In defense of Apple products
So there are at least a few PF bloggers out there who vehemently hate Apple and all of its products, calling them overpriced consumer traps for stupid people who have nothing better to do with their money than burn it on Apple stuff. You know, something along those lines.
I used to be a die-hard PC user.
I remember back in 1998, refusing to even look at a Mac because the squiggly Apple button confused me, you had to drag things into the trash bin to eject them, and I just didn’t get it.
Fast forward to 2010 where I bought 2 laptops that year. One was a Sony Vaio for work, this monstrous hunk of plastic that was superior in operating power and speed and the other, my first Macbook Pro 17″.. alas, they are no longer made.
I paid about $1500 for the Sony Vaio and near to $2500 for the Macbook Pro 17″.
SONY VAIO, NEAR DEATH AFTER 2 YEARS
The Sony Vaio, died after 2 years of light use.
Light use to me, means I turned it on perhaps once a week when I wasn’t at work, and even at work, I am given a client laptop, so I used this laptop only to enter my expenses, keep track of my books and do other office admin stuff for my business.
I think I used it maybe about 5 hours a week at best for 2 years.
After 2 years, it no longer works as well as it used to:
Battery no longer holds a charge.
You have to plug it in to use it. If you were to try and use it without a plug, it would turn on, get to the main screen and then die after 2 minutes. I usually only unplug it when I have to print something at a printer located elsewhere, and I sprint to the printer while frantically trying to plug it in before it dies.
Wifi no longer works.
I would need to buy an card to use this functionality.
Goes black.
Usually goes completely black and shuts of without warning after about 1 – 1.5
hours of use, even if you just have it open, using it for Excel (I’ve been trained to save every 5 seconds now)
Goes super hot.
You can literally use it as a heater in winter in about 5 minutes of use
Takes about 3 minutes to load
Yes, I timed it — and I only have 3 programs installed on it, and absolutely no data, videos or music.
COST: $750 / year and absolutely useless
(I have to buy a new PC laptop for work sometime, but I am now going to buy the cheapest piece of crap out there because they’re ALL pieces of crap no matter how much you pay.)
MACBOK PRO 17″, STILL GOING STRONG
In contrast, my Macbook Pro 17″ that I bought for personal use, is still going strong as the day I bought it.
I use this thing pretty much every single day, for at least 6 hours a day on average, if not longer. It is ALWAYS on and that is no joke.
I do everything on it from watch videos, to blog, to do my expenses, to surf the internet, etc. It is my entire entertainment center, and I am a heavy user.
- Battery continues to charge up and HOLD A CHARGE nicely, and I don’t do stupid things like leave it charged all the time, or let it really run down to 0.
- All functions work perfectly
- No slowness in booting up the laptop at all, and the only reason why I find it a bit slow is because I’m used to my Macbook Air that boots up in less than 10 seconds
- Doesn’t get hot unless I abuse it by using it too long and running too many things at once, or watching videos while working
So you tell me. Are Apple products as a waste of money?
I paid $1500 for a laptop that is now a permanent desktop computer, that I would otherwise find no use for except as an expensive door stop, or having paid that extra $1000 for a laptop that to this very day, still acts like it is brand new with the indication of its age apparent only in the faint scratches on it.
COST: $625 / year and still going strong
By BF’s estimates, a Macbook can last at least 10 years if taken care of properly.
$2500 over 10 years = $250 / year
BUT I CAN JUST BUY ANOTHER LAPTOP ANY TIME I WANT!!
You can always make the argument that spending $1500 or even $1000 on a good laptop and then replacing it every 2 years is the equivalent of a single $3000 laptop lasting 6 years, but let me remind you that…
You have to back up everything
You have to move your documents and items over to the new laptop
You have to re-set up everything to the way you like it (preferences, etc)
You have to re-install all the programs you had before, and heaven forbid those programs no longer work on your new operating system
You have to spend TIME DOING ALL THIS CRAP FOR NOTHING!
FURTHERMORE, IT ISN’T JUST THE LONGEVITY THAT MATTERS
Longevity aside, MacBooks are a pleasure to use (the Airs and Pros, not their lower-end lines which I find very cheap and flimsy with their plastic components).
MacBooks tend to be more elegant which matters to a snob like me, and the Airs in particular are extremely slim and lightweight for the amount of power they pack.
Their aluminum bodies are also able to wear well, with only a few scratches here and there which to me, add character more than anything especially if you don’t cover your laptops in skins.
In contrast, other cheap laptops (PCs), look like crap within a month.
They look shiny and new out of the box, and the plastic looks great, but within a month, it’s dingy, and you realize just how heavy and unwieldy that mofo is compared to its Macbook brother.
Finally, the operating system is a dream to use which is the main reason why I have stayed with Apple and never looked back.
It takes a bit of time to get used to the new operating system, but it is so easy and intuitive, you have to be really stubborn to take longer than half a day to learn how to navigate.
After you use a Macbook for a while, you will use a PC and inwardly groan at how stupid, slow, bloated and Neanderthal-like it is.
15 Comments
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sherry@savespendsplurge.com
Maybe I should get a made to order one, because the ones I have are just terrible. It is like they’re made to die.
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OMK
I’ve been really curious about Mac vs PC but always held back by budget. I like to make my own music as well and know that Apple are said to be best for that. My Windows 98 dedicated “music computer” is dying!
Why do you need Windows at all? Are there still apps you can only run on Windows?
Are you going to compare iOS to Android?
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sherry@savespendsplurge.com
My clients all run Windows. THEY CAN RUN MAC but the cost to set up that kind of infrastructure (virtual desktop or not), is too prohibitive and I have to do everything in Windows 🙁 Their programs, firewalls, etc.. all Windows.
I don’t have Android, and I only have iOS but I only use it as a plain cellphone. I’m useless in that department. 🙂
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Irene
Apple makes excellent consumer products. Pc is required for enterprise solutions – simple as that. If you need a business network with a domain, some kind of database, managed security, patching, and time sync. That just isn’t happening with apple products.
On the other hand, because Apple makes hardware/software I find that their products are stable, reliable, and very user friendly. Now that Microsoft is doing the same, it will be very interesting to see how they compare in a few years.
The one thing I’ve learned from the age old, pc vs Mac debate is to keep an open mind. And it completely depends on what you’re trying to achieve… For the rest it’s just same shit, different pile.
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sherry@savespendsplurge.com
I am hoping PC’s improve. I was really enraged at the end with how much I paid for a crappy product.
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Finance Solve
I love Apple computers. I’ve been using my mac for 6+ hours also the past 2.5 years and I have faith my mac will last another couple of years. Out of curiosity, did you have to change the battery on your mac? I don’t know if I have to soon, as it’s on “critical stage” as they like to call it. I also love their trackpad, I’ve never experienced a more smoother trackpad than any other computer I’ve had. Huge Apple fanatic!
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sherry@savespendsplurge.com
I have not had to change the battery yet. I brought in my 17″ and they did a quick diagnostic on it and said the battery was still in very good condition considering its age. They told me I was taking very good care of it.
The other thing I like about Apple is that they’re honest-ish. They don’t lie to you, and if you need it replaced, they will tell you.
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sherry@savespendsplurge.com
Oh that day! I took it in the second time when it went kibutz on me and THAT hour he told me: We’re replacing it & refunding all repairs.
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SP
I’m an apple fan, though I have to believe there are quality $2000 PCs out there that will also last. The PC vs Mac debate is a bit , because there are a zillion PCs and a very limited number of Mac products. So yeah, I use a Mac, even though I have to install VM and run windows on it for some work stuff.
Same with phones. My first phone was an android, and it wasn’t great – but it was also an older model and quit inexpensive. There are certainly good phones that are not iPhones.
However, my iPhone 5 just died in a weird way , so I’m a little frustrated. I paid to have it replaced about 8 months ago (that one was my fault – screen cracked, and there were some issues due to age that made it sensible to simply pay for a new one). This time, nothing bad has happened to my phone, and it won’t even restore to factory settings! It’s totally toast. I have a genius bar appointment for tomorrow, so hopefully they can fix it or will replace it for free. (sorry for the tangent, I’m really worried about my phone right now!)
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sherry@savespendsplurge.com
When my Mac had strange issues, I brought it in and they replaced the items (I paid through the nose)… then the problems came back about 6 months later!! I WAS INCENSED. I brought it back in, they apologized, said they screwed up, fixed it for free and refunded my previous repair bill.
I was so happy. They know customer service.
I am sure they will either fix it, replace it, or offer a solution that is equitable.
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tomatoketchup
My base model cheapo white Macbook that I bought in 2007 is still going strong. I’d still be using it regularly if I hadn’t inherited a recent model Macbook Air for free.
Every single PC laptop I’ve ever owned (I think 3 or 4) prior to that first Macbook would work great for the first year, slow to a crawl by the end of year 2, and be completely useless by year 3. Having someone debug it occasionally would help for a short period of time, and then the suckage would start all over again.
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sherry@savespendsplurge.com
My friend has a PC and took it in to be “debugged”, spent $50, got it back, and now it is apparently slow & full of viruses again.
I wanted to suggest she just suck it up and buy a Macbook (she easily has the means) but I get the feeling that they can’t stomach paying $2000 for a laptop just out of sheer frugality.
We will NEVER willingly buy a PC product for personal use again unless we are forced to. I am just going to install VM Fusionware & run windows off it.
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Corianne
I have an awesome PC/Windows laptop – have had it for 3 years now, still booting up within seconds, and is super fast. It’s not any kind of brand, it was built-to-order. I use it pretty much every day – but it’s been pretty much the exception in my PC-life 🙂
Have an Android tablet (Samsung), also three years in use now – no complaints, but I don’t use it as much.
About a year and a half ago, I caved and decided to go for an iPhone (5c) and not an Android phone. It was my first Apple device and I must say I’m very happy with it 🙂 I may upgrade to a better version though, end of this year, when my contract runs out. I don’t rule out an Apple laptop either sometime in the future.