Dell vs Apple
15 03 2006
I am SOOO torn. I am typically all about Apple and their wonderful products. This whole Intel Core Duo thing has got me torn though. I am looking at getting a new laptop, and it is going to be intel based with Core Duo. The question is Dell or Apple…
I spec’d out the systems with the following same items:
Core Duo 2.0Ghz
100 Gig SATA
1 gig DDR2
Cd/DVD-RW (aka Superdrive)
WiFi 802.11G / Bluetooth
So they have the same specs. The Dell cost $1208. Apple $2299. Those are both 15.4 inch models. The Dell 17 inch model is only $1305.
So what am I paying for? $1000 difference for the operating system and a beautiful case? That is a hard sell, even to me who is a huge Apple enthusiast. I will give you that the Apple has the iSight built in. But the Dell is Media Center with a remote which is comparable (ehh) to Apple’s FrontRow.
Now I have bashed Dell for a LONG time…and I really haven’t been happy with some of their products. My parents got a low end Dell laptop and it is the worst machine I’ve ever used. I think my 486 was faster.
I will also say that I REALLY enjoy using Keynote 2 for class presentations, but I can pretty easily bring my Mac Mini to class with me, like I am doing tonight.
Any thoughts? I don’t want to stray from Apple, but $1000 less for the same system….?
Posts
“DO IT!”
Yeah, but if you go with the Del, you have to take all the Dell shittyness as well, like no cutomer service and the embarassment of saying you own a Dell, take a look at the HP Media Center notebooks.
If you are an Apple fan, you should know it’s not all about the OS and beautiful shell. What about all the quality third party apps?
Man I feel your pain. I’m in the market for new latops for the wife and I. I really want to swtich to Apple, but I can’t justify the price. The recent Maccast broke down the cost of owning a Mac versus a PC. Still It’s hard to choke down that extra 1k.
Before you go assuming an $1k price discrepency, make sure you are comparing apples to apples, so to speak. You left out: Video card/memory, firewire, bundled software, warranty, etc. All the things you should be looking at before a purchase like this. Check out http://www.systemshootouts.org/shootouts/laptop/2006/0228_lt2000.html, for more info. Good luck with your decision, whichever way you go!
Take the Apple cuz the Duo Core dosen’t work well on windows laptop when using the usb ports ….
You should read this article before making your decision : http://compreviews.about.com/b/a/239784.htm (Core Duo and USB 2.0 Battery Problem)
> but $1000 less for the same system
come on now… same system? go ahead and buy the dell, but don’t forget about viruses and all the other crap baggage that comes with winblows. you’ll be wishing you spent the extra grand after a few minutes is my guess.
and you’ll have to change the picture at the top of this blog
To the video card issue, I did bump the card on the Dell to the 256 ATI card and the Ram I bumped to 667. I also added bluetooth to the Dell so I would not be using USB for nearly anything, including an external mouse or my blackberry which are bluetooth devices.
I’ve been running Media Center on a home PC which I never turn off for a few months now, and I haven’t had any virus or spyware problems. Granted I am the type of person who stays on top of those things though.
I understand it isn’t the same system, but the specs for the most part are the same, and I customized the system so they would be the same.
I would NOT be leaving the Apple platform, I still have my mac mini and use that as my main system at home. IF I did get the dell, I would maybe consider getting an older iBook 12″ for my school presentations. I can take the mac mini to school b/c it is so small as well.
I am most interrested in speed per price, because I use a lot of ram when using programs. For example, I can open 40 tabs in Firefox on my PC with no problem, but more than 5 or so on my Mac and it beach balls. That just isn’t something I can deal with.
If you don’t want the iLife suite, you should do it. However, based on my experience with buying laptops “just for work”… I have never integrated a system more into my lifestyle until I bought a 12″ ALPB with all the fixings. Quite frankly, the Toshibas, Dells, Sonys and IBM’s I bought in the past just sat in the corner at home. If I needed to use it while traveling, I took the time to run Norton Utilities, Symantec AntiVirus and Adaware. With the PB, its iPhoto, iTunes, and iMovie.
Everyone’s different… just an observation.
just get them both. you’ll sell them within a year anyways…
OK, help me out here–
You’re a happy Apple user. Presumably, that means that up until now you’ve been OK with Apple’s processors falling behind somewhat in performance, compared to Intel’s offerings. You know, because you prefer the platform and are willing to make that tradeoff.
For instance, if Apple hadn’t switched, and you were in the market for a new notebook, you’d be looking at Apple’s G4 based machines, right?
But somehow because Apple’s pro notebooks have abruptly gotten quite a bit faster, that’s your motivation for looking at a Dell?
I guess my question is, if you want performance as cheaply as possible, why haven’t you switched before now? It’s been clear for several years that Apple (that is, Freescale) was falling behind Intel in the laptop space, and certainly Dell has been making cheaper notebooks for quite a while.
In other words, you could have bought a Dell that ran faster for less last year. Everybody that uses Apple gear knows that, and I’m guessing you did too. Were you just bewildered by the G4 to Intel comparison metrics?
facts:
Dell will screw you over, guaranteed.
Apple will cost an extra grand.
Apple is also compatible with all your other stuff.
you will sell the laptop within a year anyway.
I reckon you should take the gamble with Dell and then try and sell it before they screw you over.
its better then 1K down the drain even if apple does kick ass.
Where are you getting those Dell prices from? Which Dell model is it?
I’m unable to configure something on the Dell site with the specs you state for the price you are quoting.
You commented, “My parents got a low end Dell laptop and it is the worst machine I’ve ever used.”
… and you’re thinking that this model is NOT a low-end Dell?
I’m certainly NOT going to defend Dell but, generally, they are alright…
However, you should factor in two things:
ALWAYS get the 3 year next day service agreement if you buy a Dell laptop. If you don’t, you will not be able to get support if the system goes belly-up (a rather frequent occurance, I’m sorry to say) You need to factor this in with your cost analysis.
Also, NEVER get involved with Dell Financial Services. They are one step up from a lone shark. Do the 90 day same as cash and make sure you pay it off within that 90 days or they will screw you.
…or you can buy a Mac…
Dude, if you get a Dell, you are just asking for it. Compare Apples to apples before you buy. I think you will be making a big mistake. I have a Dell for work, and the minute I am done with work, I am on my PB. And I enjoy it. I do not enjoy the Dell, and I didn;t even pay for it.
You asked for thoughts,Like me you got champane taste and beer budget it seems. I got question for you, would you b e happy or satisfied with dell? If not it not worth the1208 or 1305. hope this helps your decision process!
Amongst the features that are hard to judge just based on specs, don’t forget:
- The screen on the new MacBooks is freakin’ BRIGHT. How good is the contrast on the cheap Dell?
- Bells and whistles on the MacBook - sudden motion sensor to protect your drive, magsafe adaptor to protect the laptop from flying lessons (and to look cool), ambient light sensors, backlight keyboard (oooh, shiiiny…). All that technology adds up. Sure, one might think “I’ll never need those….”, but it’s like buying a car w/o airbags or ABS because it’s cheaper.
You have to much money. Do something better with your money. When was the last time you gave to charity? Think of the starving children in Kenya before you blow 2 grand on a computer you will sell within 8 months. You already have like 2 computers.
Interesting.
Tough decision. I recently purchased a 14″ iBook for my wife (she is going back to grad school) and never considered another brand. Here’s why:
Macs have always treated me well with their reliability and performance.
They just work.
I don’t have to worry about every 12 year old boy’s attempt at viral fame
They just work.
All the application I need… I have already.
They just work.
OS X is rock solid (current FUD reports to the contrary).
They just work.
I appreciate the care that Apple pours into the engineering on their products.
The choice is clearly yours but I certainly think that Macs are worth the premium. I know to some ‘how much’ premium is the question, and I respect that. You have to consider your own needs and your own experience with Apple.
Good luck.
Loads of comments huh. I’ve gotten old Windows lappies to run smooth & quick, just monitor what clogs the mem. $1000 less = go with Dell.
Cas - It was thru a link on my school’s site where we get a discount.
I bought a used but almost new 12″ powerbook with a 1.5GHz processor yesterday. Portability, ease of use, design and price where the main decision criteria. Yes, for 1400 USD I acquired a powerbook, with 100 GB HD and maxed out Apple RAM + spare battery +airport express station. It perfectly runs all the applications I need including final cut express. I can live with the rather dim screen and the absence of a PC card slot and a backlighted keyboard.
No Dell could ever give me the great user expereince the PB gives me, (nor the cachet
Go here - http://www.machelpdesk.com/page6a.html - and download ‘Winn’s Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)”.
Plug in your own numbers and see why Macs are far less expensive than PCs
ever here of OSX86? install osx on the dell.
[...] I think at that price, I’m going with the 15″. You can get a Dell 17″ core duo for $1305. [...]
Yeah… so i was just recently in the market for a laptop, and after years of hating apple, OSX has blown me away. Not only has the OS blown me away, but the attention to detail and contruction is amazing. Well i was won over by the price difference though. I was tired of wating for the iBook to go intel so i broke down and got a presario v2000 with a turion 64. Everytime I take it out and turn it on, i wish it was the iBook.
I look at this comparison like this…. The Chevy Malibu might have 200 horsepower same as a BMW 328i.. but which one would you rather drive every day?
(aka. don’t be like me…..buy the apple)
Probably a little late in the day now, as I’m guessing you already went ahead and bought the machine of your choice, but I can never afford Apple’s prices. I usually pick up good deals on refurbished Apples on ebay or various 3rd party dealers.
It’s a nice way of getting the same, but cheaper, and it often comes pre-loaded with all the software you otherwise couldn’t afford, such as Adobe CS2 suite, including Photoshop, plus Quark Express, InDesign, Microsoft Office, Final Cut Pro, etc….
Having said that, my experience has been with buying PowerPC models, since the Intels are fairly new, you may not find so much of a price difference on ebay, but is nonetheless worth a quick browse in my opinion. Just as long as you take the usual steps to ensure safe trading.
[...] March: After being alone on Valentines Day, I unsuccessfully tried out eHarmony. My Oscar-Gate post got linked to by many including Roger Ebert. Google thought the right thing to do was buy Writely, which is now Google Docs. I made the switch to the best phone line I’ve ever used, after being a die hard Sidekick 2 user; the Blackberry 7290 is my first of many. While I was debating Dell vs Apple, Dell was off buying Alienware, and Sprint gave me an a920 for 6 months. Finally, FlickrLicio.us was permanently blocked from Flickr. [...]
Okay, before i even talk about dells, Apples are the best lookin’!! i would buy an Apple over a dell any day. for me the looks and the performence are the most valueable things!! But Apples aren’t the cheapest. And if i were to get an apple for the first time i wouldn’t get it brand new, just to be sure i’m happy with the products. Because in a year or so you when they make better modles you could deside which to buy.!!