There's always argument that Macs retain value better than PC's, and if you scan Craigslist or eBay this seems fairly obvious. I was curious so I did my own math and I thought the result was interesting, so I thought I'd post it here.
My own conclusions are:
- The overall depreciation between high-end Mac and a PC is about the same. So long as that's the case you may as well buy the one you enjoy the most.
- The Apple hardware quality is tremendously better.
- To save the most money buy the lowest-end Mac and use it for a long time.
- It is a lot less hassle to sell a Mac. The PC was hard to sell, the Macbook White I had to beat Craigslist people off with a stick.
- Applecare is probably not worth it. Debatable of course.
Example 1 - Dell XPS 7100: $900 shipped with tax.
(6 core AMD processor, 8GB RAM, 2 year warranty)
- $400 sale price 18 months later
= $500 loss
Approx loss is $330/yr
Example 2 - Macbook White 2007: $850 new with tax
(2 core Intel, 1GB RAM, 1 year warranty)
- $275 sale price 60 months later
= $575 loss
Approx loss is $115/yr
Example 3 - Macbook Pro Late 2011: $1870 with mods
(Base Quad-core i7) + 16GB RAM + 256GB SSD and DVD relocation kit + 3 year Applecare
- $1000 approx sale price 30 months later
Approx loss is $348/yr
I bought the 2011 MBP for a specific software project and also for personal use, photo and video editing. Not sure if I'll get $1000 in 2.5 years. I plan to keep this one until just before Applecare expires and then get whatever new model is hot at that time.
I bought the Dell for a specific software project that ended. As a cost of doing business it was well worth it for me. The machine just rocked and was screaming fast. I had to throw the keyboard and mouse away, they were insultingly poor.
The Macbook White was for my wife, it was used and abused a lot and we never had to use Applecare. I upgraded the RAM and HD myself over time with spare parts. If not for the iPad we would probably still have it.
My own conclusions are:
- The overall depreciation between high-end Mac and a PC is about the same. So long as that's the case you may as well buy the one you enjoy the most.
- The Apple hardware quality is tremendously better.
- To save the most money buy the lowest-end Mac and use it for a long time.
- It is a lot less hassle to sell a Mac. The PC was hard to sell, the Macbook White I had to beat Craigslist people off with a stick.
- Applecare is probably not worth it. Debatable of course.
Example 1 - Dell XPS 7100: $900 shipped with tax.
(6 core AMD processor, 8GB RAM, 2 year warranty)
- $400 sale price 18 months later
= $500 loss
Approx loss is $330/yr
Example 2 - Macbook White 2007: $850 new with tax
(2 core Intel, 1GB RAM, 1 year warranty)
- $275 sale price 60 months later
= $575 loss
Approx loss is $115/yr
Example 3 - Macbook Pro Late 2011: $1870 with mods
(Base Quad-core i7) + 16GB RAM + 256GB SSD and DVD relocation kit + 3 year Applecare
- $1000 approx sale price 30 months later
Approx loss is $348/yr
I bought the 2011 MBP for a specific software project and also for personal use, photo and video editing. Not sure if I'll get $1000 in 2.5 years. I plan to keep this one until just before Applecare expires and then get whatever new model is hot at that time.
I bought the Dell for a specific software project that ended. As a cost of doing business it was well worth it for me. The machine just rocked and was screaming fast. I had to throw the keyboard and mouse away, they were insultingly poor.
The Macbook White was for my wife, it was used and abused a lot and we never had to use Applecare. I upgraded the RAM and HD myself over time with spare parts. If not for the iPad we would probably still have it.
