How to convince my brother that a MacBook pro is worth it?

[palpatine]

Why do so many people even ask this question?

Do you think I "need" a Mac? I don't need one. I don't need anything in particular. I always "want" a Mac because the OS is better, and that's it. My needs are met by a Windows computer, but I like nice things of high quality. I didn't buy into image. How could I have done so? I've been using Macs for many years, and even when it wasn't necessarily "cool" to own a Mac, I owned one. I use it to check email, post here, and write some reports. That's it.


And if you really want to show her why a Mac is better, offer to take her to:

1. An Apple store, or even a decent reseller.
2. Best Buy.

Problem solved.

I don't think they are asking you. They are asking the OP. The OP wants to convince his mother, via his Mac-hating brother, that he needs a Mac. Yet, the OP doesn't seem to have a clear reason why, so it seems unlikely that he'll be very persuasive, no matter what we say.

Anyhow, there are fabulous new PCs out there. I don't think that just looking at the Mac would convince anyone except a Mac fan. For example, if I was in the market for a computer, and I didn't need OSX for my work, I'd be looking at this gorgeous computer:
http://notebooks.com/2011/05/31/asus-ux21-ultraportable-tries-to-out-air-the-macbook-air-video/

 

[scboxa]

honestly if you have all the money then just buy the laptop your self to show her that its either a mac or nothing. my parents are the same , they want me to save my money but I couldnt resist buying the macbook. hopefully when she sees you have spent all your money,shell realize that the mac is really what you wanted and hopefully shell give you the money regardless of what is a "better" buy . she has to realize that specs arent the ONLY thing that make the computer. I spent alot on the new mbp and realize i could of gotten the same with a pc and saved money, but I love the osx and thats just plain and simple. dont settle for something you dont want when ur paying 1000$+. she sounds like she just wants whats best for you at the best value, im pretty sure if you buy the whole thing urself shell give u the money anyways because youl be happier with a mac then a pc. and if she dosent then you have a computer that you really wanted, and can appreciate it more since you bought it yourself. money comes and goes, if this is really what you want then buy it and enjoy it.

 

[Faux Carnival]

Now I might not get a MacBook!!!

This is why people hate Apple. Maybe you should sell a kidney. Obviously you NEED a Macbook so bad.

 

[fibrizo]

The Mac is cheaper.
Proof:
Macbook Pro depending on Model, I wil work with a $2000 one. 3 year and 5 year figures are average computer lifetime "figures". IE How long until you would buy a new PC.
Macbook Pro 1x $2000, after one year sell $1800. $200 times 3 = $600 (I use $200 as a average figure, could easily get more or less).
So after a 3 year period you are effectively buying your "new" Macbook Pro for $600 and keeping the latest 24/7. Now you wonder what if you want yours to last 5 years? $200 times 5 = $1000, so even after 5 years you are paying $1000 for your "second" computer. Now if you consider this, no PC you buy for $1200 will last 5 years then on a 3 year basis the Mac will be $2600 compared to the PC $2400 which when you add warranty could easily add up to more then $2600.
Seriously take this into consideration, Mac resell value is something people rarely consider.
If you dont like getting a new MBP every year, it still works out:
$2000 MBP approx $1000 value after 3 years (Could easily be more or less). So if you consider that after 3 years you are going to sell the laptop for $1000 then really you are paying $1000 for the MBP + whatever tax you have to pay if you need to borrow the money and $1200 for the PC.

As someone who does sell and buy a new macbook pro every year I have to say these numbers are highly suspect.

I agree that macs tend to hold resale value quite well, compared to comparable PC counterparts. But to be realistic, the numbers are more like this. I spent 1099 on a new macbook pro with student discount and get my ipod touch for free. I end up paying 1099+229 = 1328 + (sales tax 86.32) -229 instant rebate due to me driving to conneticut = 1185.32 +2 hours of my time and gas etc, but I hate mail in rebates so the instant rebate is worth it to me.

I have usually been able to turn the ipod touch for about 170 on ebay, but - fees and paypal etc and shipping. I tend to make about 150$ (ymmv since if you needed or wanted an ipod touch or know someone who does etc etc, but this is a conservative number which should be about right)

1185.32- 150 = 1035.32 for a macbook pro (Which is the same as me driving to Jersey and buying it from microcenter for 999+35$ sales tax = 1034.99, but since I've done both, I will say outright it's much less of a hassle to deal with the apple store if problems arise, ie I never had problems until the 2011 mbp, which had some strange clock/reset issues and tried to exchange it after 1 day... took forever of waiting there.

I have typically been able to turn around my macbook pro after the next refresh for about 800$ net. which does leave me with 235$ net cost after 1 year of use. Which is a decent deal, But on a 2000$ model, I'm sure the depreciation isn't 235$, but closer to 470$ as a percentage wise cost.

The other things involved though are the effort related to selling the mac and the time involved. As a student when your time is free... actually less than free since you're paying to go to school, this is quite worth it. As I get older and I start working, my time starts to be worth money, so it becomes less worthwhile.

But that aside, again you can get a toshiba R835 with the same specs and usb 3 vs thunderbolt, lighter etc... + free xbox 360 now for 800$. Or get the same specs in a lenovo for 559$. Or you could sell the xbox 360 for 150$ profit easy and end up with 650$ If you were going to argue from a financial standpoint....

3 years worth of laptop = 1035+235 = 1270 after 3 years with residual value of 800$ or 470$ lost value

3 years of laptop with a lenovo 560$ net investment (1270-560) = 710$ if I had purchased AAPL stock in june 2008 (which actually was it's high point for that year, you could purchase almost 4 shares)

Then after 3 years now 4 shares is worth about 1375$ And take the residual value of the lenovoi (hey it probably will still be worth 100$ lol) = 1475$

Now... would you have a faster laptop experience with the first option, yes. If you technically wanted to maximize your money you would just buy apple stock instead of laptops lol

 

[fabian9]

Honestly dude, use this:

Where's the closest Windows PC store? There isn't one. If your "custom" built laptop, that your brother made, stops working when you most need it, you are SOL.

However, Apple has warranties- 1 year factors, up to 3 years with Applecare. If something doesn't work, they will either fix it or replace it in under a week, and almost always for free. If the GPU on the custom laptop dies, you might as well throw it out...

Locations.

There are currently 11 Microsoft stores in America. There are tens, if not hundreds of Apple stores internationally. I live a 7 hour drive from the nearest Microsoft store, there are 2 apple stores within 30 minutes of me; I feel I would be more likely to go to an Apple Store for service than the Microsoft store...

... and I'm sure you won't be able to get much support from Microsoft for a custom built computer even if you do manage to get to a Microsoft shop, so the initial argument of limited supportability of customer computer still holds.

The best argument for Apple laptops is their resale value if they're well looked after. I wonder how much that $600 custom built windows computer will get you after 2 or 3 years of use, maybe $100? That's if you find somebody who'll buy it. Apple laptops hold their value incredibly well compared to non-Apple laptops.

 

[awer25]

... and I'm sure you won't be able to get much support from Microsoft for a custom built computer even if you do manage to get to a Microsoft shop, so the initial argument of limited supportability of customer computer still holds.

The best argument for Apple laptops is their resale value if they're well looked after. I wonder how much that $600 custom built windows computer will get you after 2 or 3 years of use, maybe $100? That's if you find somebody who'll buy it. Apple laptops hold their value incredibly well compared to non-Apple laptops.

These arguments are really getting out of hand. I love my Mac just like anyone else, but the exaggerated praise on this board is ridiculous. First, companies like Dell offer arguably better warranties which include accidental damage. Dropped a coke on your new Dell and ruined it? No problem - replaced next day. Dropped it and cracked the screen? Fixed next day. They make next-day house calls to fix your computer at your home, your work, or where ever is convenient for you so the lack of retail outlets doesn't really matter. Drop a glass of water on your new $2000 MBP? Better grab a sack of rice and pray.

As for resale value, a $600 laptop can easily be sold for $300 in 2-3 years. Your $100 figure just shows that you've not sold many Windows laptops (or you've been ripped off a bunch of times). At a minimum, $200-250 is pretty much the bottom for a fully-functional laptop under 5 yrs old. So yes, you lost $300 in 3 years with the Windows machine. How much did you lose in 3 years with that $2000 MBP? At least double that.

Also important is that you can get a 13" $600 laptop with very similar specs as a 13" MBP which costs double that, because resellers of Windows laptops actually have sales. I bought my first Dell with a $750 off $1499 coupon. My last HP was purchased a few months ago with a $500 off $1199 coupon. The best you'll get with Apple is $100 in the EDU store - $200 if you buy something super high end.

Anyway, all I'm trying to say is that people seem to have an unreasonably exaggerated low opinion of other laptops that have the same internal parts. Macs are great and I wouldn't trade mine for the world, but they aren't always the best purchase - especially for a college student on a budget.

 

[fabian9]

These arguments are really getting out of hand. I love my Mac just like anyone else, but the exaggerated praise on this board is ridiculous. First, companies like Dell offer arguably better warranties which include accidental damage. Dropped a coke on your new Dell and ruined it? No problem - replaced next day. Dropped it and cracked the screen? Fixed next day. They make next-day house calls to fix your computer at your home, your work, or where ever is convenient for you so the lack of retail outlets doesn't really matter. Drop a glass of water on your new $2000 MBP? Better grab a sack of rice and pray.

As for resale value, a $600 laptop can easily be sold for $300 in 2-3 years. Your $100 figure just shows that you've not sold many Windows laptops (or you've been ripped off a bunch of times). At a minimum, $200-250 is pretty much the bottom for a fully-functional laptop under 5 yrs old. So yes, you lost $300 in 3 years with the Windows machine. How much did you lose in 3 years with that $2000 MBP? At least double that.

Also important is that you can get a 13" $600 laptop with very similar specs as a 13" MBP which costs double that, because resellers of Windows laptops actually have sales. I bought my first Dell with a $750 off $1499 coupon. My last HP was purchased a few months ago with a $500 off $1199 coupon. The best you'll get with Apple is $100 in the EDU store - $200 if you buy something super high end.

Anyway, all I'm trying to say is that people seem to have an unreasonably exaggerated low opinion of other laptops that have the same internal parts. Macs are great and I wouldn't trade mine for the world, but they aren't always the best purchase - especially for a college student on a budget.

You're right, I have not sold many windows laptops. I've seen friends try to sell windows laptops who without an exception got next to nothing for for them.

I can only speak of my own experience, which is as follows:
I can buy a MacBook Pro with higher education student discount for £859 instead of £999, including a free iPod touch and 3 year Higher Education warranty (like AppleCare, but limited to the UK). Selling this iPod touch to friends/family gets me around £150, i.e. bringing my total cost down to £709. I then sell this MacBook Pro 2 years down to line, again to family or friends, for around £600. That's £109 depreciation in 2 years of use, or £4.54 per month... Not a bad deal if you ask me!

At the same time, a friend of mine bought a £600 windows laptop 2 years ago, arguably cheaper than my £859 MBP. He tried to sell it on eBay after 2 years, nobody wanted it - probably because it was one a million crappy windows laptops on eBay. He ended up selling it for £100 - i.e. £500 depreciation in 2 years, or £20.83 per month. To even match my £4.54/month, he would have had to sell it for more than £490, unlikely I think?

What I'm trying to say is, that yes Apple laptops are more expensive, but if you're clever about how you buy them and treat them, they'll give you a better user experience than any windows laptop and save you money in the long run.

 

[awer25]

You're right, I have not sold many windows laptops. I've seen friends try to sell windows laptops who without an exception got next to nothing for for them.

I can only speak of my own experience, which is as follows:
I can buy a MacBook Pro with higher education student discount for £859 instead of £999, including a free iPod touch and 3 year Higher Education warranty (like AppleCare, but limited to the UK). Selling this iPod touch to friends/family gets me around £150, i.e. bringing my total cost down to £709. I then sell this MacBook Pro 2 years down to line, again to family or friends, for around £600. That's £109 depreciation in 2 years of use, or £4.54 per month... Not a bad deal if you ask me!

At the same time, a friend of mine bought a £600 windows laptop 2 years ago, arguably cheaper than my £859 MBP. He tried to sell it on eBay after 2 years, nobody wanted it - probably because it was one a million crappy windows laptops on eBay. He ended up selling it for £100 - i.e. £500 depreciation in 2 years, or £20.83 per month. To even match my £4.54/month, he would have had to sell it for more than £490, unlikely I think?

What I'm trying to say is, that yes Apple laptops are more expensive, but if you're clever about how you buy them and treat them, they'll give you a better user experience than any windows laptop and save you money in the long run.

All I can say is that your friend isn't a good salesman if he lost 80% of the value in 2 years (assuming it was in decent condition). I always buy something on a good sale, so it's easy to get good money later. My last laptop sales have been:
HP Envy 17 - paid $1399, sold 6 months later for $1300.
HP HDX16t - paid $900, sold 1 yr later for $750
Dell XPS m1530 - paid $1000, sold a year later for $700.

Personal anecdotes aside, I just think the value of Windows machines are often negatively exaggerated.

 

[bpeeps]

All this sidetracking aside, I want to hear back from the OP. Update us, did your brother bring your conquest down?

 

[Blues003]

It's quite simple, really. Tell your mom it's just like clothes.

- If you buy a shirt on the mall, it'll probably fit you sort-of-well. That's how Windows fits a laptop, simply because it must be made to fit anything.
- If you make your shirt tailored to your body, it'll git you amazingly well and you will look a lot better, even if your body is the same. That's how OS X fits the MBPs, because it's optimized.


To be honest Windows is an awesome piece of software, and this analogy doesn't make so much sense now as it used to. Still, might be catchy enough for your mom to have a change of heart.

 

[Macsavvytech]

As someone who does sell and buy a new macbook pro every year I have to say these numbers are highly suspect.

I agree that macs tend to hold resale value quite well, compared to comparable PC counterparts. But to be realistic, the numbers are more like this. I spent 1099 on a new macbook pro with student discount and get my ipod touch for free. I end up paying 1099+229 = 1328 + (sales tax 86.32) -229 instant rebate due to me driving to conneticut = 1185.32 +2 hours of my time and gas etc, but I hate mail in rebates so the instant rebate is worth it to me.

I have usually been able to turn the ipod touch for about 170 on ebay, but - fees and paypal etc and shipping. I tend to make about 150$ (ymmv since if you needed or wanted an ipod touch or know someone who does etc etc, but this is a conservative number which should be about right)

1185.32- 150 = 1035.32 for a macbook pro (Which is the same as me driving to Jersey and buying it from microcenter for 999+35$ sales tax = 1034.99, but since I've done both, I will say outright it's much less of a hassle to deal with the apple store if problems arise, ie I never had problems until the 2011 mbp, which had some strange clock/reset issues and tried to exchange it after 1 day... took forever of waiting there.

I have typically been able to turn around my macbook pro after the next refresh for about 800$ net. which does leave me with 235$ net cost after 1 year of use. Which is a decent deal, But on a 2000$ model, I'm sure the depreciation isn't 235$, but closer to 470$ as a percentage wise cost.

The other things involved though are the effort related to selling the mac and the time involved. As a student when your time is free... actually less than free since you're paying to go to school, this is quite worth it. As I get older and I start working, my time starts to be worth money, so it becomes less worthwhile.

But that aside, again you can get a toshiba R835 with the same specs and usb 3 vs thunderbolt, lighter etc... + free xbox 360 now for 800$. Or get the same specs in a lenovo for 559$. Or you could sell the xbox 360 for 150$ profit easy and end up with 650$ If you were going to argue from a financial standpoint....

3 years worth of laptop = 1035+235 = 1270 after 3 years with residual value of 800$ or 470$ lost value

3 years of laptop with a lenovo 560$ net investment (1270-560) = 710$ if I had purchased AAPL stock in june 2008 (which actually was it's high point for that year, you could purchase almost 4 shares)

Then after 3 years now 4 shares is worth about 1375$ And take the residual value of the lenovoi (hey it probably will still be worth 100$ lol) = 1475$

Now... would you have a faster laptop experience with the first option, yes. If you technically wanted to maximize your money you would just buy apple stock instead of laptops lol

I live in Australia prices are a little higher for both the machine and the resell.

 

[edifyingGerbil]

You don't cuz it's not. Apple is mid range on reliability and they over charge for the HW and they on purpose limit what the hardware can do on occasion.

Their ia really nothing special about Apple other then their design and case building materials. Some have said that ever since they stopped using Asus as a supplier and moved to Foxcon the quality even went down.

Apple is nothing better than Dell, Sony, Toshiba, Lenonvo, Asus...it just uses better case designs and OS X instead of Windows.

[Citation needed]