logo
  • Home
  • About Ben Stevens
  • Presentations/Publications
  • Contact Ben

Mac Pricing :: “Apple Tax” or “Microsoft Discount”?

Posted on June 17, 2009 by Ben Stevens Posted in Hardware, Mac vs. PC
Share

Microsoft has begun an aggressive "laptop hunters" ad campaign to attempt to convince consumers to buy PCs instead of Macs.  In fact, the latest one actually shows one of their "hunters" standing outside of an Apple Store complaining about the high costs of Macs.

PC advocates claim that there is an "Apple tax" – defined as the supposed premium that Apple computers usually cost over comparably equipped PCs.  Mac advocates counter with the concept of the "Microsoft discount" – the theory that maybe PCs cost less because Windows is worth less.

For instance, PC World compared comparably equipped machines and found the following:

  • MacBook Pro vs. Dell XPS 1330 :: When configured with similar features, the MacBook Pro was only $95 more ($1,399 vs. $1,304).  These machines included the following:  13.3" LED backlit screen, 4GB RAM, 320GB Hard disk, Nvidia GE Force 9400M Graphics Card, 802.11n networking, integrated webcam, backlit keyboard, and Bluetooth. The Mac has a 2.26 GHz Intel processor with a 1066 MHz frontside bus, whereas the Dell XPS 1330 comes with 2.4 GHz and 800 MHz, respectively.
  • MacBook Air vs. Dell Adamo ::  The starting price for the Air is $1,499, whereas the Adamo starts $500 higher at $1,999.  In its $1,799 configuration, the MacBook Air matches the 128GB Solid Stage Drive of the Adamo and bests its 1.2 GHz processor with one that clocks in at 2.13 GHz. Both come with 2GB of RAM and no optical drive. The Air weighs one full pound less than the Adamo at 3 lbs.  As it turns out, the Air is less expensive than the Dell.

When I give presentations on the benefits of using Macs in a law practice, the "cost" question is one of those that almost always comes up.  I have always pointed out that Macs hold their values much better than PCs, as can be easily seen by visiting eBay and looking at the resale prices of each.  Now, I can point to the articles below to help show that Macs don’t cost much (if any) more on the front end either.

Sources:  "Reassessing the Apple Tax" by Michael Scalisi, published at PC World, and "The Microsoft Discount" by Dan Miller, published at Macworld.

« The Legal Mac :: Working Remotely on Your Mac
How to Create Custom iPhone Ringtones for Free »

Published By

Ben Stevens
  • SC Family Law Blog
  • Subscribe To This Blog
  • Join MILO Group
  • Subscribe To Podcast

Subscribe by Email


Blog Archives

Topics

  • Apps
  • Articles
  • Chrome
  • Did You Know?
  • eDiscovery
  • Guest Posts
  • Hardware
  • How Do I …?
  • iOS
  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS X
  • Mac vs. PC
  • Miscellaneous
  • Office Management
  • Office Resources
  • Offline Resources
  • Online Resources
  • Other
  • Other Operating Systems
  • Podcasts
  • Presentations
  • Product Reviews
  • Security
  • Siri
  • Social Media
  • Software
  • Special Offers
  • Switching to Macs
  • Technology
  • This Blog

Recent Updates

  • Learn How to Protect Your Firm from a Security Breach
  • Free Webinar – The 7 Cybersecurity Threats That Could Endanger Your Law Firm In 2021 …And How To Prevent Them
  • Free Webinar: Expert Tips for Mac-Loving Lawyers

Other Resources

  • 9 to 5 Mac | Apple Intelligence
  • a mac lawyer's notebook
  • A Technology Resource for Legal Professionals
  • Acrobat for Legal Professionals
  • Apple Briefs
  • AppleInsider | Apple Insider News and Analysis
  • Criminal Defense Law with an Apple
  • DennisKennedy.com
  • Digital Practice of Law
  • Evan Schaeffer's Legal Underground
  • Futurelawyer
  • Hawk Wings
  • iPhone J.D.
  • Justia Blawg Search
  • LawTech Guru Blog
  • Lawyerist
  • Legal Practice Pro
  • Legal Resource #1
  • Lifehacker, tips and downloads for getting things done
  • Mac Law Students
  • Mac Rumors: Apple Mac Rumors and News You Care About
  • Mac360 – Mac Reviews, Commentary, & Forums
  • Macenstein
  • MacLaw
  • MacLitigator
  • macosxhints.com – OS X tips and tricks!
  • MacSparky
  • My First Mac – Help Buying and Getting Started with Your New Mac
  • PDF for Lawyers
  • Randy Singer's Macintosh Attorney
  • Robert Ambrogi's LawSites
  • Ross Ipsa Loquitur Blog
  • Scripting for Lawyers
  • South Carolina Bar's Macintosh Resources
  • South Carolina Trial Law Blog
  • Switch To A Mac
  • TechnoEsq
  • The Practice

The Mac Lawyer

Ben Stevens | 349 East Main Street, Suite 200, Spartanburg, SC 29302 | P: (864) 598-9172 | F: (864) 598-9264 | info@scfamilylaw.com
Home | About Ben Stevens | Presentations/Publications | Contact Ben
Privacy Policy | Disclaimer
Copyright © 2013, The Mac Lawyer. All Rights Reserved
Cleantalk Pixel