People, let's not turn these stories into a Dailytech-esque anti-Mac playground!

Fact is, a lot of people can't afford a Mac, so they'll buy the cheaper offerings from other companies. That's because Apple don't provide cheaper offerings so they won't even consider them as an option.

I personally like Macs - not all of them - and the OS and the software that people release for them. However I do feel that Apple has some issues in terms of static pricing of their products, long intervals between releases, and not offering a wide range of products.

Apple should bump CPU and RAM whenever they can, or drop prices over the lifetime of a product. They should offer lower end versions of the MacBook with slower CPUs or whatever other PC manufacturers do to achieve lower price points. Oh, and they should drop that combo drive shit like two years ago, especially on any hardware that costs north of $1k!

I want a mac mini, even if it's over priced. It's small and quiet and I value that a lot. It would be even more expensive installing Vista on it.

What makes more news headlines:
Apple computers are more expensive than Windows computers
...
OR
...
Comparable Apple computers are comparable to Windows computers

The first line is a ... bit misleading, but the second line won't make headlines.

Compare Apple notebook to Lenovo, Sony, HP and Dell and you'll find that they do VERY well on their price (remember: 15" MBPs are LED backlit). Compare the Mac Pro to a same speed dual Xeon workstation from HP and you'll find that Apple is cheaper (I did the same and it was roughly 1k cheaper).

Does EVERYONE want the same features (15" screen + LED backlit)? No. This is clearly why the PC wins in volume: so much competition and configuration.

apple is a luxury design brand.

there are two main kinds of people that buy apple products (this includes ipods & iphones)

#1. the technologically illiterate, who appreciate osx' straightforward-ness
#2. those who treat electronic gadgets as a fashion accessory.

(edit: there is a small, small set of #3: the technologically literate who want a luxury toy they can tinker with.)

these may not be entirely rational purchasing decisions, but they don't make those who make them "assholes" or members of a "cult". check your prejudices & brush that chip off your shoulder.

i'd agree, however, that higher prices are simply par for the course. you don't shell out six figures for a brand new porche because of its performance (i can BUILD you a car that will pummel a new carrera into the ground for under 30k) but rather because of the design that went into it & the privilege of showcasing your porche (in order to compensate for a receding hairline, perhaps.)

we all have different priorities, and apple's existence as a quintessential design brand which happens to dabble in technology has served all of us, in that it has pushed other companies to react when it comes to pricing as well as features.

This highlights one of the major gripes I have against Apple:

Static pricing and models.

Other companies introduce new models more quickly and take advantage of price reductions in components to reduce the prices on their SKUs. Apple does not.

So if the price of RAM drops, Apple maintains its price. HP and Dell either offer you more RAM for the same amount or they drop the price of the computer.

Apple keeps their SKUs for a year, sometimes more. HP and Dell update their model lineups continually, so if Intel drops the price of a CPU or introduces a new one, you can count on these two companies immediately integrating it into their lineup. Apple, you have to wait until the next major update.

Apple's approach worked just fine when they were using PowerPC chips because there was nothing to directly compare their pricing to. I think this strategy works against them now that they use bog standard parts.

Does it really matter? People don't buy Apple computers because they think they're getting a good deal but rather the opposite. It's the pricing that makes them elite-ish( assholes) and it's claiming "Well I run OSX, therefore I am better than you Windows heathen." Apple will never compete directly on price because it violates the first commandment of their Mac buying cult.

That's why Apple decides not to use Intel chipset anymore... How about they try AMD version to have lesser cost version of MAC system.

The problem with these price comparisons is twofold:
1) Apple doesn't price it's computers like most manufacturers. They maintain a pretty constant pricing scheme for each line, which means that upon the initial release of a new or heavily-updated model the computer is a pretty good deal, but near EOL it's a rip-off.
2) You shouldn't compare Apple laptops to an HP model; they're just a better build quality. Compare them to IBM Thinkpads or whatever.

You shouldn't compare Apple laptops to an HP model; they're just a better build quality. Compare them to IBM Thinkpads or whatever.

Um, Apple's build quality is decent, but not ThinkPad-grade.

This just in from NPD: Apple laptops more expensive than PC laptops.

Also, in a follow up article, the sky is blue.

mac desktops pricier? not when making your own. their OS cost me alot less then vista, but then again, i have both on the same pc!

1337ness comes with a 50% markup don't forget.

who did the research? captain obvious?