that it needs to have 2GB's of RAM, a 2.2 or 2.4 GHZ processor and a Nividia 8600 128-256 MB ram graphics card.
  • Reply 8 of 16
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xyz001 View Post


    Im not even sure that Dell can actually match Apple's offer, even with a bulkier model. Last time I cheked the Dell was more expensive.



    Remember that it needs to have 2GB's of RAM, a 2.2 or 2.4 GHZ processor and a Nividia 8600 128-256 MB ram graphics card.



    Inspiron 1520

    2.2ghz core 2 Duo

    256mb Geforce 8600M GT

    2GB RAM

    1440x900 display

    160GB 5400 RPM hard drive

    Wireless-N

    Bluetooth 2.0EDR

    HiCap battery

    $1593



    1.47-1.65" thick

    6.4 Pounds
  • Reply 9 of 16
    xyz001xyz001 Posts: 117member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BenRoethig View Post


    Inspiron 1520

    2.2ghz core 2 Duo

    256mb Geforce 8600M GT

    2GB RAM

    1440x900 display

    160GB 5400 RPM hard drive

    Wireless-N

    Bluetooth 2.0EDR

    HiCap battery

    $1593



    1.47-1.65" thick

    6.4 Pounds



    Thats true. I couldn't find that one before. Dell's product line has to be the most confusing EVER. The amount of catagories, subcatagories, and different grafical representations you encounter on the online shop is just endless....



    well its around $400 cheaper, and that is without Vista Professional, which you would need, to log on a company network.



    Still it is difficult to find anything from sony or IBM that matches...
  • Reply 10 of 16
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xyz001 View Post


    Thats true. I couldn't find that one before. Dell's product line has to be the most confusing EVER. The amount of catagories, subcatagories, and different grafical representations you encounter on the online shop is just endless....



    Definitely. I found another Dell that can also be compared to the MBP:



    XPS M1210 (presumably 15", it doesn't say)

    Intel® Core? 2 Duo T7400 (2.16GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB)

    Genuine Windows Vista? Home Premium

    Integrated Webcam and Mobile Broadband Antenna

    2GB Dual Shared Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz (2 Dimms)

    120GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)

    8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability

    256MB NVIDIA® GeForce? Go 7400 TurboCache?

    Integrated Audio

    Dell 1505 Wireless-N

    Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate)



    $1871



    vs $1999 for the MBP which has faster graphics and slightly faster CPUs.



    It's weird for a company to offer better deals than itself isn't it?
  • Reply 11 of 16
    xyz001xyz001 Posts: 117member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    Definitely. I found another Dell that can also be compared to the MBP:



    XPS M1210 (presumably 15", it doesn't say)

    Intel® Core? 2 Duo T7400 (2.16GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB)

    Genuine Windows Vista? Home Premium

    Integrated Webcam and Mobile Broadband Antenna

    2GB Dual Shared Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz (2 Dimms)

    120GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)

    8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability

    256MB NVIDIA® GeForce? Go 7400 TurboCache?

    Integrated Audio

    Dell 1505 Wireless-N

    Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate)



    $1871



    vs $1999 for the MBP which has faster graphics and slightly faster CPUs.



    It's weird for a company to offer better deals than itself isn't it?





    So true. I think that was the one i found before....



    Also another thing I really like Apple for is not forcing you to pay for the so-called workstation class graphics cards in the mac book pros.



    If you want a decent graphics card in an IBM notebook you have to pay a premium because its called Quadro something or FireGL something, when it is in fact just the same graphics card as something cheaper, with a different driver (and you have a hard time finding out if it is actually better or slower than the regular card....)
  • Reply 12 of 16
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xyz001 View Post


    Thats true. I couldn't find that one before. Dell's product line has to be the most confusing EVER.



    Ever been to Acer's website?
  • Reply 13 of 16
    zandroszandros Posts: 537member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    Definitely. I found another Dell that can also be compared to the MBP:



    XPS M1210 (presumably 15", it doesn't say)

    Intel® Core? 2 Duo T7400 (2.16GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB)

    Genuine Windows Vista? Home Premium

    Integrated Webcam and Mobile Broadband Antenna

    2GB Dual Shared Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz (2 Dimms)

    120GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)

    8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability

    256MB NVIDIA® GeForce? Go 7400 TurboCache?

    Integrated Audio

    Dell 1505 Wireless-N

    Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate)



    $1871



    vs $1999 for the MBP which has faster graphics and slightly faster CPUs.



    It's weird for a company to offer better deals than itself isn't it?



    That's 12" I think. First two digits of model number usually indicates display size.



    /Adrian
  • Reply 14 of 16
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zandros View Post


    That's 12" I think.



    Indeed. Verified here.
  • Reply 15 of 16
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xyz001 View Post


    Thats true. I couldn't find that one before. Dell's product line has to be the most confusing EVER. The amount of catagories, subcatagories, and different grafical representations you encounter on the online shop is just endless....





    About a few years ago the Dell website was still manageable, and it was quite nice when I [yes omfg] bought a Dell back in 2000-2002.



    You're right, nowadays when I look at it to do some price comparisons with Macs, for my friends, etc... I cannot make head nor tail of what the BLOODY HELL is going on. The fact that I don't know any Dutch/Belgian also did not help when I was looking at the Belgium Dell Online Store.
  • Reply 16 of 16
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    Indeed. Verified here.



    It's also been replaced by the new 13" M1330.
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