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$300 Less for a Plastic Version?
- Thread starter aluminumapple
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I got the polycarbonate (plastic) MacBook with the nvidia card a few weeks ago as a backup to my HP laptop because I wanted to play around with iMovie and such. I now use it more than my HP just because it's so fun. I bumped it up to 4gb of RAM, added a new HDD to this and my HP laptop and the addition of a firewire port makes it a no-brainer for me. Yes, admittedly, the aluminum macbook looks a lot cooler and I'd like my macbook to have the LED backlit screen too. The RAM speed issue, I won't go there, my macbook runs just fine on the 4GB I've got in there.
Long story short, with the money I saved buying the white macbook, I added more RAM, got a faster and bigger 7200 rpm hard drive and have some money left over for the more important things, like taking my fiancee out for dinner!
But to each his own...
Long story short, with the money I saved buying the white macbook, I added more RAM, got a faster and bigger 7200 rpm hard drive and have some money left over for the more important things, like taking my fiancee out for dinner!
But to each his own...
Yes, the Whitebook is an anomaly in Apples lineup, probably brought on by 2 things.
The economy, Apple wanted to have something a bit lower priced just in case sales started to drop.
Firewire, a much lesser consideration, but there were a lot of complaints about dropping it from people who use it.
I suppose the situation is most analogous to the black book, some people were willing to pay more for it, some weren't.
I prefer the whitw MacBook to the aluminum one. I think that the plastic is more durable because it will flex and not dent, and it has a firewire port. The DDR2 vs. DDR3 is not a huge issue for most of the MB's target market, but firewire, durability, and price are.
Wait...did you say like it because it WILL flex? Who wants a computer that is going to flex when you pick it up by one side? I don't know about you, but I want a computer that when I pick it up by the side or corner, it feels like it is sturdy and is not going to bend the material. I've picked up my sister's white macbook by the side before, it creaks and kinda feels flimsy and like a toy. My aluminum macbook is solid and feels like the machine that it is.
That's all my opinion anyway...
Aluminium flexes far more than plastic. Ever seen a 3 year old Nalgene bottle "flex"? Ever see a 7 year old IBM Thinkpad? Yes, it's plastic, and it's fine.
The physical advantage of the Unibody MBPs is how they're manufactured. It really doesn't have much to do with the aluminium itself. The "classic" MBP, and older PowerBook creak as well over time. That's what you get from a laptop that is built by screwing together a LOT of different external pieces together. This was the motivation Ives described for the unibody construction, no? In a way, ALL laptops on the market other than Apple's new laptops will feel a tiny bit less durable. However, they tend to last for years upon years if the owner is lucky.
I've seen PowerBooks and iBooks that have lasted for 7 years. All Mac laptops are durable enough to last that long, even without babying. However, the Unibody does feel like it's more durable, even though they'll all last years and years with the right amount of luck, and a bit of care. Actual results may vary over time.
The physical advantage of the Unibody MBPs is how they're manufactured. It really doesn't have much to do with the aluminium itself. The "classic" MBP, and older PowerBook creak as well over time. That's what you get from a laptop that is built by screwing together a LOT of different external pieces together. This was the motivation Ives described for the unibody construction, no? In a way, ALL laptops on the market other than Apple's new laptops will feel a tiny bit less durable. However, they tend to last for years upon years if the owner is lucky.
I've seen PowerBooks and iBooks that have lasted for 7 years. All Mac laptops are durable enough to last that long, even without babying. However, the Unibody does feel like it's more durable, even though they'll all last years and years with the right amount of luck, and a bit of care. Actual results may vary over time.
Actually the lower the market goes, the less the people will go to expect frills like Firewire; sure they might not care about DDR2/3 either, but it's important to target buyers is durability; the unibody computer even looks sturdier!
Then Apple is also marketing the shhh out of it.
Yeah, I had the same issues with the wind, and I also didn't like it's Mattel build quality. I don't have those issues with my lenovo s10 hackbook air.
Won't the LED backlights in the unibody have more durability than the TFT displays? Over time and with usage, the older displays will dim more quickly, right?
i hate the plastic macbooks. they feel very cheap and weak. this was the biggest hurdle for me when deciding to switch to apple. I kept holding off on the purchase of a macbook but I finally settled on the black plastic model right before the unibody models were announced.
it was crap. sure it looked decent but i just couldnt deal with the plastic parts.
the case was bulging at some parts and flexed way too much. before my macbook i exclusively bought thinkpads and those had way better build than the plastic crapbooks.
i took it back and i exchanged it for the 2.4ghz alum one
i think the aluminum case alone is worth the price difference. the other stuff is just icing on the cake.
the refreshed white MB looks like a great deal but the plastic just kills it for me
it was crap. sure it looked decent but i just couldnt deal with the plastic parts.
the case was bulging at some parts and flexed way too much. before my macbook i exclusively bought thinkpads and those had way better build than the plastic crapbooks.
i took it back and i exchanged it for the 2.4ghz alum one
i think the aluminum case alone is worth the price difference. the other stuff is just icing on the cake.
the refreshed white MB looks like a great deal but the plastic just kills it for me
Oh no, I totally agree, I was just pointing out that it was the WAY the new macbooks were made that was making them feel so solid, not necessarily the material that they are made of. Aluminum is a pretty weak metal, but comparing weight to strength...its pretty good. Am I right?
Just to clear this up, what I meant by flex is in the situation of dropping it. If you drop an aluminum MacBook it will probably dent, plastic will flex and maybe get a small crack, but will pop back into place, aluminum won't you're stuck with the bend in the casing.
But I agree, the new one are far sturdier.
But I agree, the new one are far sturdier.
I think people are tending to minimize the value of a stronger enclosure. The flexing that occurs in the plastic cases can cause all sorts of problems that simply won't happen on the unibody aluminum MacBooks. I have both, and the difference is obvious, despite comparisons to plastic bottles. If you are relatively rough on your laptop physically, the unibody might actually be worth the extra $300.
I love how people say how the Whitebook feels weak, like you got construction worker's hands. lol
it's durable. and worth every bit.
it's durable. and worth every bit.
i have to disagree. every plastic macbook ive used did not inspire much confidence in durability.
This was THE reason it took me so long to buy a macbook. once metal body construction came to the macbook I was won over.
I was always scared of breaking the white macbook just picking it up one handed. It felt like the plastic was going to snap.
My new unibody MB feels like the most solid laptop I have ever used. I'll miss the firewire, but not for long. I rarely do large file transfers and I plan on replacing my DV camcorder.
I'm not saying it's not durable, just not as solid as the Unibody feels.
Here's why the aluminium model costs more than the plastic: Because people are willing to pay $300 for aluminium.
The specs don't warrant any real extra charge. Performance benchmarks have shown that.
The cost of the aluminium case versus the cost of the plastic case definitely also costs Apple a bit more money, but not as much as you'd think for the additional $300 Apple is asking for. This is especially true now that aluminium prices have dropped to HALF its value from 6 months ago. It's costing Apple less to make one today than last month.
There's no reason for Apple to charge $300 for the UniBody model due to the laptop itself. Sure, the unibody construction does make it feel sturdier. However, that's not worth it. The reason Apple charges $300 more is because some people are willing to pay $300 for $20 (just an example) in tangible value:
1. If Apple make something more expensive, it's a bit more exclusive. That makes owners happy. Same with watches. A $50 Timex may actually tell time better than a mechanical Breguet that costs $20000 (quartz is more accurate than mechanical), and yet Brequets cost as much as a car because even Napoleon Bonaparte owned a fracking Brequet. How exclusive is THAT.
2. People are shallow and are willing to pay the extra $300 for appearance. It's not just about function. That's why people have a hard time choosing clothes, no? If it was all about function, we'd all be wearing the same thing. Sometimes it's about standing out, and the "Look At Me!!" factor.
That's life, capitalism, and being a human.
Well stated good sir / madam.
what the HELL are you Talking about? future proof? MANY computers use DDR2 and Will until around the year 2011~2012. so exactly what are you saying about Future proofing?
Also Why is Durability included in this?
honestly people
you dont Walk around with a notebook on your hand walking Wondering if either the aluminum or the poly might survive on a drop. You Carry around the notebook from place to place and put it on a flat surface to use, and if you dont do this honestly get a Case thats what Cases are for. if you honestly hate the feel of the plastic get the inner case and PROBLEM SOLVED. $30 TO COVER UP $300.
honestly people
you dont Walk around with a notebook on your hand walking Wondering if either the aluminum or the poly might survive on a drop. You Carry around the notebook from place to place and put it on a flat surface to use, and if you dont do this honestly get a Case thats what Cases are for. if you honestly hate the feel of the plastic get the inner case and PROBLEM SOLVED. $30 TO COVER UP $300.
you see for me to clearly explain my point i hav to talk it out, im not very good sometimes writing technical stuff on forums... so many of my points end up being mistaken/confused...
yes I know DDR2 will be around for a while... I even state that in my previous post...
I will stop posting in this thread as I can't seem to transmit my idea, which I allude more to a language/communication problem (english not first language)
Actually, that's not really why buying a laptop with DDR3 is more "futureproof". Besides, I doubt MANY computers will be using DDR2 in 2011-2012, and the ones that do will be old and need replacing. If you buy a plastic MB today, why would you be upgrading your RAM in 2012 anyway, right? You'll be looking to upgrade your laptop.
DDR3 isn't more futureproof because you don't buy RAM more than once, so if you upgrade to 4 GB of DDR2 RAM today (and DDR2 RAM is very cheap today), you've hit the limit for your system. That's it. It's taken care of. RAM isn't something you need to continuously upgrade, nor do you need to replace them like socks. In the year 2012, there's no reason for you to worry about what type of RAM everyone else's laptop is using in 4 years. It has nothing to do with you.
Thanks.
Actually, that's not really why buying a laptop with DDR3 is more "futureproof". Besides, I doubt MANY computers will be using DDR2 in 2011-2012, and the ones that do will be old and need replacing. If you buy a plastic MB today, why would you be upgrading your RAM in 2012 anyway, right? You'll be looking to upgrade your laptop.
DDR3 isn't more futureproof because you don't buy RAM more than once, so if you upgrade to 4 GB of DDR2 RAM today (and DDR2 RAM is very cheap today), you've hit the limit for your system. That's it. It's taken care of. RAM isn't something you need to continuously upgrade, nor do you need to replace them like socks. In the year 2012, there's no reason for you to worry about what type of RAM everyone else's laptop is using in 4 years. It has nothing to do with you.
Thanks.
I agree. Furthermore, I don't think "futureproofing" is really a good reason to buy a computer at all. Because quite frankly, in 3-5 years, the speed difference between the low end model and the high end model of today will going to become increasingly negligible as better hardware comes out. Whether you buy a 2.0ghz MacBook or a 2.53GHz MacBook Pro right now is going to be largely irrelevant in 3-5 years, because they'll probably both be crap. The Pro might be slightly less crappy, but it will still be crappy compared to whatever is out then, and the difference in performance won't be worth the premium you pay now.
I think that the better way to do things, is quite simply to buy whatever does what you need it to do right now, and save your money for when you have to upgrade in the future..