As technology improves, MacBook Pro prices increase

[macguy360]

I have noticed a trend that with every iteration of increasing technology (I.e moving from Kaby lake to coffee lake intel processor) that the newer MacBook Pro is higher in price compared to the older MacBook Pro. This has nothing to do with Apple innovating and everything to do with Intel updating their processors.

Every other computer company keeps prices pretty similar as technology improves as opposed to increasing prices. For example, Asus has been making a line of gaming laptops that have stayed around $1200-$1500 for the past 12 years.

As a matter of fact, the components in the high end $2300-$2500 Macbook pros are pretty comparative to $1200-$1500 laptops from other manufacturers.

Is Apple getting to a point where they are pricing themselves out of the market? I for one am less inclined to update to a new MacBook and I am waiting for deep discounts to consider an updgrade.

 

[jackoatmon]

No, they're wildly underpriced. For the enterprise / professional buyer they're a steal of a deal. Most people who own these things would be very happy to pay another couple thousand on top of that for even slicker looking design, quieter cooler performance and whatnot.

If you want just raw specs Apple's definitely not the right company for you.

 

[Ma2k5]

No, they're wildly underpriced. For the enterprise / professional buyer they're a steal of a deal. Most people who own these things would be very happy to pay another couple thousand on top of that for even slicker looking design, quieter cooler performance and whatnot.

If you want just raw specs Apple's definitely not the right company for you.

Wildly underpriced? The only thing "wild" are your skewed opinions on everything Apple.

 

[SteveJUAE]

No, they're wildly underpriced. For the enterprise / professional buyer they're a steal of a deal. Most people who own these things would be very happy to pay another couple thousand on top of that for even slicker looking design, quieter cooler performance and whatnot.

If you want just raw specs Apple's definitely not the right company for you.

I do not think the CPU in MBP's are enterprise ready chips and by Apples own metrics less that 15% of users are professionals. So I am surprised you think that most (ie normal users) are willing to pay $1000's more

 

[Polo2883]

I do not think the CPU in MBP's are enterprise ready chips and by Apples own metrics less that 15% of users are professionals. So I am surprised you think that most (ie normal users) are willing to pay $1000's more

The Macbook Pro's are more of the professional line and people are willing to pay for it. You need to compare the Macbook Pro's to Dell's Precision or Lenovo's P1.

If you are trying to compare consumer grade items, I would think the Macbook line is the most comparable. I would compare the Macbook line to Dell's Inspiron or Lenovo's E series.

I buy Lenovo Carbon X1's for all our employee's at work now. They cannot compare the quality of a Macbook Pro. My 2011 Macbook pro just died on me. Thats 7 yrs of usage out of a laptop. I would be lucky to get 3-4 yrs from a Windows machine. Part of the cost the Apple products is the free upgrades to the OS. Everyone in the Windows world lucked out with the free Windows 10 upgrade. Thats not going to happen again with Microsofts next OS.

Just my $0.02.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

As a matter of fact, the components in the high end $2300-$2500 Macbook pros are pretty comparative to $1200-$1500 laptops from other manufacturers.

Holy hell the 90s called and asked why you regurgitate old arguments.

Component cost is not the only thing you pay for. You are also paying for design, software teams, research and development, advanced manufacturing techniques, and the world's best recycling.

Other computer manufacturers don't need to invest in developing an operating system because Microsoft does it for them.

Furthermore, Apple designs many of their own components which are beyond anything offered by other companies. The SSDs for example are more compact that the m.2 form factor and faster than most. The battery is larger while also being very slim. The trackpad on Mac laptops has always been two generations ahead of the competition.

Apple leads. Everyone else just follows and sells lower quality versions.

You can argue that 'PC maker offers mega GPU' and 'thick case' for same price but that is also irrelevant. Most Mac users won't portability, durability and style.

I have Macs from the last 30 years that are still running like Day 1. Quality products.

So you are really just comparing peanut butter to caviar. We can like both without making comparisons.

 

[SteveJUAE]

The Macbook Pro's are more of the professional line and people are willing to pay for it. You need to compare the Macbook Pro's to Dell's Precision or Lenovo's P1.

If you are trying to compare consumer grade items, I would think the Macbook line is the most comparable. I would compare the Macbook line to Dell's Inspiron or Lenovo's E series.

I buy Lenovo Carbon X1's for all our employee's at work now. They cannot compare the quality of a Macbook Pro. My 2011 Macbook pro just died on me. Thats 7 yrs of usage out of a laptop. I would be lucky to get 3-4 yrs from a Windows machine. Part of the cost the Apple products is the free upgrades to the OS. Everyone in the Windows world lucked out with the free Windows 10 upgrade. Thats not going to happen again with Microsofts next OS.

Just my $0.02.

I am not comparing anything one poster suggested many users were willing to pay $1000's more for something that is a premium consumer device bought by a small % of professionals

 

[macguy360]

Holy hell the 90s called and asked why you regurgitate old arguments.

Component cost is not the only thing you pay for. You are also paying for design, software teams, research and development, advanced manufacturing techniques, and the world's best recycling.

Other computer manufacturers don't need to invest in developing an operating system because Microsoft does it for them.

Furthermore, Apple designs many of their own components which are beyond anything offered by other companies. The SSDs for example are more compact that the m.2 form factor and faster than most. The battery is larger while also being very slim. The trackpad on Mac laptops has always been two generations ahead of the competition.

Apple leads. Everyone else just follows and sells lower quality versions.

You can argue that 'PC maker offers mega GPU' and 'thick case' for same price but that is also irrelevant. Most Mac users won't portability, durability and style.

I have Macs from the last 30 years that are still running like Day 1. Quality products.

So you are really just comparing peanut butter to caviar. We can like both without making comparisons.

Apple still uses parts made from computer companies. Ifixit does a yearly tear down where they identify where each part comes from. The only thing proprietary are the battery and case. Everything else is made by other computer companies.

The main point of my post is that Apple has been gradually increasing prices rather than maintaining a steady price like all other computer companies. The price increase hasn’t been due to Apple innovating, but rather Apple reporting performance gains due to things like Intel processor improvements.

Apple hasn’t innovated in years in regards to the MacBook Pro line.

 

[Polo2883]

Apple still uses parts made from computer companies. Ifixit does a yearly tear down where they identify where each part comes from. The only thing proprietary are the battery and case. Everything else is made by other computer companies.

The main point of my post is that Apple has been gradually increasing prices rather than maintaining a steady price like all other computer companies. The price increase hasn’t been due to Apple innovating, but rather Apple reporting performance gains due to things like Intel processor improvements.

Apple hasn’t innovated in years in regards to the MacBook Pro line.

But if people are willing to pay the premium, why not profit from it now. This won't last long. They will eventually need to lower prices since they are going to be putting their products out of the reach of regular consumers. If you are on this board you are typically not a regular consumer. You know what you want and you are willing to pay the "Apple Tax" to get something that is going to be better than last longer than anything else on the market.

 

[macguy360]

But if people are willing to pay the premium, why not profit from it now. This won't last long. They will eventually need to lower prices since they are going to be putting their products out of the reach of regular consumers. If you are on this board you are typically not a regular consumer. You know what you want and you are willing to pay the "Apple Tax" to get something that is going to be better than last longer than anything else on the market.

I also mentioned this in my first post. I still like MacBook Pros, but I will be waiting for deep discounts.

 

[Polo2883]

I also mentioned this in my first post. I still like MacBook Pros, but I will be waiting for deep discounts.

I will say that I do buy Apple products with employee friends and family discounts usually. I have rarely paid full retail in the last 10 yrs.

 

[Naimfan]

I also mentioned this in my first post. I still like MacBook Pros, but I will be waiting for deep discounts.

Exactly.

Wait until B&H or Adorama start discounting by $1000 or more, as they did with the 2016s. That's the time to get one.

Apple's pricing is as absurd as the internet shills defending it.

 

[Queen6]

I do not think the CPU in MBP's are enterprise ready chips and by Apples own metrics less that 15% of users are professionals. So I am surprised you think that most (ie normal users) are willing to pay $1000's more

I've never seen more drop the Mac for professional use, even hardcore Apple guy's. I'd be confident to state that the quoted 15% is simply a diminishing number. I hardy ever see a Mac used in anger these days.

Apple's simply testing the market, seeing what it will bear, it will continue to do and strip feature & usability. Mac's are just designed as nice consumer products, nothing more nothing less. Apple abandoned it's professional audience years back...

Q-6

 

[NT1440]

I have noticed a trend that with every iteration of increasing technology (I.e moving from Kaby lake to coffee lake intel processor) that the newer MacBook Pro is higher in price compared to the older MacBook Pro. This has nothing to do with Apple innovating and everything to do with Intel updating their processors.

Every other computer company keeps prices pretty similar as technology improves as opposed to increasing prices. For example, Asus has been making a line of gaming laptops that have stayed around $1200-$1500 for the past 12 years.

As a matter of fact, the components in the high end $2300-$2500 Macbook pros are pretty comparative to $1200-$1500 laptops from other manufacturers.

Is Apple getting to a point where they are pricing themselves out of the market? I for one am less inclined to update to a new MacBook and I am waiting for deep discounts to consider an updgrade.

How many other OEMs are developing their own hardware to improve the experience of a laptop?

 

[Queen6]

Exactly.

Wait until B&H or Adorama start discounting by $1000 or more, as they did with the 2016s. That's the time to get one.

Apple's pricing is as absurd as the internet shills defending it.

Yeah I agree (all) if your stateside you can get some decent deals in time, rest of us just get screwed. Personally the price isn't the issue, more the poor performance and seemingly endless issues the MBP has year on year.

Q-6

 

[Porkchop Sandwich]

The mbp's are a steal.

I wonder how many of the people griping about the cost of a mbp have any manufacturing or, business experience. It appears none.

Once again, the mbp's are a steal.

The cost to Apple in support of their customer service, especially the incredibly generous return policy they have, and the way in which it is abused, must be staggering.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Apple still uses parts made from computer companies. Ifixit does a yearly tear down where they identify where each part comes from. The only thing proprietary are the battery and case. Everything else is made by other computer companies.

Yeah they use some parts from Intel, AMD, Toshiba.

But Apple have their own chip fab and they are one of the few computer manufacturers who design their own chips.

Besides, nearly all chip companies rely on third party fabs.

We see how your whole reply to me ignores the fact Apple spends billions in research, development and software.

When Dell and Lenovo build their own operating system and chips then believe it they will make you pay more.

Apple hasn’t innovated in years in regards to the MacBook Pro line.

If you mean two years, yeah. If you mean more than two years you crazy on a level I can’t go to.

 

[Ma2k5]

Yeah they use some parts from Intel, AMD, Toshiba.

But Apple have their own chip fab and they are one of the few computer manufacturers who design their own chips.

Besides, nearly all chip companies rely on third party fabs.

We see how your whole reply to me ignores the fact Apple spends billions in research, development and software.

When Dell and Lenovo build their own operating system and chips then believe it they will make you pay more.



If you mean two years, yeah. If you mean more than two years you crazy on a level I can’t go to.

You ignore the fact that Apple has always provided macOS in their laptops...

 

[SteveJUAE]

I've never seen more drop the Mac for professional use, even hardcore Apple guy's. I'd be confident to state that the quoted 15% is simply diminishing number. I hardy ever see a Mac used in anger these days.

Apple's simply testing the market, seeing what it will bear, it will continue to do and strip feature & usability. Mac's are just designed as nice consumer products, nothing more nothing less. Apple abandoned it's professional audience years back...

Q-6

Well there will always be some professionals (ie profession app developers) who have little choice otherwise else it's seems a few creatives are well catered for as the software is cheaper but bigger studios seem to use multiple OS's but maybe I over generalise

But for sure the good old days are gone especially with little easy serviceable parts

Nothing wrong with Apple pricing providing you know what your buying and a lot of it is about pleasure of ownership rather than more tangible attributes which is true of many premium products be it shoes, handbags, watches or Apple laptops

 

[Queen6]

The mbp's are a steal.

I wonder how many of the people griping about the cost of a mbp have any manufacturing or, business experience. It appears none.

Once again, the mbp's are a steal.

The cost to Apple in support of their customer service, especially the incredibly generous return policy they have, and the way in which it is abused, must be staggering.

Outside of some niche profession's/workflows Mac's are near irrelevant in business. Good friend of mine is an IT manager for a major international, his opinion is Apple would need to pay them to use Mac's.

You pay more for Mac's due to Apples extensive margin, on the other side Apple crushes it's suppliers with it's economy of scale, mercilessly forcing the lowest pricing. Apple is about one thing and one thing only $$$ most know that...

Q-6

 

[Porkchop Sandwich]

Outside of some niche profession's/workflows Mac's are near irrelevant in business. Good friend of mine is an IT manager for a major international, his opinion is Apple would need to pay them to use Mac's.

You pay more for Mac's due to Apples extensive margin, on the other side Apple crushes it's suppliers with it's economy of scale, mercilessly forcing the lowest pricing. Apple is about one thing and one thing only $$$ most know that...

Q-6

No doubt about it..PC's rule the business and Govt world. That's a different thing altogether.

 

[SteveJUAE]

The cost to Apple in support of their customer service, especially the incredibly generous return policy they have, and the way in which it is abused, must be staggering.

What cost to Apple this is all part of the consumer price and the more that buy AC/AC+ just adds to the revenue

There scale is unmeasured by many companies and so called nickel and dime is actually $10 of millions by excluding the simplest of things in the box or change in packaging

They are very smart and very successful make no mistake you pay for it

 

[Queen6]

Well there will always be some professionals (ie profession app developers) who have little choice otherwise ") else it's seems a few creatives are well catered for as the software is cheaper but bigger studios seem to use multiple OS's but maybe I over generalise

But for sure the good old days are gone especially with little easy serviceable parts

Nothing wrong with Apple pricing providing you know what your buying and a lot of it is about please of ownership rather than more tangible attributes which is true of many premium products be it shoes, handbags, watches or Apple laptops

Once Microsoft figure how to mange colour correctly the Mac will be basically dead in the water as a professional tool for many, as Apple simply doesn't offer the performance nor flexibility many need.

I don't care about the pricing as the systems are a function of revenue, I do care about reliability, usability & performance, all of which is in full reverse with Apple, thx to a single philosophy of making everything pointlessly thinner & thinner.

Mac's are a premium consumer product and it's where Apple want's to be, so it can charge the prices it does maximising it's margins, just like the shoes, handbags & watches gang. Difference being Apple will nickel & dime you for every Cent, at any instance it possibly can. Anyone thinking anything Apple does or provides is free certainly doesn't understand business. All is built into the base cost and/or an additional cost with generally increased margin.

Personally not keen on the shoes & handbags, do have a penchant for expensive watches, equally they perform as expected, rarely running slow

Q-6

 

[coolX]

The Macbook Pro's are more of the professional line and people are willing to pay for it. You need to compare the Macbook Pro's to Dell's Precision or Lenovo's P1.

If you are trying to compare consumer grade items, I would think the Macbook line is the most comparable. I would compare the Macbook line to Dell's Inspiron or Lenovo's E series.

I buy Lenovo Carbon X1's for all our employee's at work now. They cannot compare the quality of a Macbook Pro. My 2011 Macbook pro just died on me. Thats 7 yrs of usage out of a laptop. I would be lucky to get 3-4 yrs from a Windows machine. Part of the cost the Apple products is the free upgrades to the OS. Everyone in the Windows world lucked out with the free Windows 10 upgrade. Thats not going to happen again with Microsofts next OS.

Just my $0.02.

I'm rocking a 2009 mid-range Asus (cost $600). Don't say Windows laptops can't go the distance.

 

[Polo2883]

I'm rocking a 2009 mid-range Asus (cost $600). Don't say Windows laptops can't go the distance.

It depends on what you use it for. When you are using chrome, word, outlook and other apps, I doubt that Asus can keep up.