Have you ever bought tickets to a ballgame from a scalper for around 4 times face value? Only to sit down in your seats and find out from the guy next to you that he bought his tickets online for below face value?
You paid more than 4 times what that guy paid for the same seats and now you feel ripped off.
Well, that’s how everyone should feel that’s ever paid the $500 “Mac tax” to purchase a product that’s exactly the same as a PC or in most cases, not even as good.
The Ad & Proving Its Validity
Take a look at the new ad from Microsoft that illustrates the point above:
Whether you’re an Apple or a Microsoft fan, you have to admit, the ad is effective.
The fact is that PCs are cheaper and guess what — they use the same parts that you find in most Macs. Both Windows PCs and Macs use processors, memory, hard drives and graphics cards from the same suppliers.
I recently did some shopping online for a Mac, just to see what I could get for the money. I put together a MacBook for $1598.00 (before tax).
That already seems fairly expensive but it’s definitely expensive when you compare it to the Dell Notebook I put together for $1188.
The Dell actually has a better processor, a larger display with much better resolution, a better battery, the Operating System (Windows Vista Home Premium 64) and Microsoft Office. It got to the point that I was just adding things I didn’t need just to see if I could make the price comparable, but I couldn’t.
In this case the “Mac tax” is $410, and that’s for an inferior product (again, examine the components).
Let Me Cut You Off Right There Mac Fanbois …
I want to address a couple things that I know I’m going to hear from the, I guess you could call them “passionate” Mac Fanbois.
First, take a look at the components to both systems, they are identical. That means built by the same people, exact same parts; except for the components in the Dell that are actually better.
Also, before you lay the trip on me that “with a PC you’ll be paying for antivirus software and tech support”, I want to cut you off right there. I have owned at least one PC since around 1992 and I have never once called anyone to get tech support.
I think I’m a little bit more technically inclined than the average user but I’ve never had a problem with a PC I’ve owned that couldn’t be fixed by the average user. That includes PCs I’ve put together out of spare parts, which you can’t do with a Mac.
Oh and one other thing, some of the best antivirus software is free, so I won’t be paying for that either.
Do You Get What You Pay For?
So since the Mac has a slower processor, a smaller display with a worse resolution, and other comparable parts, what am I paying the extra $410 for?
Sorry Mac lovers but the new Microsoft ad just illustrates what nearly 90% of the market has known for a long time — you pay a premium for a Mac that is no different than (except maybe a little bit inferior) a PC.
This Microsoft campaign will work because consumers vote with and purchase with what’s in their wallets, and in today’s economy most people don’t have as much in their wallets. Whether you like it or not, Microsoft has hit a home run with this spot.
OK, Mac users, let the firestorm of comments begin.
Good stuff! I was thinking about buying a Mac a few months back…and then common sense took over.
It’s a fine hardware comparison, but you’re arguing the same thing that has been argued for years (especially since Apple switched to Intel processors). And your argument still holds water: Apple positions their products to fetch a premium price.
The reason there are Mac fans is because of what they feel they can do with a Mac instead of a PC. That goes beyond hardware specs into the operating system and the software that either comes with it or written especially for the Mac.
In the end, to each his own. If you don’t see value beyond hardware, by all means buy the cheapest parts you can find.
Carlos is right,
The fact is your not paying for hardware with a MAC. You are paying for a operating system that in many ways is superior to Microsoft’s. I have nothing to say about the software that is sold for the Mac. I am not an expert. Just smart enough to know that it is just as overpriced as the Macintosh computer. I use a PC Because I like to think about the technology. I have been using PCs since 93. I have also owned one Mac. If you don’t like to think about your computer and would rather just use it like a toaster, then the Mac is for you. But Don’t expect to have any spare cash. You are still a minority in the market of PCs. Apple has taken the control of your machine and wrapped it so tightly into that fancy operating system, that it will only do what it is designed to do. There is very little altering you can do to make it better. Mac’s are not much fun, They are pretty. I will also give them that.
Well there it is again!
This ad focuses on cost. Have you considered your purchase of a MS Office application later? Or other software like music (average at least 3 in 10 are playing an instrument), email, photo and many others? With Microsoft it really does add up later. Plus you get the aggrevation of loosing work when it crashes on you. So it is cheaper but you get what you pay for! Lets get real; it really doesn’t feel faster getting 0.40 ghz extra or 1 extra memory which cost around $20. What really counts is the RELIABILITY of what you are buying. After using Windows for nearly 10 years I switched to MAC becasue of the simplicity of the hardware, stable Operating system (never crashed), Userfriendly look and feel and unlimited opportunities with all their hardware like plugging in your guitar or piano etc, and lets not talk about my main business; design. Excellent hardware 3d rendering by default without a special extra hardware.
Example of normal use:
I opened a photo in Windows in the same intel based MAC and switched the operating system to OSX (mac os) and the difference was unbeliavable. MAC os displayed the picture with such a great detail, I almost cried for not stwitching to mac before.
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR – Its the Operating System
So if you want to pay less, you get what you pay for. Windows is cheaper but the experience isnt that great. pictures look much more less detailed due to the Operating system not being able to use the graphic rendering properly. lets not even go in music hardware rendering as it is almost nonexistent in MS.
So, you get what you pay for as it says in their advert.
MAC:
Great hardware! Brilliant use of Operating system with hardware (doesnt matter it is intel based or not). It doesnt crash when you install a new program.
Comes with lots of software ready to use. Microsoft wants you to pay for everything you purchase.
So far Apple Operating system
Windows:
I have used it for over 10 years since windows 95. Always had to buy software like music, mail and other basics that should come with a computer.
Always had problems with installing software and lets not even start with bugs with the Operating System.
If you want to get a quality Operating system with stability and great graphic and sound performance (ie your great mp3′s playing at great quality) and if you want your computer to work as you open the box with lots of programs then do yourself a favour and get yourself a MAC.
I work on PCs to include servers and workstations. I have done this since Windows 3.1 so quite a long time. I work on both the OS side and the hardware. I choose a Mac for my personal use. Why? Well the quality of the hardware, the OS is superior to anything that MS dishes out for the masses to debug…;)
It all comes down to personal choice. If you want a cheap OS and hardware, go for MS and then choose your hardware of choice. If you want the highest quality computing experience, then choose Apple Mac.
Stop saying the Mac is inferior as it is most definitely superior in every way…IMHO
Steve
I feel its more like buying an Audi for 35K and a M. Benz for 40K, same quality but you pay for the show off.
Apple took this way, and its working so far, away from what you get from iLife (which is a lot), beside that its very few.
MG