Do MBP's really out last comparable Win PC's?

[fs454]

I built a new PC every 2-3 years to keep up until I finally got a Macbook Pro in 2007 - it still runs today and held up well although I've moved on from it and turned it into a media center.


Most surprising though is my Mac Pro. I spent $2800 on the first 8-core model in early 2008, with two quad core 2.8ghz Xeons, 4GB of RAM and an average video card.


I've since thrown an SSD into it and obviously have filled the drive bays with storage, I'm at 28GB of RAM now(a production paid for most of it!) and added a flashed GTX470 1.2GB video card and I'm completely floored that my machine I bought in January 2008, which is about to turn six years old can still keep up with the best of 2013. I get 11,500 in GeekBench (my new $2800 2013 rMBP gets the same, go figure), and can rip through tough encodes and real-time rendering like it's brand new. Granted, the new Mac Pro will offer about 2x the power properly configured, I don't at all feel the need to upgrade - I'm just happy that my mobile rig and my workstation rig are about equal now in processing power.

So, where I'd previously been messing with building a new PC every couple of years (or swapping parts out, sockets becoming obsolete and requiring new motherboards and RAM to go with new CPUs), I have one tower that still packs a big punch nearly 6 years later with not a single issue, running Mavericks like a brand new machine.


I would say yes, Macs in general will last longer in-service and hold their value better. At the time, that Mac Pro was impossible to build for the price Apple was selling it for, and although you may now get slightly lower hardware, I really think the fit and finish, as well as the absolutely beautiful Retina display if you so choose, is worth it. Get AppleCare and max out the RAM as it's not upgradeable on Retina models - repairs are pricy as most result in full logic board replacement. I manage IT and haven't seen any failures to date on any of our 2010, 2011, and 2012 models that weren't spills, and Apple is very cooperative about defects.

Go for it, world class customer service and world class fit-and-finish as well as an OS that keeps getting more and more out of your - and the hardware's way.

 

[kevink2]

One of the drivers pushing me towards a rMBP is the overall build quality and customer support. We have a couple of iPads and an iPhone and really like the quality.

I've always been a Win PC user, and my last two Win PC's have had motherboard issues at the 3 year mark, which is frustrating to say the least; both were better grade consumer PC's in the $1,000- $1,200K range.

So, before I spend $2.5K on a rMBP, are they really better made, and do they really outlast comparably priced Win PC's?

Please don't misconstrue, I'm, not looking for a Apple vs Windows PC war; I'm only seeking constructive comments from folks who have some good background experience.

Thank you guys again!

Compared to the low end windows PC, I would assume that the Apples will be more reliable.

Before I bought my, now 3 year old, MBP, I had used a $2000+ Windows PC. I had the motherboard replaced during warranty, and the case had some cracking, but I handed it down and it is still working.

My MBP, on the other hand, has had only one issue in the 3 years. But that one 2 times. The mag-safe adapter broke twice. I'm on my third one. So that is a sore spot with me.

The case is dented from a drop once, but that is cosmetic.

 

[fratey]

Most surprising though is my Mac Pro. I spent $2800 on the first 8-core model in early 2008, with two quad core 2.8ghz Xeons, 4GB of RAM and an average video card.

I've since thrown an SSD into it and obviously have filled the drive bays with storage, I'm at 28GB of RAM now(a production paid for most of it!) and added a flashed GTX470 1.2GB video card and I'm completely floored that my machine I bought in January 2008, which is about to turn six years old can still keep up with the best of 2013. I get 11,500 in GeekBench (my new $2800 2013 rMBP gets the same, go figure), and can rip through tough encodes and real-time rendering like it's brand new. Granted, the new Mac Pro will offer about 2x the power properly configured, I don't at all feel the need to upgrade - I'm just happy that my mobile rig and my workstation rig are about equal now in processing power.

So, where I'd previously been messing with building a new PC every couple of years (or swapping parts out, sockets becoming obsolete and requiring new motherboards and RAM to go with new CPUs), I have one tower that still packs a big punch nearly 6 years later with not a single issue, running Mavericks like a brand new machine.

I don't understand this at all. How would this be any different than any other computer on the same socket? You're applying different yardsticks on computers here, which is far from a fair comparison.

 

[kevink2]

In addition, my 2008 Mac Pro has an issue where, sometimes, if I try to boot off of CD it kind of forgets how to boot off of hard drive afterwards. The key combos to reset PRAM, etc, don't help in this case. I have to remove the CMOS battery, then attempt to boot, then put it back in and do the reset PRAM key combo. It then works fine.

A year ago I almost packaged it up and was going to go to an Apple store when I found out about the CMOS battery.

Upgradability is a nice feature. My MBP was upgraded to it's max of 8GB. The MBP is now 20GB, and probably won't be updated again. I've upgraded both to SSDs.

With less upgradable computers, I would have to plan ahead and buy even more than I need now.

 

[priitv8]

IMHO big role in better service life of Apple computers comes from the fact that OS X depreciates old hardware much more gently than Windows does.

 

[stayley]

I replaced my 4 year old Asus (that I paid about a $1000 for, I imagine it'd have been around 750 in the US) with an MBA only because I wanted something more mobile. The Asus is still in perfect working order and in fact over these 4 years has given me less headaches than the MBA in the last two weeks (tbh I'm growing increasingly disappointed, especially given the widespread "Macs just work" discourse).

When you spend that kind of money you can expect quality and durability on either. You might consider the upcoming (or is it out?) Zenbook Infinity for example.

 

[marc55]

When you spend that kind of money you can expect quality and durability on either. You might consider the upcoming (or is it out?) Zenbook Infinity for example.

I'm also looking at the Dell New XPS-15, and M3800.

 

[AppleFanatic10]

One of the drivers pushing me towards a rMBP is the overall build quality and customer support. We have a couple of iPads and an iPhone and really like the quality.

I've always been a Win PC user, and my last two Win PC's have had motherboard issues at the 3 year mark, which is frustrating to say the least; both were better grade consumer PC's in the $1,000- $1,200K range.

So, before I spend $2.5K on a rMBP, are they really better made, and do they really outlast comparably priced Win PC's?

Please don't misconstrue, I'm, not looking for a Apple vs Windows PC war; I'm only seeking constructive comments from folks who have some good background experience.

Thank you guys again!

Well as of right now I can tell you that my unibody Macbook '10 is still going strong. It still has 87% of battery left and it runs really fast with 8GB of Ram and Mavericks. If I were you, I'd invest in a Macbook, you won't be disappointed.

 

[Freyqq]

One of the drivers pushing me towards a rMBP is the overall build quality and customer support. We have a couple of iPads and an iPhone and really like the quality.

I've always been a Win PC user, and my last two Win PC's have had motherboard issues at the 3 year mark, which is frustrating to say the least; both were better grade consumer PC's in the $1,000- $1,200K range.

So, before I spend $2.5K on a rMBP, are they really better made, and do they really outlast comparably priced Win PC's?

Please don't misconstrue, I'm, not looking for a Apple vs Windows PC war; I'm only seeking constructive comments from folks who have some good background experience.

Thank you guys again!

The specs are exactly the same as a comparable PC. But, the case, trackpad, keyboard, battery, screen, etc tend to be much higher quality and last much longer.

 

[stayley]

I'm also looking at the Dell New XPS-15, and M3800.

Right, I forgot we were on the MBP board. The XPS15 does sound like a very solid option. I need to lay my hands on XPS13 and see if I'm gonna shed some tears of regret for getting the MBA.

Applefanatic makes a good point that the battery life on Macbooks is quite exceptional. Then again, I'm not sure how much of a factor (as in 2h difference between say rMBP and eg. the XPS15) it is for a 15" machine.

I can also agree with Freyqq's point to some extent. One of the key factors that drove me to getting the MBA is the fantastic keyboard on this machine. Nothing compares to it so far (again, I need to check out this new XPS13).

I disagree about the screen. The retina display on the rMBP is nothing special by this year's standards. If you are trying to generalise about Apple v. PC then you are terribly wrong, the screen on the MBA is a joke compared to the elaborate offer of PC laptop manufacturers.

I also disagree about the case, Apple's competitors did get their ***** together and are coming up with increasingly robust designs. The Samsung Ativ Book 9 series is already on par in terms of build quality for example.

 

[fs454]

Right, I forgot we were on the MBP board. The XPS15 does sound like a very solid option. I need to lay my hands on XPS13 and see if I'm gonna shed some tears of regret for getting the MBA.

Applefanatic makes a good point that the battery life on Macbooks is quite exceptional. Then again, I'm not sure how much of a factor (as in 2h difference between say rMBP and eg. the XPS15) it is for a 15" machine.

I can also agree with Freyqq's point to some extent. One of the key factors that drove me to getting the MBA is the fantastic keyboard on this machine. Nothing compares to it so far (again, I need to check out this new XPS13).

I disagree about the screen. The retina display on the rMBP is nothing special by this year's standards. If you are trying to generalise about Apple v. PC then you are terribly wrong, the screen on the MBA is a joke compared to the elaborate offer of PC laptop manufacturers.

I also disagree about the case, Apple's competitors did get their ***** together and are coming up with increasingly robust designs. The Samsung Ativ Book 9 series is already on par in terms of build quality for example.

Just curious, what other notebook displays match the 15" rMBP display right now? In pixel density, viewing angles and gamut?

 

[stayley]

Just curious, what other notebook displays match the 15" rMBP display right now? In pixel density, viewing angles and gamut?

Oh my, I keep forgetting we are talking about the 15" that I was never interested in. Still, I am pretty sure there must be a few since there are some 13" with superior screens.