For many people usually those that buy 13" and Airs it is often just the brand and the coolness factor. They later stick often stick with it because they are used to it and it works well.
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The only person I know that does music production of sorts does it on a PC. If I was on a very tight budget I would probably not run on a 15" MBP, but I am not and it was worth it for me. I didn't feel like there was any incredible opportunity cost that was killing me because I have still enough money left for buying small stuff and if I needed a car or some big stuff $1000 wouldn't make such a huge difference.
I think you brought up some very interesting points. Particularly in your opinion that many Apple users appreciate just how easy it is to use and resolve errors with their machines. It sort of makes me realize people REALLY DON'T know much about computers. I have NEVER had any problems with my Windows machines since I was in about middle school.
I am NOT saying Apple users are any less than intelligent or tech savvy than Windows users.
And if Apple enables uh... tech-impaired users to get the most out of their computing experiences, that's cool.
Still, I was hoping for a bit more than, "Apples are easy, stable, and reliable". I guess it's sort of like telling a sports car fiend a Lexus is "safe, economic, and dependable".
I'm the kind of computer user that likes to squeeze every last bit of power out of my rigs. I love building my computers and tweaking everything.
Thank you for your well thought-out reply
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Macs are great. For me, I didn't have any compelling reason to switch over from a Windows platform as it was serving me well. But my new job required me to be pretty much mobile and I did not have a laptop but had cash to blow so I decided to take a chance with the Mac and I haven't looked back since. Now I feel like I can't go back to Windows anytime soon.
Can't really say much about Windows laptops now, but its the little things that make Macs stand out. Appearances make a first impression I would say and the Aluminum body and thin form factor packing so much power was what impressed me. Trackpad is the other killer and you will never go back to Windows after getting used to gestures on the Mac trackpad. But also on the inside, the small things like 5GHz wireless, TOSLINK, stuff that other manufacturers don't put in make it all worthwhile too.
As for OSX, some others have covered this, and yes, it doesn't contain any bloatware which makes the laptop cheaper as manufacturers look to these guys to subsidize their laptops. And yes, there is an app for almost everything, so I am sure for yourself and your interests in music production, there are tons of apps for that too.
Like I said in my OP, I guess for you it boils down to the aesthetics and the OS? Nothing wrong with that, I was just looking for something else to justify the high price tag. I'm not too concerned with looks (although Apples do look quite sexy and sleek) and I absolutely love Windows.
The TOUCHPAD on Macs, I can dig. Not sure why PCs haven't copied them like yesterday.
The Apps too, how could I have forgotten about those!! Thank you!
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For me, I took it in baby steps. I come from a Linux background, and the thought of spending on a PC always bothered me. I got a used mac mini from a friend for $200 dollars, and the rest is history. After two weeks of hating it, I learned a little and now I will not use anything else. Now I have iPhone, iPad, MBP, and want to get even more.
I feel the mac mini is a good way to get started. At a small price, it has quite a lot of power. You do say music production, so I am not sure what you intend to use it for, but it is always good to try.
Why did the though of spending money on a PC bother you? I'm assuming that if you were on Linux you're pretty computer proficient. I always thought that people running Linux would run with the same crowd that would love to build custom machines. Would love some insight into your decision to go Apple
Well, if I DO put money into Apple, it'd have to be the MBP. I have a few desktops for home use (I'm a gamer, so Apple really wouldn't do me any good) and I'd be taking the laptop with me to clubs and stuff.
Music production is creating music. I'll be using a program called Ableton that runs better on Apples than on PCs. I'm also looking to buy an iPad with which I can use to warp the sound of the music I'm playing real-time. Cool stuff
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OSX. That's primarily why I use Macs.
Which won't be a laptop. You can't compare a desktop PC to a high-end Apple laptop. If you want a real price comparison, then compare a Macbook Pro against a similar equipped high-end Windows laptop. You'll find that the price difference isn't nearly as much as you think it is (not 2x-3x).
Not a fan of the Apple OS.
And true, true. As I mentioned earlier, it was just the inner nerd in me freaking out about losing $2500 and thinking about the ridiculous desktop I could build. Nothing serious intended.
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Windows 8 is a good enough reason
(but seriously...it kind of is)
I work in IT for a living fixing windows servers and desktops and testing countless hardware configurations. I switched to Mac because Vista wasn't able to transfer large amounts of data from one drive to another (this was a pre-service pack 1 bug that not even Microsoft could help with).
I switched to Mac and never looked back. All of my home machines are Mac and I literally have no use for Windows.
Not to mention Macs have much better hardware. When you see a Windows machine costing less, its not that Windows costs less (Windows is more expensive than Mac OS), its that the hardware used for that laptop costs a lot less. Microsoft and Apple are different business models. Microsoft makes money from software, Apple from hardware hence why Microsoft software is a lot more expensive than Apple software (and Mac hardware generally costs more than PC hardware).
In all honesty though you'll just have to try it. Most people switch to Mac after using one. I know I'm up to 15 people that I converted.
Hehe, well, Windows 8 might be if the Windows sucking every other release theory proves true.
Do you have proof that Apple uses better hardware? Many of my Mac using friends have even mentioned they are disappointed that component quality in Apple products are decreasing. All this stuff is made by Foxconn, anyway.
At least with a PC, I can be assured of the quality of individual components I purchase. And it STILL comes out cheaper than pre-made Apples. With regards to laptops, I can buy through a company like Origin and know for sure I am getting high quality stuff in my machine.
If you DO have proof, I'd be very interested--because that'd at least do something to lessen the thought of RIPOFF ringing in my head every time I consider click the Buy button on the Apple site.
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$2200? Why on earth would you get the $400 upgraded 15" MBP just for music? Just get a
refurbished mac ... a search of this forum will show you that refurb is every bit as good as new, down to the same warranty.
Your question is super loaded. Those that can afford it, do. At the end of the day, some of the cost is for the luxury of the brand. Why is Mercedes better than Toyota? Well, being seen in one has a certain value to some people. The computer's body is made out of a single piece of aluminum. Does your grandma's dell laptop have that?
It's not for LISTENING to music, it's for CREATING music. Also, I just like new stuff
I can definitely afford this, but just because I CAN afford something, doesn't mean I want to just throw my money everywhere. I came to this forum to discover value in Apple. I can see why someone would prefer a Mercedes over a Toyota. I'm beginning to see why some people prefer Mac over PC--but I haven't yet found a factor significant enough to sway me to the "dark side"
Single piece of aluminum--while nice--I'm more interested in what I can do with my computer than how it looks. If the best computer in the world was also the ugliest, I'd still go for it. Which is why, despite my negative feelings toward the brand, I'm considering Apple for music production--it will outperform a PC (for music production).
