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just got a macBook, is illuminated keyboard worth $400??
- Thread starter megadon
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Let's be fair. As someone has already pointed out, the difference is $300 NOT $400.
Then account for an educational discount that is $50 higher for the 2.4 than the 2.0 ($100 v. $50), that brings the difference to $250.
The hard drive upgrade to bring the 2.0 to the same specs as the 2.4 (I needed the larger drive) is $68 (it cost $90 when I bought mine), making a difference in real dollars of only $182.
That is the apple-to-apple
number to use for comparison for the value of the faster processor and illuminated keyboard. Not $400.
Then account for an educational discount that is $50 higher for the 2.4 than the 2.0 ($100 v. $50), that brings the difference to $250.
The hard drive upgrade to bring the 2.0 to the same specs as the 2.4 (I needed the larger drive) is $68 (it cost $90 when I bought mine), making a difference in real dollars of only $182.
That is the apple-to-apple
number to use for comparison for the value of the faster processor and illuminated keyboard. Not $400. 
And the fact that the difference is not even $400. Even leaving out the value of the larger hard drive, the real difference is only $250.
Let's be fair. As someone has already pointed out, the difference is $300 NOT $400.
Then account for an educational discount that is $50 higher for the 2.4 than the 2.0 ($100 v. $50), that brings the difference to $250.
The hard drive upgrade to bring the 2.0 to the same specs as the 2.4 (I needed the larger drive) is $68 (it cost $90 when I bought mine), making a difference in real dollars of only $182.
That is the apple-to-apple
I'm in Canada, I stated that it is $400 Canadian dollars (tax included) for the upgrade. And I don't think the same discounts are available here
i've wondered about this as well... i am a fast typer, but i don't know my digits as well as i know my letters, and i certainly don't know the function keys. i've never used a macbook before so i could be way off here, but i would assume when using the computer in the dark, the brightness of the screen would make it difficult to focus on the dark keyboard buttons instead of shining some light on them. clearly, it's not a life or death sitch, and perhaps not worth the upgrade cost, but i'm totally getting the illuminated keyboard (refurbished model) for sure.
The same basic idea applies, though (and educational discounts are available through apple.com/ca). Using Canadian prices and discounts (not including taxes), it works like this:
- The initial difference is $350 not $400.
- The education discount is $50 more for the 2.4 ($100 v. $50), bringing the difference to $300.
- The hard drive upgrade to bring the 2.0 to the same specs as the 2.4 is $96, making a difference in real (Canadian) dollars of only $204.