New Microsoft Ad Campaign Targets Mac Prices

[2002cbr600f4i]

Wow, what a bunch of BS!!!!

Sure, that HP laptop is only $699... And yeah, it's a 17" laptop... But the rest of the specs are like comparing apples to oranges... (no pun intended)

Processor: MBP - up to 2.93 ghz C2D... HP - Turion 64 at 2.1Ghz... NOT EVEN CLOSE in performance!!! That Turion is MAYBE 60% the speed of the C2D....

Display: 1920x1600 vs 1440x900....

Graphics: NVidia 9400/9600 vs Radeon 3200 with shared memory only.

Battery power - up to 8Hours vs 2.5 Hrs

Weight - 6.6 lbs vs 7.8

Memory - DDR3 vs DDR2

Wifi - 802.11b/g/n vs 802.11b/g only

Now, granted, the higher end processor tacks an extra $300 onto the MBP, so we're talking a price difference of nearly $2300... But we're also talking about a TOTALLY different level of performance, and capability....

Of course, the typical consumer only cares about screen size and price... They rarely even bother to educate themselves on the rest of the specs that make the difference between a great machine that will perform well for 3-5 years vs a budget barrel POS that turns into a slow doorstop in < 2 years.

Sigh...

 

[cjm3113]

Ok. I just saw the funniest PC commercial ever!.....And no, I was not laughing with it, but AT IT. When will Windows ever figure out that they lack? They try to be artsy in all their commercials and end up failing HORRIBLY. Take for instance, the one commercial where they go through a bunch of people who say "I'm a PC and I do..blah blah blah"..you get he picture...well in the middle of their commercial, they show a genuine BUM sitting on the couch with his Vista computer...So they are saying bums who can't afford anything better love vista...so Windows is claiming that they are cool because bums love their stuff...So basically, Windows is for bums...


Windows is trying to stay alive...But Apple WILL TAKE OVER THE WORLD...or was that google?

Ahh, I never knew what they were going for. Trying to call all of their customers bums. Glad you pointed that out to us.

 

[33scottie33]

You Get What You Pay For!

That saying has stood the test of time and it proves true with this issue as well. It's sad when you have a product and your #1 selling point is that it's cheaper!

I'm a MSFT Engineer and for years I talked bad about Macs, until of course, I actually used one. Haven't looked back since and would not trade my MBP for any PC on the planet!

However, I do love PCs for the fact that they put food on the table and provide the means for me to purchase a Mac!

 

[Digipimp]

Here's the laptop she got for $700
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...+17+inch+laptop&type=product&id=1218041148373
It may be 17", but it's got poor resolution for the screen size, slower ram, questonable CPU, rubbish battery, 100Mb (not gigabit) ethernet, G wireless, shared graphics memory. Comes with Vista, the list goes on.

There's a reason it's cheap...

yeah you might say all of that but for 90% of buyers thats all they need. they wont stress it, they check email, surf the net, watch youtube videos and listen to music.

 

[applecultvictim]

So Microsoft is using the BangBus guys for marketing ideas now?

hahahaha fantastic comment, man you have me in stitches, that was inspired!!!!!!!! damn it...

 

[ddrueckhammer]

I agree with this ad. The advantages that PCs have over macs is that they cost less and they can run games at a decent clip. I've been looking for a mac but they're so darn expensive. I'm not rich enough to be a mac owner... yet!

I'll likely cave once snow leopard is released. If I start saving now, I should have enough for an iMac or Macbook once it hits later this year.

Mac gaming is getting better but yeah Apple could work on encouraging it more. I have said for a while that a partnership with Nintendo might be a good idea. They compete to some degree with the iPhone/DS but they have technologies that complement each other well and have common competitors in Sony/Microsoft. Wii Remote to control AppleTV? iTunes on Wii? Buy/Transfer games for DSi in iTunes? Nintendo games for iPhone?

Once you take the plunge and buy a Mac you will never go back. Also, when you decide to upgrade you will get a significantly higher amount back when you sell it than any PC...

 

[rdowns]

For all of Microsoft's tries at advertising, I'd say this was their best and will likely work. You can talk all you want about ease of use, no virus/malware, iLife etc., how would the average consumer know anything about this?

Certainly not from Apple. All their ads have is some smart ass making fun of an overweight guy. And now they are focused on 'green laptops', like the average consumer even gives a *****.

Total cost of ownership? Most can't even figure out how to calculate it nor would they even know what factors to consider.

To many consumers, cheaper is better. Simple as that. I bet Microsoft has a winner here.

 

[bchreng]

If they wanted the cheapest, why pay anything for Windows crap, when Linux is there?

Because Windows doesn't require as much tinkering around as Linux does. I think it's a good compromise between support, ease-of-use and affordability.

 

[3282868]

yeah you might say all of that but for 90% of buyers thats all they need. they wont stress it, they check email, surf the net, watch youtube videos and listen to music.

90% of Windows system users may do all that, when their systems operate.

 

[freeny]

PC's will appeal to those on a budget. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[chr1s60]

"I'm a PC and I got just what I wanted."

Lots of viruses?

This same commercial could be done for pretty much any product on the market.

 

[applecultvictim]

yeah you might say all of that but for 90% of buyers thats all they need. they wont stress it, they check email, surf the net, watch youtube videos and listen to music.

Integrated graphics and vista bloatware just don't mix, 100% of buyers will realize that in a very painful way.

 

[ddTaylor]

Here's the laptop she got for $700
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...+17+inch+laptop&type=product&id=1218041148373
It may be 17", but it's got poor resolution for the screen size, slower ram, questonable CPU, rubbish battery, 100Mb (not gigabit) ethernet, G wireless, shared graphics memory. Comes with Vista, the list goes on.

There's a reason it's cheap...

But the real crux of this add is simple - do you feel the better hardware (but not THAT much different for most average users) and Mac OS X is worth $1300 more than the HP? Many would argue NO. I have a 15.4" MBP with 320GB 7200 SATA 16MB buffer drive and 4GB RAM - but I bought a 2.2GHz MBP on CL for $900 and added the WD and the 4GB Crucial RAM for about $200. My issue with Apple is that YES the hardware is GREAT and YES they COULD make the hardware for less by scrapping the silly focus and aesthetics - and still keep the things looking sweet, yet drop the price.

D

 

[Unspeaked]

No they don't you cant compare apples (heheh) and cucumber, bmw charges more than opel, so? Actually in comparable brackets like the whitebook apple's price is very fair considering the excellent company and os you are buying into...

A friend recently bought a vista sony super expesive machine...by the second day the system was asking for system restore and crashed...great investment.

But the ad doesn't say anything about OS or running apps or whatever.

Like I said, it says that Apple charges more for hardware than Dell, HP and company do. And that's a fact.

And Apple themselves made it much easier to draw this comparison when they moved to Intel processors.

Look, I've never owned a PC and never plan on doing so. In fact, I don't think I've ever contributed a dime to Microsoft's bottom line. But even I can clearly see that for the same exact pieces of hardware, Apple has a higher markup and greater price control. This is part of what allows them to have margins the PC makers would kill for and allows Apple shareholders (many of which post on this forum) to enjoy great returns.

It's just a fact: Apple can take the same exact box, put the same CPU, RAM and HD in it and charge a 30% premium or more.

 

[Jeffrosproto]

Unless she has some special Tax-exempt status, the "Balance Due" isn't $699.99, it would be more (depending on location).

 

[Bonte]

Who in the right mind would take a BMW over a Toyota if they were given for free, of course most people will get a Toyota but they dream of owning a BMW like the girl in the commericial wants a Mac but gets the cheap HP.

the BMW/Toyota comparison is flawed, cars get better and more reliable when made in bigger numbers. The toyota corolla is probably the most reliable car ever.

 

[ddTaylor]

Yes, everyone knows Macs generally have a higher price tag. What's new here?

And a $699 17" Notebook? Has anyone seen how horrifically bad the screen on those notebooks are?

What about the 13.3" MacBook screen? Mine is WORSE than most entry-level PC's and my HackBook screen is even nicer than the MacBook display.

I have had three MacBook's and they are all terrible and washed-out.

D

 

[xDYLANx]

Unless she has some special Tax-exempt status, the "Balance Due" isn't $699.99, it would be more (depending on location).

She could be from Oregon. We don't have taxes here Oh, and we don't pump our own gas either

 

[BJB Productions]

Unless she has some special Tax-exempt status, the "Balance Due" isn't $699.99, it would be more (depending on location).

Us Mac guys could go on and on for years talking about how bad this video was...Picking out every little problem..

 

[Unspeaked]

Unless she has some special Tax-exempt status, the "Balance Due" isn't $699.99, it would be more (depending on location).

You realize there's states with no sales tax, right?

 

[BTW]

Yeah, this was just another example of how lame Microsoft is at making ads.

 

[pinoyplaya]

I gotta say.. its the best Windows Commercial/Advertisement by far!

 

[cjm3113]

Unless she has some special Tax-exempt status, the "Balance Due" isn't $699.99, it would be more (depending on location).

The Sales Tax Clearinghouse notes that Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon have no state sales tax.

I'm going with Oregon, definitely didn't look like Alaska.

 

[applecultvictim]

But the real crux of this add is simple - do you feel the better hardware (but not THAT much different for most average users) and Mac OS X is worth $1300 more than the HP? Many would argue NO. I have a 15.4" MBP with 320GB 7200 SATA 16MB buffer drive and 4GB RAM - but I bought a 2.2GHz MBP on CL for $900 and added the WD and the 4GB Crucial RAM for about $200. My issue with Apple is that YES the hardware is GREAT and YES they COULD make the hardware for less by scrapping the silly focus and aesthetics - and still keep the things looking sweet, yet drop the price.

D

You meant to say 300 more? Right? Cause the whitebook is that cheap and it is better specked, it just has a smaller screen, which is a dumb choice to base a laptop on since if you are on the go you can't really do demanding work on any screen and wherever you are stationary you just $150 and you get a great big fo screen, which you are going to get anyway as most users have one to stick their lappies on at home.

 

[glhiii]

Just bought a HP Touchsmart

I've been using Macs for years, and I just bought a HP Touchsmart Tx2 for $800. Some comments:

1. Vista 64 is not that different from Mac OS -- but it seems a lot more fragile.
2. The touch (both finger and pen) works really well.
3. The handwriting recognition is amazingly good -- much better than the Mac's ("Ink")
4. Vista has fantastic voice recognition built in. I bought a $30 Logitech earphone/mike combination and now can dictate pages at a time quite easily. Needless to say, the Mac doesn't have this.

So I'm happy with my Touchsmart (4g, 2 ghz AMD, 320 hd), as it works extremely well as a tablet and dictating machine. But I don't like Vista as much as the Mac OS and will stick with Macs for everything else. What's interesting is how easy it is to switch back and forth.