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Does a Mac have snob value?

O

*old-guy*

macrumors regular
Original poster
The title doesn't exactly match what I wanted to say but I couldn't find the right words.
What I meant to say is that after a couple of weeks of reading this forum, it seems to me that only rich people own Macs. I have read such things as (NOT verbatim).......
I'm 17 and my Apple Mac Pro 8 core with 3.2GHz seems a bit slow. I may have to throw it in the bin and buy another.
or .......
We were using my 17" MacBook Pro as a football and i8t got damaged.

In other words, there seem to be many, many posts from folk who think nothing of spending a whole heap of money on a computer. On the other hand, there don't seem to be many posts from folk working on a very tight budget, like me.
I don't mean anything nasty by that post. It's just an observation.
Cheers,
Steve
 
I'm not rich at all, my folks might be but I'm certainly penny-poor until I get a publisher 🙂 but I like my Macs. Though in the last few months I've been considering keeping my old iMac for OSX and just building my own powerhouse of a PC since I might not be able to buy the iMac I need.

Some people are spoilt is all. Some people buy a Mac Pro just for web browsing. I don't really care what they do TBH as it doesn't affect me at all. 🙂
 
Some people buy a Mac Pro just for web browsing

That is so exactly the kind of thing I meant, lol
 
I am, by no means, rich... but I have Macs. Just because some of the people who own Macs are rich, doesn't make all of them rich. The same goes for PCs.
 
I am not rich but I have only me to support. That said, I have a lot of me to support.
Anyway, what I do not spend in countless upgrades over the years I spend on one machine that lasts me years.
 
I'm a university student, with a mac supplied by the university (I get to keep it too), so definitely not a snob.

Kev.
 
kevkev ..... When I was at school many moons ago, we were lucky if we gtot to keep the pen and paper, lol
 
we have 246,956 on macrumors. So some of them are bound to be rich and brag about it. Its the nature of life. And those who aren't rich aren't the ones bragging so its really the minority of people who make those posts.
 
This is a good thread. Yes, I've found that too many Mac owners are snobs about their computers. It's something that really waters off Win PC owners. Mind you, they too try to go one better than the Jones' with the type of processor they have on their motherboards.

I work with both OS platforms, and enjoy some aspects of both, but I recommend, own and much prefer Mac computers because they're better to use and have far fewer inherent problems.

I can't afford $nobbery though, it costs too much money and pointle$$ arguing.
 
Yes, no doubt it is an interesting thread! 🙂

I can certainly understand where one might come to the feelings you have after a relatively short time here, particularly after the introduction of a new product design and the related posts. Posts like you used for example are indeed seen too often for my tastes too- but on the other hand I also see it on some PC forums I need to use sometimes as well.

On this forum the thread might read:
"Apple is SO worthless!!!!!!! I spent $25.3 kabillion dollars on my new Mac Book Mega Deluxe Extended Platinum Edition with optional Hyperdrive laser modules because it is 2Mhz faster, and can you believe there is a worker's FINGERPRINT on the screen?"
Click to expand...

...while a similar post on a PC forum might read:
"I CAN'T BELIEVE company XYZ!!!! I spent $191 pentazillion dollars on a new PCBOARD2123-x33q-21D.yi7 Revision 8.52 Golden Dragon Flame Series motherboard with four solid platinum induction reducers because it is 2Mhz faster and those idiots left out one of the 136 screws that were supposed to be included!".
Click to expand...

Ok, so maybe a little extreme but it does happen both ways.😉 The question really comes down to whether or not it is more prevalent on Mac boards, and sadly I have to honestly say I think it is in general. That being said, I personally take comfort in the fact that informative helpful posts, with no indication of that snobbery, are decidedly in the majority here (far more than a couple of other Mac forums I used to frequent, that is a fact) as I think you will discover as you read more and more posts over time.

I, like many others here, do indeed have to make difficult financial adjustments and compromises on other wishes to support our desire to continue to use what is in our opinion the best currently available computing platform, all things considered. I don't often regret making those compromises on other things (though I really would like a new Toshiba LCD bigscreen- sigh...) to do that. Are those types of compromises/considerations a necessity for everyone on this forum? Using examples like yours it would sure seem not!🙁
 
Many people on this forum have to use Macs for work, hence they will always have the best as they are not paying, or they can justify it by higher productivity.

Many other, like myself, just use a Mac for pleasure and don't have much to brag about. I would love to buy a MBP just for websurfing, but I don't need one, my BlackBook is more than powerful enough for my needs 🙂
 
The true is, I would not own an Apple computer, if my good old A3 Heidelberg scanner would work with a PC. But sadly, it doesn't. And i also don't want to spend more money on a Mac than a PC, so the only model that is in my reach, is the Mac mini.

It was already quite a big cost to buy the whole Adobe CS3 Design Standard Suite for the PC platform.

And i fully agree with the title, that the term "owning a Mac" was always (but especially in last years or so) somehow snobbish.

The problem I see is especially true for kids, who always know, how to "punish" each other. "You don't have a Playstation?" Whoa, you are (and your family is) so poor

... and now, think of it, what will become these kids, when they grow up.
 
hughvane said:
This is a good thread. Yes, I've found that too many Mac owners are snobs about their computers. It's something that really waters off Win PC owners. Mind you, they too try to go one better than the Jones' with the type of processor they have on their motherboards.

I work with both OS platforms, and enjoy some aspects of both, but I recommend, own and much prefer Mac computers because they're better to use and have far fewer inherent problems.

I can't afford $nobbery though, it costs too much money and pointle$$ arguing.
Click to expand...

I found out the people who brag about money the most on the internet are the people who don't have squat. I know some people who are "well off" and you would never know it. They never brag, they drive basic cars (1 person has a 1999 Toyota Camry) and all around great people.
I can tell people on here I make $120,000.00 a year, how can I prove I do or don't (for the record I am NO where close to that lol).
 
Good thread and the OP has raised an interesting point about both Mac and the users/buyers of same. To a certain extent, the brand - as a brand - works. It is stylish, well-designed and works well, and as such, appeals to those who value both form and function (and are encouraged by Mac advertising to feel better tabout themselves as a consequence.)

However, most users here are not loaded wasters, rather they are people who need and use computers and have chosen Mac as a consequence. Yes, Macs are a bit more expensive. That does not make the buyers of Mac rich, rather it means that they choose/or are able to spend this money on this product, - which does not necessarily mean wealth in other areas of life.

For my part, I work a lot online, write a lot, edit, and research. Computers are my working tool of necessity, and thus, I choose a good model (previous models have been Toshiba and Sony, when I used Windows). I switched to Mac for a variety of reasons - style, function, the "halo" effect of iPods, personal experience of good Apple customer care, and Apple's reputation for good online security. None of this pre-supposes wealth. However, it is a topic worth exploring.

Cheers and good luck
 
I wouldn't say rich. Certainly Mac users are wealthier on average, however most of us just care more about our computing experience (hence why we use Macs).

Saying that I have seen a thread on here where some idiot bought a fully maxed out Mac Pro (3.2 8 core, 32gb RAM, Quadro, the lot), for just general use.

If I was a billionaire I would not buy that system just for the hell of it (I would buy the 2.8 8 core instead 😛)
 
I find that "rich" people who buy macs generally know nothing about them and only buy them because of the price and the image that comes with them.

Myself, I own a refurb white 2.1ghz macbook. Why? Because the base model does everything I need. I have upgraded the RAM and HD but thats just because i like tinkering with computers...

I'm still trying to find things to do with my macbook . . . to be perfectly honest a basic £300 toshiba laptop would have done . . . . but then again it wouldn't of had OS X
 
Perhaps "rich" is in the eye of the beholder.

I have a basic bike that cost me $150. It does the job. Others spend hundreds, even thousands on bikes with features I couldn't even begin to understand. You could interpret it as them being rich enough to afford an expensive bike, or you could say they care about biking enough to invest in quality equipment for the job they want it to do (commuting, racing, whatever).

Others spend tons of money on golf clubs. Others on fixing up old cars. Others on their boats. You get the idea.

I spend a lot of money on my Mac (compared to a PC I could buy for $299) because I care about the experience and want a quality machine, not because I can wave it around like a status symbol. I do know one person who has been eyeing the Mac and wants to purchase one for himself because I can see in his eyes the resentment -- "if HE can afford to buy one, *I* certainly can too". HE may think of it as a status symbol. But that's his attitude, not mine.

We all spend money in certain ways (and not others). I scrimp where I need to so I can splurge elsewhere. I don't think that's the same as being snobbish or throwing money around.
 
notjustjay said:
Perhaps "rich" is in the eye of the beholder.

I have a basic bike that cost me $150. It does the job. Others spend hundreds, even thousands on bikes with features I couldn't even begin to understand. You could interpret it as them being rich enough to afford an expensive bike, or you could say they care about biking enough to invest in quality equipment for the job they want it to do (commuting, racing, whatever).

Others spend tons of money on golf clubs. Others on fixing up old cars. Others on their boats. You get the idea.

I spend a lot of money on my Mac (compared to a PC I could buy for $299) because I care about the experience and want a quality machine, not because I can wave it around like a status symbol. I do know one person who has been eyeing the Mac and wants to purchase one for himself because I can see in his eyes the resentment -- "if HE can afford to buy one, *I* certainly can too". HE may think of it as a status symbol. But that's his attitude, not mine.

We all spend money in certain ways (and not others). I scrimp where I need to so I can splurge elsewhere. I don't think that's the same as being snobbish or throwing money around.
Click to expand...


You hit a home run with that! That is exactly true!

I see a lot of people who live in my apartment complex who drive really nice new cars. There are three things about these people that I think.

1. Wow, they must have good credit and are in a fair amount of debt now.
2. What they don't spend on their house goes into their car, obviously.
3. Wow, they are rich.

Most of the time it's because they like their commuting experience and would rather put more money in a car than they would their house. I have a Mac and a really nice set up, as well as a nice car. But look in my closet, I don't have many clothes (but just enough for me, I am a guy btw). I know friends who have a lot of clothes and they have maybe one computer and they have no car.

It's all how they spend their money. Even making minimum wage someone can afford anything they want, but they will have a deficit in some other area. Be that their living, their credit, or their general quality of life. Owning a Mac is by no way a measure of any of those things, and therefore should not have a "snob" value.


I would care to take a guess and say MOST members here are middle class people who just enjoy what OSX can offer than (as you and I). Hope that makes sense!
 
Yes.

Apple is a premium brand, like BMW or Abercrombie and Fitch.

It is desired, aspirational, and some hate it for being status, and some are jealous of it because they can't afford it.

Apple does NOT provide the best value for your dollar, and that is OK, and they should keep doing what they are doing.
 
I don't think so. I'm certainly not rich (I'm a high school student with a modest job), and my family isn't rich. It's like the other poster said, different people spend more on different things. I placed a value on owning an Apple computer for myself, and I saved up...I use it for my schoolwork and music and all that jive, and I'll need a new Mac for college. Doesn't make me rich in any way.

On the other hand...there's this girl at my school who pisses me off. Her parents bought her a Macbook Pro "just because," which she just uses for web browsing...then she drops it, it's still in great working condition, but it was slightly dented. So they bought her at brand new one.
 
Purchasing comfortable leather shoes to sooth sore feet doesn't make a person snobbish. A Mac feels comfortable with less pain than a PC. 😛
 
Hi again,
There have been some really good, thought provoking answers to my question.
I guess it's true that Macs, in general, cost more than windows PCs and so anyone using a Windows PC is going to look at a Mac user and just KNOW the Mac was more expensive than his/her own set up (all things being equal)
So maybe the idea of snobbishness is actually in the eye of the beholder and not the Mac user.
I think all that means that Mac snobs are just ordinary snobs that just happen to own a Mac, lol
 
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