2004 / December 19^th/ Convince me to switch

I have always had this crush on Apple. Perhaps it’s the fact that I started off with Apple’s (before color screens). Perhaps it’s the fact that Macs have always worked for me. Perhaps it’s the fact that using OSX makes me want to own an Apple for the shear delight of running just an operating system. Perhaps it’s the Apple sites we do at work that just make me want to love the brand more. Perhaps it’s because I’ve fallen in love with the brand. Apple is the sole company that has made me believe in brands. If I had the money, I would buy nearly anything with an Apple label on it. I’ve grown a loyalty to a logo… is that bad?

That being said, I don’t own a Mac. Alas, with my financial situation, Apple has always been too far out of reach while staying in school. However, my new job has opened up some financial possibilities that weren’t there before, and I’d like - no I’d love to be able to own an Apple of my own. But damn that price tag!

I’ve priced it out, I’ve gone over it, and I need a laptop. No, I don’t - but I want one and I would use it quite a lot. But my issue again, is that money doesn’t grow on trees and tuition continues to rise. Now, I want an Apple and this seems like a perfect combination. I’ve had laptops before, always hand-me-downs and they’ve always had issues. Major issues. More expensive to fix it than to buy a new one issues. I’m not talking about software crashing, I’m talking about components becoming unsoldered and other results of shoddy manufacturing. I think, I hope, that an Apple would resolve this. Apple just builds superior products to be honest. That’s always been the problem with PCs. When you put parts from 15 different companies in a case and hope they all work, you’re always risking the inevitable meltdown. I’ve decided after two faulty laptops that they’re complicated instruments (duh) and you need quality manufacturing to keep ‘em alive.

I’m a designer, I’m a coder, I’m a person who helps deliver exceptional user experiences. So, my needs for a laptop are pretty harsh. I want one that will go fast, but I also want to be able to run my usual slew of a dozen or so programs at a time. If anything, I want a laptop that has power, sacrificing power consumption and weight. So here’s what I’ve decided are must-haves:

• A good 15″ Screen
• At least 1GB of RAM
• Good video. Not shared video.
• Built in wireless
• At least a 5400rpm hard drive
• CD Burner

I’ve also got a whole list of things I’d love to have but don’t know if I’d really use them enough to warrant getting them. Things like dual monitor support, S-Video output, DVD-burner, etc. But these are simply things that might be kind of cool, not really needed.

Pricing my features out, I can get a Powerbook for around $3,000 while a PC (Hewlitt-Packard) counterpart will cost me around $1,500. Holy crap. Why does the Apple have to be twice the amount as the PC? Am I missing something? I really hope so. I’ve noticed there are several things I seem to be unable to avoid in a Powerbook? such as hard drive space and RAM. Is there a way to lower the defaults of these? Hell if I could get a Powerbook shipped without any RAM I’d be happy - Apple ram is ridiculously expensive, and I’m more than content buying my RAM from an outside company. However, the least I can get on a 1.5GHz machine is 2×256, which is completely useless. And hard drive space, I’d gladly go for a much smaller hard drive that’s faster - I’d even be happy with 20GB. I plan on getting an external hard drive later down the road anyways.

So am I missing out where to buy Apples from? I’m just going to the Apple Store and pricing it out. Is there a better way? Perhaps some place with all of the discounts offered to PCs? I don’t think it would be too unreasonable to ask for the laptop I’m looking for around $2,500. I really don’t. Oh, and I would of course want the Protection Plan with it. I would never buy a laptop without one after my experiences. So I ask you, blogging community, two favors:

• Convince me that spending double the amount on an Apple will be worth it
• Where, and how should I purchase an Apple should I decide to?

1. 

   Sharif

   December 20 | #

   the Apple Store, both online and occasionally actual stores, carry factory refurbished hardware at a pretty good price. You could probably find a deal there.

   You could also try eBay. I got a great deal on a Powerbook, and have had very few problems. (The only major problem was caused by non-Apple RAM the previous owner installed. So, you might be better off paying a bit more up front for it.)

2. 

   Ryan Faerman

   December 20 | #

   You defintely should go with the Apple. Not only the style, but the pure functionality of it. If you don’t go with a desktop replacement, you won’t have to replace it with 2 or 3 years. The best thing about it is it just works. None of that stupid hibernation crap. You just close the lid and its good to go. I have gone 2 weeks without restarting mine plus the lack of viruses and major security flaws makes the Apple actually a bargain. Hardware-wise, it’s very solid construction. I’ve dropped mine, opened it up, turned it on, and it still worked (the case’s just bent a little). Try that with an all plastic HP!

   Since you are a student, you can get a student discount most likely. So instead of $3,000, it’ll only be something like $2,100 for a 15 inch powerbook.

   Hope this helped.

   E-mail me if you want to know anything else.

   I was converted too. :)

3. 

   Lee

   December 20 | #

   You can definitely get a student discount. I’m a student too, in your same position both in terms of financing and in terms of desiring a Mac. I priced it out, and with the student discount (Apple Student Developer), which costs $99, you can get a PowerBook 15″ Combo Drive for $1599. (Add back in the $99 you paid for ASD and it’s $1698). Upgrade your RAM and buy AppleCare, and you’re at about $2k. Depending on your software needs, you can get most packages with student discount for $99-$149. So, for $2500 you’re up and running!

   Apple Student Developer

4. 

   wired

   December 21^st | #

   All I can say is: Widescreen is a MUST! Especially for web design apps that have a side toolbar :)

5. 

   Jason Grant

   December 22^nd | #

   I have 2 Resources for slightly used Powerbooks:
   http://www.powermax.com/
   http://www.smalldog.com/

   Both are reputable companies and Powermax has a trade-in program for older Macs… though that obviously doesn’t apply in your situation.

   Good source for affordable RAM. I’ve bought a few DIMMs from them with no problems:
   http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/

   And as for helping your decision remember this. Powerbook = $3000. HP = $1500. In this case, you get what you pay for.

   Jason

6. 

   Toma from WDF

   December 23^rd | #

   Heh..

   Maybe this video will help you…

   http://www.happynowhere.net/mac_parody.php

   There click on mac parody link…

7. 

   Philip Ashlock

   December 27^th | #

   Having been in the exact same situation as you (a student, web programmer, with little money, and a love for apple) I would say that you’re definately headed in the right direction by getting an apple laptop. I’ll explain to you what I did:

   I bought a used Apple ibook on Ebay from a seller that seemed reliable and got a really good deal on an excellent ibook that even still had some of the Apple protection plan on it. This was two years ago and at the time it cost me about $600 for a 500Mhz ibook. I’ve been very pleased with my ibook, but I don’t depend on it as my main computer. I have a PC that is far more powerful and has far more hard drive space and a much larger screen. My PC is like my base station, but I still use my laptop for plenty of things whenever i’m on the move. I use it as a dvd player (it has av out), a journal, a portable web browser (has wifi), a machine for testing websites in Safari, a storage base station for digital photos when i’m travelling, a portable cd burner, a computer to use when i want to just hang out on a couch, and the list goes on and on. I use this laptop a lot, but i don’t store my whole mp3 collection on it or use it to work on large photoshop projects or anything that’s too power or hard drive hungry. I even used my ibook to do C++ development once for a class because I could download Developer Tools from Apple for free rather than get the ultra expensive Microsoft equivalent.

   Obviously, if you can afford it, get as much as you can in the way of apple laptops. In the end it really just comes down to what is more important for you to spend money on. Fortunately, it looks like you’ve been provided with some really good resources for getting the most for your money. Good luck.

8. 

   lt

   December 28^th | #

   PowerBook is an expensive toy. I own a 1,5Mhz 15″ and I love it, maybe because it was a present. If I had to pay for it I would go for a Sony that I consider better (I love that black display), equally attractive and much more powerful.

9. 

   Kyle Jones

   December 29^th | #

   First off, im a die hard mac fan, never will use anything else. There is a rumor, supposedly confirmed, that Apple is releasing a sub-500 dollar imac. It will be ‘headless’ meaning no monitor included. It will be around 1.25 ghz g4, and include a combo drive, etc. Its cheap and still powerfull for most, I would wait for the mac expo midway through january to see what all it turns out to be.

10. 

    Kyle

    December 29^th | #

    Thanks for all the great comments guys :) For some reason I completely spaced on the whole education discount thing :) I’ll be sure to check that out when school starts again. Luckily, my finantcial situation has gotten a lot better recently, and I’ll definately be getting a mac. Hopefully before summer, but August at the latest :)

    Thanks alot guys! You’ve definately convinced me :)

11. 

    paul

    December 31^st | #

    I’m always telling people to buy as much machine as you can afford, but am always surprised at people’s requirements. Unless you intend to do video edting as well, a Powerbook may not be necessary, an iBook will do.

    While I have other machines, my 900mhz G3 iBook with 640mb does everything I want it too, including having all the apps in Adobe CS open at the same time.

    But hey, if you can afford it now , buy as much machine as you can.

12. 

    Michael Heilemann

    January 3^rd | #

    I can only recommend it, having now had my Powerbook for a little over a year.

    It will cost you more, but it isn’t until you’ve owned one that you truly understand that said money actually gets you a machine that is years ahead of every single other machine out there.

    No one can be told what makes the Powerbook better, they must see it with their own eyes ;)

13. 

    Mick

    January 5^th | #

    Just think of what you’ll have for 3,000 with a PC !
    (great 21′ screen, home entertainement sound system…).

    So whay will you spen them for an Apple ?

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