The numbers will present themselves. Tons of blog posts and columns have been dedicated to the idea that Apple Macs are not only better but actually cheaper than your regular computers from Dell, HP, Acer and Lenovo. Let’s cut to the chase and show you hard facts and real numbers.
Just go to the Apple website and order yourself a fully loaded Mac or MacBook. Here are the screen shots:
Upgrade your MacBook’s RAM from 1GB to 4GB: $850
The iMac’s RAM from 2GB to 4GB: $700
The MacPro RAM from 1GB to 16GB: $4,499 (it’s $699 from 1GB to 4GB)
Now, let’s go to the HP website and get our PC a memory upgrade.
The HP D4996T Ultimate Desktop series from 2GB to 4GB: $170
Note, all RAM upgrades are DDR2-667MHz dual channel SDRAM (PC5300). As a comparison, a 4GB (2GBx2) RAM purchase directly from the manufacturer’s website (Kingston, Corsair, Crucial) will only cost you $150.
So why is Apple charging almost $350 per GB or RAM when SRP is just about $50? That’s a 700% mark-up. maybe it’s hard to personally insert an extra RAM module there so Apple is actually charging for professional installation fee to add more memory to your new Mac.
daemon… try searching for hackintosh :P
let me know if you already tried it.
here’s a tip rather buying a Expensive apple machine , why wont run the New Leopard OS in your Intel Machine… Don’t know how.. email me
Ey Yuga ! I sell Macs for a living ! :)
I think the better comparison would be stock configuration. Compare a brand new out of the box macbook and a brand new out of the box branded windows laptop… HP or something else with the SAME or SIMILAR configuration. Hard drive, RAM, video card ? should be enough …
Besides I can sell DDR2 667 RAM for P2,500 for Kingston 2GB stick. DONT BUY RAM FROM APPLE !
visit my site http://mactrader.multiply.com/
You will find out a Macbook is cheaper than a similarly configured laptop from HP or maybe even Dell. And a macbook has a camera in front !
Plus, it runs both Mac OS X and Windows.
Ey Yuga ! I sell Macs for a living !
hehehe
I think the better comparison would be stock configuration. Compare a brand new out of the box macbook and a brand new out of the box branded windows laptop… HP or something else.
You will find out a Macbook is cheaper than a similarly configured laptop from HP or maybe even Dell. And a macbook has a camera in frot !
Plus, it runs both MAc OS X and Windows.
Your country of residence should definitely factor in up high. In the Philippines, MacBooks are the best notebook option if you can afford spending 70k or so, and it’ll last you several years without an upgrade.
MacBooks aren’t perfect, and I wish to God Dell offers warranties here in the Philippines, but they don’t and Apple is the best option.
One more thing about owning a Mac. You cannot use Internet Explorer. I cannot open the apply box on JobsDB because it only supports Internet Explorer.
If you’re crazy about taking pictures and home movies, a MacBook will quickly be your best friend.
acer has better desktops
alienware too
The only Mac you should buy fully specced with RAM is a Mini, they are a pain in the harris to fit memory into. All the others, buy with the minimum of RAM and fit your own if you want the same price.
In fairness, the reason the examples seem so much more expensive is that they are bigger, 2GB modules compared with the Dell’s 1GB DIMMS.
Even from Crucial, 8 2GB DIMMS of that spec are $1758 + Delivery – OK that is less that half the Apple price, what can I say – don’t buy RAM from Apple!
“Apples are nice and fancy, but theyre not winning any cheapest computer awards.”
I couldn’t agree more. Apple products are indeed nice looking, they perform well, but in the end, they’re just not practical to buy. They’re more hype rather than functionality.
And i guess the whole “more expensive and classy” image Apple has is the reason behind why fanboys and girls so like to look down on others who aren’t so impressed with Apple.
Here’s a link that some might find funny: http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=iphone
Hi there Abe. I’ve been reading the whole comments box and you’ve got a lot of explanations to do for some comment reactions. Hehe.. ;-)
There’s only 2 things I like about my MAC. The design and the Photo Booth.
The rest …
I am getting myself a new machine when I have saved enough money … and by that time … it’s gonna be back to WINDOWS!
Apples are nice and fancy, but theyre not winning any cheapest computer awards.
Good God, naglabasan mga fanboys. As I said before Apple might look inexpensive when you look at the base products but when you factor in the prices of the accessories that’s where they make oodles of money. P4000-5000 for a freaking component cable for the iPod Nano Fatso ?
mahal lang talaga ang Mac, period. if only Mac OS X can be legally run on non-Apple machines! :)
I have to agree with many others here.
I have read many comparisons about value of computers by different manufactures. Sony, Dell, Alienware, HP, Compaq and more recently Apple.
In the past year or so I have even read comparisons about Apple actually being cheaper then some of the PC brands. This was by a few Computer Mag’s, not apple propagandists web sites. The mac pro -> high end Dell, the iMac against Gateway One and the Dell all in one. So I was intrigued to see the opposite here that Apple Macs are still WAY EXPENSIVE.
BUT all I saw here was Apple charges more for Ram, and that you compared different amounts and types. I saw that you compared upgrading 1GB in a Mac to 4GB (a 4x increase) compared to 2GB in the HP to 4GB (a 2x increase). I also learned you compared SO-Dimms (notebook memory) in the iMac and Macbook to regular desktop dimms in the HP.
After a little searching, I also learned a few more things…………
There are many grades of Ram and the ones for Mac are higher priced (for PC and Mac) It seems the Mac, for better or worse, requires a more stringent ram requirement.
There have been numerous articles about Ram costing more at Apple FOR YEARS and advising people to purchase elsewhere. (google -> apple ram price cost)
SO, while I think you have a very valid article, the title is very incorrect. Maybe Apple systems are more expensive, I didn’t have enough time tonight to do comparisons between MACS and PC’s, but they have been done many times.
But this is like having an article saying computers at CompUSA cost more, because their add-on ram cost more (I was always shocked RAM cost 2x – 3x more than online at CompUSA)
I normally do *slight* research on the cost of any upgrades when I buy a system. The last two were a Dell laptop and a cheap e-machine desktop.
Any shopper will compare the spec’s against what else is out there, or in the store. But If you want a bigger HardDrive, more Ram or better VideoCard, most people will compare what it costs elsewhere. Look at Pricewatch or Google for what you want. If its slightly more, I always buy from the manufacture since its less work and includes a warranty. But if its a LOT less I will buy it elsewhere, even if I have to pay to have it professionally installed.
So, WHile I agree, Apple charges too much for Ram (and Much more then HP from the above example, I didn’t check other manufactures)
From what I read in your article that does not mean MACS are more expensive unless you force the person to purchase ram from apple.
My Bias… I have recently been considering buying an apple laptop and have been reading articles about them.
BUT FOR ANY CURRENT LAPTOP…… I found I can buy 4GB of Ram for $93 generic to $149 crucial http://www.ramseeker.com/memory/MacBook_(KITS)-4gb/
And a 250GB HardDrive for under $150 http://www.nextag.com/250gb-2.5/search-html
Please compare price/feature in price comparisons in the future. Not add-on’s unless the article is about add-on’s.
Thank You
if you have money then go for the memory pero kung wala pwede na pagtiisan ok naman mac eh!
Hi Abe!
Are you contemplating on getting a Mac? ;-)
As what the others mentioned already… those memory upgrades are optional. It is almost always cheaper to get the model/unit with the lowest ram config possible and just buy a new pair of ram sticks with a higher capacity from a reputable brand.
Then just take out the orig sticks and replace it with a new pair of ram sticks so you won’t encounter stability problems in using different ram sticks. What to do with the old sticks? you can always sell them ;-)
You may want to check out http://feedback.longbeard.info/ for some good deals on macs and more affordable memory upgrades.
just my 2c
well everything is dropping except for macs..hmmm try using a celeron pc with a fedora..and you’ll automatically forget mac and ms :P
happy new year to all
Yikes… Intriguing title Abe, though you’ve just talked about RAM (and it’s an optional upgrade! which isn’t much necessarily after all). A more detailed comparison would have been better.
The bundled softwares that comes with mac and a bunch of nifty features made them stand out than any consumer OS and machine around. Commercial Mac softwares are still relatively cheap compared to PC.
IMO, in general, it’s still cheaper compared to PCs and you really get what you paid for.
I’ve never read so many Apple Fanboys commenting in this blog before. ;)
And JJ, I feel no hesitation about speaking or writing what is TRUE.
Apple fans act like they invented Apple products. It’s consumer pride for the brainless (think fur coat owners). But since Apple users are obviously not brainless, then we, sir, have to find another motive for their obsession. I was only pointing to the most plausible explanation. If it’s not their brain, it must be their stomach, and since you cannot eat this Apple we are talking about, we must point to the next item on the hierarchy of human motivation…