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Relative pricing on MBP's


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Relative pricing on MBP's
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Mugge
Thunderbolt, fuck yeah!
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denmark
 
2006-04-01, 17:04

Ok. So my iBook is fried and eventually I'd have to get my arse together and get a new one. Unfortunately Apple wasn't in the mood of releasing a new one today. I needed a portable badly, so I decided to go pro. But first I did some cost analysis on the various configurations, it's in danish kroner (1 DKK = 6,17 USD):

MBP 1,83 Ghz, 2*512 MB RAM, 7,200 rpm HD: 17,319.08 DKK
MBP 2,0 Ghz, 2*512 MB RAM, 7,200 rpm HD: 19,745.88 DKK

That's an 8,86 % increase in price, which very nicely matches the 9,28 % increase in clock speed and the extra 128 MB VRAM. Looks like the 2 Ghz model is not as economically unrational as I thought from earlier forum discussions, which I haven't been able to find via search (ok. I suck at search ).

Quite interesting. And so was the RAM pricing: When I placed my order I opted for 1*1 GB RAM instead of the above. I wanted to keep the specs as equal as possible for the comparison above. The funny thing is that the RAM prices in the danish Apple store very much reflects the market prices as long as you don't go for the 2*1 GB option. Then it starts going stupid, charging 2,300 DKK for one 1 GB stick. Actually I think it's always been like this, nobody just noticed it before.

One might rightfully agrue that I woundn't need such a monster and that in absolute numbers I would be better served with a new iBook. But I don't wan't to see them updated next week just to feel I had seen that coming a mile away. And in Denmark used Macs are almost as expensive as the new ones. So oddly I think this was somehow the most rational to do. Also concidering all the nice software the pro machines come with.

Eh. Did this turn into a rant? My point was to start some debate over the relative differences in price.
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2006-04-01, 17:23

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mugge
And in Denmark used Macs are almost as expensive as the new ones.
It's the same elsewhere, too, and has been this way for as many years as I can recall.

Macs simply hold their value much better than generic PCs and other devices. I'd say this is due in part to the build quality of the products and part to the longer useful lifespan (when considering how quickly PCs may be "crippled" by malware).

The quality of this board depends on the quality of the posts. The only way to guarantee thoughtful, informative discussion is to write thoughtful, informative posts. AppleNova is not a real-time chat forum. You have time to compose messages and edit them before and after posting.
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Mugge
Thunderbolt, fuck yeah!
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denmark
 
2006-04-01, 17:55

Usually I would estimate that a PC looses 50 % of it's value every year. But with Macs I think the figure is somewhere around 30 % judging by the prices sellers demand.

Certainly build quality and no malware goes a long way, but my 1 Ghz iBook wasn't exactly lightning fast, so I would be very wary og buying anything with less than 1 Ghz G4. At which point the prices should take a bump down. But they don't.

Quite amazing.
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WrestleEwe
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Utrecht NL
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2006-04-01, 19:34

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mugge
That's an 8,86 % increase in price, which very nicely matches the 9,28 % increase in clock speed and the extra 128 MB VRAM. Looks like the 2 Ghz model is not as economically unrational as I thought from earlier forum discussions, which I haven't been able to find via search (ok. I suck at search ).
I'm quite tired, so I'll keep this short;

1- the 9.28% performance increase is applied to the top of the proc's performance, meaning that you'll only see it when the processor is used at (or near) 100% capacity, which, considering you say you can get by with an iBook, you'll probably hardly ever need. A (not terribly good) analogy would be a car that can go 0-100 9.28% faster. Sure it's faster, but since you're not a formula 1 driver, how often do you "floor it" when driving?

2- I am of the opinion that the search function in AN isn't really that good (*ducks*, sorry Brad), so I don't think you suck at searching...

3- However, I am of the opinion that people should always buy the best/fastest computer that fits in their budget, CPU power changes so fast that, who knows, maybe the extra 117MHz will keep it useful for that much longer.

4- Maybe I didn't make much sense to you. In that case, I apologize in advance...
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Mugge
Thunderbolt, fuck yeah!
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denmark
 
2006-04-02, 03:22

@ WrestleEwe

1. I'm aware of that. But my impression was that people concidered these last 9 % to be relatively more expensive than just sticking with 1,83 Ghz.

3. This is actually the point where I have trouble justifying my purchase, because I know my Office 2004 isn't going to be that demanding even in Rosetta mode. That's just what happens when you define your own budget by slashing your savings account.

4. You make perfectly sense.
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