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[–]RedDyeNumber4 20 points21 points ago* 

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My X61 Thinkpad. Other computers sold at the time surpassed the raw specs for the machine, and it was somewhat more expensive, but it had a combination of features that were important to me and a reputation for being extremely well built. Several years of 8+ hours of daily usage and one battery replacement later and it still performs flawlessly, running four different operating systems with about 5-6 hours of battery life on a full charge.

That said, I've never understood why the price point comparison isn't valid between Mac and PC hardware. If you're willing to pay more for the same specs because you feel like macs are a better quality product, it's either a perfectly valid preference, or you're influenced by the marketing. If a lower price point masks differences in hardware, it's not a valid comparison, but that isn't to say one cannot frequently construct a PC whose hardware is cheaper than the Mac variant.

I've also never understood the translation between expensive and good. If you're good enough to differentiate between the specs of a product, you should be good enough to make an accurate value assessment. Just because the $1000 purchase feels better than the $600 purchase doesn't make it true. That's why almost every product has detailed reviews and specifications online.

Perhaps the difference between me and most of the people shopping at circuit city, is that when I want a gadget, I do on average a week of research first, and I walk into the store knowing exactly what I want.

[–]Jakkers 2 points3 points ago

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I came in here to post "my X60 Thinkpad".

[–]piratelax40 0 points1 point ago

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I came to post my x200tablet haha....its one ugly mofo but I love it to death

[–]mogaly 0 points1 point ago

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exactly. Sure macs cost more for the same product, but it's much less clunky, and better screens.

[–]Enkaybee 0 points1 point ago

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I agree. If Macs have one thing on other computers, it's this: symmetry. Macbooks look better than any other laptop on the market. To even get close you have to spend $3000 and get a bunch of over-the-top hardware that you don't need. Apple is able to charge about $500 extra for this and I'm shocked that other manufacturers haven't caught on.

[–]G_Morgan 0 points1 point ago

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Because most people don't give a crap. Other manufacturers haven't caught on because it is a niche market with a big player already in it. You don't willingly choose to enter the small pond that has a big fish.

[–]creativeembassy -3 points-2 points ago

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I'm going to address your Mac issue: Because with a Mac, you're also getting Mac OS X, which is half of the reason I got a MBP in the first place. (If it were Mac hardware running Windows, I likely wouldn't spring for it.) I think OS X is a truly superior product than Windows 7, and completely worth the premium.

And disregard the fact that copies of Mac OS X are much cheaper than Windows. You've already paid the premium for the hardware (in theory).

[–]RedDyeNumber4 1 point2 points ago

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I tried to stay on the hardware price point because software is subjective.

Saying that one can build a computer to the same specs for less money is a verifiable fact. Liking one OS more than another is a personal preference.

Even so, since the intel switchover, it's easy to build 64bit hackintoshes that outperform their Apple Hardware counterparts for the same price.

So assuming that we're still talking about a person who knows enough about computers to understand how to pick specified parts and put them together, they can still have a better computer if they build it themselves, and have the choice of OSX, Win7, or *nix when they're done.

[–]eleitl 1 point2 points ago

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it's easy to build 64bit hackintoshes that outperform their Apple Hardware counterparts for the same price.

Sure, but you're running unsupported hardware, which the vendor is ignorant or actually hostile to. Life is (or should) be too short for that.

[–]RedDyeNumber4 1 point2 points ago

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So the benefit of being able to build a better computer for a lower price is outweighed by the risk of an operating system that is actively trying to avoid openness?

It sounds like hardware isn't the problem there.

[–]eleitl 1 point2 points ago

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is outweighed by the risk of an operating system that is actively trying to avoid openness?

That's the tradeoff to make. Some value freedom and openness more than usability. Others the other way round. No accounting for tastes.

It sounds like hardware isn't the problem there.

Oh, though Cupertino is not the worst of the bunch by far, they're not exactly lily-white.

[–]RedDyeNumber4 0 points1 point ago

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No accounting for tastes.

Which is why the OS should be off the table when considering the value of hardware, especially when the three main Operating Systems today can run perfectly well on either build.

Discounting the operating system, it's easy to see the disconnect between hardware and price. Incorporating an OS into the argument turns this into a fanboy clusterfuck.

[–]bdavbdav 0 points1 point ago

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| Why should OS be off the table?

If you are operating completely legally, or operating as part of a larger business where Licensing legality becomes very important, OS X stays on the mac, and the mac alone.

Granted, you can put it on any X86 hardware, but that doesn't mean its legal, and doesn't mean that the next software update isn't going to break it.

[–]RedDyeNumber4 0 points1 point ago

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If you are operating completely legally.

Given the number of EULAs I've agreed to over the years, even using Linux I'm probably breaking some kind of ill considered or vaguely worded boilerplate.

The original thread that my post responds to is about comparing different hardware costs for the same specifications between a home-made and direct from Apple computer. Bringing in considerations like enterprise quantity orders or business specific software and licensing requirements changes the original bounds of the discussion, and obviously renders my post moot.

There is a simple question on the table: Given the choice of purchasing your own parts or using a computer built by Apple, can you create a system with the same specifications for less money?

creativeembassy responded by stating that the hardware is at a premium because it can run OSX, and I responded by describing how one could create a homebrew that runs OSX. Clearly the hardware premium is not based on being able to run OSX, but rather on being Apple's preferred set of hardware, which was the problem to begin with.

So am I to understand that the biggest flaw in my argument is that Apple doesn't like people installing OSX on non Apple computers, justifying their higher hardware prices?

[–]eleitl 0 points1 point ago

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Which is why the OS should be off the table when considering the value of hardware

But I can't get supported OS X on anything other than Apple hardware. And of course you could install Windows on Linux on Apple hardware, and it wouldn't support the basic features (like going to sleep and waking up when lid closes) or multitouch. So, no, you cannot consider the hardware completely isolated.

especially when the three main Operating Systems today can run perfectly well on either build.

No, that is not correct.

it's easy to see the disconnect between hardware and price.

Ok, even ignoring OS X, where can I get an second source for a iPad or a http://www.apple.com/macbook/ or a http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/ ? Show me hardware you consider equivalent.

Incorporating an OS into the argument turns this into a fanboy clusterfuck.

Look, if you don't see any major differences between running OS X instead of Ubuntu or OS X, then I kinda question your judgement overall. You probably won't see any difference between hardware design in a Thinkpad or a MacBook.

[–]RedDyeNumber4 2 points3 points ago

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I can't get supported OS X on anything other than Apple hardware.

Not "Supported", but almost everything works, including suspend/resume on lid closing, and yes, even multitouch. Check the google machine.

No, that is not correct.

Are you saying that you can't run Windows, *nix, and OSX on both a properly built homebrew and a build direct from Apple? Because unless your problem is with literal use of the word "perfect", I'd love to hear you elaborate.

Where can I get an second source for a iPad

Why is that relevant? I might as well ask for the Apple variant of the Microsoft Surface. Neither is pertinent to this thread.

I've outlined the disconnect between hardware and pricing. If your only argument is that you like OSX better, and OSX runs "best" on Apple hardware, then Apple hardware sounds great for you. If someone is looking for more value from their hardware, a homebrew machine can be cheaper and OS agnostic.

Finally, if your argument rests on convincing me that OSX is better than Ubuntu, as a response to me saying "Incorporating an OS into the argument turns this into a fanboy clusterfuck.", then we've veered into ironic territory my friend.

[–]mogaly 0 points1 point ago

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I can't upvote you enough

[–]ajehals 6 points7 points ago* 

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I buy thinkpads because they last forever, my camera kit is all c̶a̶n̶n̶o̶n̶ Canon (as are my lenses apart from a Sigma 12-24) and I used to buy pretty much only middle end Nokia phones. All of that is/was on the basis of build quality, design and i suppose an element of brand loyalty. I have had to use Toshiba/H{P/Dell notebooks for work, had the odd SonyEricson phone (that was alright actually) and generally found that even when they were cheaper and 'higher spec' that they didn't perform as well or last.

[Edit: cannon/canon] [Edit2:cleaned up a couple of other typo's. I have to stop posting when too tired to see]

[–]ch00f[S] 1 point2 points ago

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cannon

Is that some kind of Canon knockoff? :)

[–]ajehals 2 points3 points ago

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Meh. I've been awake too long.

[–]l00pee 6 points7 points ago

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When I bought my volcano. Very expensive for a smoking device, but hey, it's the best.

[–]Shiggityx2 0 points1 point ago

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Man I want one of those.

[–]easytiger 19 points20 points ago

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a Mac is PC.

[–][deleted] 19 points20 points ago

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and PC != Windows

[–]akabaka 3 points4 points ago

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In this context, PC means "non-Mac, IBM compatible, and capable of running Windows".

[–]officemonkey 4 points5 points ago

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[–]ArcticCelt 0 points1 point ago* 

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Yes, but contextually speaking, even Apple implies that they are something else than a PC. If you want to blame someone for the confusion, blame Apple.

Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z0Ia5jDt4

[–]zyzzogeton 0 points1 point ago

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In fact Steve Wozniak basically invented the PC.

[–]rahmad 7 points8 points ago

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you know, i'm of two opinions on the matter:

yes, for some things, quality really does matter. lenses is a great example, you can't beat good glass. same goes for cameras, or televisions, big ticket items where you will spend the money once and want to make it last a loooooong time.

on the other hand, i'll buy a lot of things (vacuum cleaners, computers) as refurbies, buy em cheap, run em till they die and then, move on, i'm ok with losing a 300 dollar machine every few years, it's a great excuse to upgrade....

[–]thebassethound 4 points5 points ago

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it's a great excuse to upgrade

I really enjoy upgrading a machine, or even better building a fresh one from scratch. Tech head excitement!

[–]Poltras 4 points5 points ago

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I used to, but I don't anymore. I want something that works out of the box and without installing weird software/drivers just to make it work the way it should have in the first place.

I've done crosschecking drivers to watch for incompatibilities. I'm not having fun with it anymore...

[–]rahmad 0 points1 point ago

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i bought a refurbied hp off woot.com, must've cost me in the $300 range, it ran right out of the box....

it's still running like a trooper (bought this about 2 years ago I think). so, don't confuse the two...

i can spend $50 and spend an evening putting together a dinner to remember, or buy something off the $1 menu at mcdonalds and shove it in my piehole.

cheaper/expensive and easier/harder have no consistent correlations.

[–]eleitl 1 point2 points ago

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I don't. Stuff has to work. Unfortunately, you still can't buy decent computers for nonastronomical prices (I could order a custom build from Supermicro, but for a price of a nice used car), so I have to build my own.

[–]eleitl 0 points1 point ago

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i'll buy a lot of things (vacuum cleaners, computers) as refurbies ... i'm ok with losing a 300 dollar machine every few years

Two pretty bad examples. Quality vacuum cleaners are what, 50-80 EUR new? As to computers, I always buy 2nd or 3rd gen stuff, and build them from scratch -- the only way to get known good and known supported hardware.

[–]squigs 4 points5 points ago

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Well, I chose my television based on display lag and rejected a few other models because they seemed to have a grainy picture. I chose my camera based on Zoom and the fact that I find Canon cameras are pretty flexible. I chose my car because it looks cute but fuel efficiency and reasonable power were factors (although how it felt to drive was more important).

I think everything of any significant price I've bought in the last few years has been a bit of each.

[–]romwell 3 points4 points ago

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Heck, pretty much everything:

  • 7-year old DLSR (Nikon D1x) for around $300 - it's "only" 6 megapixels, but it's a darn good camera!

  • Behringer UMA25s slim MIDI controller/sound interface. The numbers like max sampling frequency, etc. aren't high, but it is the only keyboard with a built in sound interface and a strap! I can rock out with it like with a keytar! Also, now I actually have a portable set-up, clutter on the table is reduced, etc. Of course, its criticism comes from the fact that the numbers aren't high enough for pro recording (no 96khz I/O, etc.)

  • ASUS EEE PC 1000HE: a big factor in my decision was that he 6-cell battery does not stick out and the ability to throttle CPU to prolong battery life with a shortcut (giving up to 9 hours - other netbooks with similar battery life had a brick sticking out of them). It also has an extra function key for fast access to shortcuts with both hands.

  • My Schwinn 3-speed "Suburban" bike and Trek 820 bike. With bikes, numbers are pointless anyway. You just ride them and see if it is a good ride.

  • Casio CZ-3000 synth. That was an irrational purchase, but the machine is so enjoyable! Yeah, pretty much every other synth beats it in all quantifiable characteristics, but this is the synth for the 80's cheesy sounds - that's where its worth is for me.

  • A flatscreen TV (shopping with my dad). We were just looking at the picture. Note: either malicious store clerks or incompetent customers would mess have the settings messed up on the screens.

  • My printer: the criterions were built-in networking and wide availability of aftermarket ink. I settled with Brother MFC5440CN, which allows me to enjoy $2 ink cartridges. (back then, laser printers were way pricier)

  • My mouse. It has a blue backlight, DPI be damned.

[–]ch00f[S] 4 points5 points ago

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either malicious store clerks or incompetent customers would mess have the settings messed up on the screens.

My manager had a demo comparing Monster cable with cheap cable by doing a picture and picture between Monster component video cables and x-brand composite video cables. Guess which looked better.

[–]romwell 2 points3 points ago

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Oh, yeah, the good ole cable scam.

[–]jamesinc 1 point2 points ago

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I have a friend who works at a music store, he says Behringer is Chinese for 'faulty'. I have a Behringer tube mic pre-amp, I have to say I think it's quite nice, given that it was pretty cheap.

[–]romwell 1 point2 points ago* 

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I think your friend is an example of a person this post talks about (shopping by brand name). My experience with Behringer has been very positive (in the MIDI keyboards line). I don't know anything about their other products, but putting 'faulty' on all they make is not true.

To that end, there's just no other product like UMA25s on the market.

[–]stinkypyper 0 points1 point ago

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I bought a Trek 4300 a few years ago. Some of the best money I ever spent. I have ridden the hell out of the thing and still keeps going. I don't even tune it, it just stays tuned some how. The cables don't stretch on it or anything.

[–]thisisvariable 0 points1 point ago

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I am replying to you from my 1000he. Love it.

[–]RedDyeNumber4 0 points1 point ago

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I bought the same netbook for the same reasons, but I'm having an issue with the system freezing randomly a few minutes after a suspend/resume cycle. Have you experienced anything similar?

[–]romwell 1 point2 points ago

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No, so you might want to try their warranty service.

[–]RedDyeNumber4 0 points1 point ago

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Thanks, I've read there might be a driver conflict causing it. Glad to hear it's not endemic to the hardware.

Cheers!

[–]AdmiralBumblebee 16 points17 points ago

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Always.

I'm surprised more people don't. Spending $10 twenty times is never worth it when you could spend $150 once, and when you are spending that $150 you are damn sure you're going to feel confident in what you're buying.

[–]voxAtrophia 19 points20 points ago

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I don't really disagree, but if all you care about is price, it might be worth it to just keep re-buying the cheap stuff, instead of "investing" in better quality.

I'm just making up these numbers, so they don't hold up to any real scrutiny, but I think the point does. (Although I'm sure people will point out examples where the opposite is true.)

If you have two people, Person A buys a high end HDTV for $3000 and Person B buys the cheapest around for $1000. Let's say Person B's TV breaks after 5 years and they have to buy a new one. Because of advances in technology, Person B can get a TV comparable to (or even better than) Person A's for about $1000.

Person B has the same quality TV, but spent less. Person A spent more, but got to have a better TV for longer.

In the end, I'd say it's a wash. I'm not saying either one was smarter, just showing a different way to think about it.

[–]ice_cold_irony 1 point2 points ago

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My dad did this calculation with electric drills but also based on the efficiency and work time spent to screw/un screw when he worked for the Canadian product safety testing lab(can't remember the official name).

His report said almost exactly this. You end up spending less money buying drills that last 2 years vs a drill that lasts 10 but also working faster and using less electricity at the end of ten years,

[–]bluGill 0 points1 point ago

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Did that account for your joints though? I've never used them myself, but the people I've talked to with expensive drills say that the real gain isn't from the drill lasting longer, but from how much nicer it feels in the hand (balance, and the controls in the right spot), and the lack of vibration.

[–]bdavbdav 0 points1 point ago

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I've never really thought about it like that... hmm...

[–]jbarnosky 0 points1 point ago

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That's a really good way to think about it, and for the discussion in /r/gadgets, you're totally right. Non-technological devices are the only exception I can think of.

My co-worker's boyfriend came in one night because he now is a sales rep for Costco knives. He let some of our chefs (I work in a restaurant) try out the knives while he chatted about the three-edge serration and other nice points. He talked about Wal-Mart knives being the most expensive knives in the world because they end up getting replaced every few years. A good knife from Costco is expensive, but if anything happens to it, they'll replace it for free. If it gets damaged from misuse, they'll give you half off a replacement.

I never thought about the TV example. That's a really good point. Kudos, orangered, and upvote for you.

[–]databank01 2 points3 points ago

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do you mean Cutco knives?

[–]jbarnosky 2 points3 points ago

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Yeah, those.

Haha, that makes a big difference.

[–]JimmyJamesMac 4 points5 points ago

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but, with a computer, I would rather buy lower priced units and replace them every two years and always have a fast computer than to buy a Mac and have to keep it for 5 years to justify the price.

[–]jbarnosky 1 point2 points ago

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I'm not trying to be argumentative here, but my Mac is six years old and I'm keeping it because it's still totally usable.

[–]JimmyJamesMac 2 points3 points ago

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The thing about a computer speed, for me anyway, is that speed=productivity and productivity=money...but I guess if were really worried about being productive I wouldn't be on reddit all day.

[–]level1 0 points1 point ago

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As a computer scientist, I'd like to say thats a load of bull. Modern computers, even computers built 5 years ago, are much faster than what we use them for. Todays computers are built on technology to suit computer gamers, because gamers are the most demanding segment of the market. Everyone else gets their hand-me-downs.

Now, if you do work in photo/video editing, thats different, because those tasks are compute-intensive and you do end up waiting for your computer to do work.

A faster computer can only save you money if you are actually waiting around for the computer to finish working on a regular basis.

[–]JimmyJamesMac 1 point2 points ago

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I work in photo editing, and I still often wait for my computer to finish doing stuff. I process thousands of photos per week (.raw into .jpgs). I wouldn't feel as if I had to buy computers so often if the files sizes to grow so fast.

[–]masklinn 5 points6 points ago

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You're rediscovering Sam Vimes's Theory of Economic Injustices here:

At the time of Men at Arms, Samuel Vimes earnt thirty-eight dollars a month as a Captain of the Watch, plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots, the sort that would last years and years, cost fifty dollars. This was beyond his pocket and the most he, Vimes, could hope for was an affordable pair of boots costing ten dollars, which might with luck last a year or so before he, Vimes, would need to resort to makeshift cardboard insoles so as to prolong the moment of shelling out another ten dollars.

Therefore over a period of ten years, he, Vimes, might have paid out a hundred dollars on boots, twice as much as the man who could afford fifty dollars up front ten years before. And he would still have wet feet.

Without any especial rancour, Vimes stretched this theory to explain why Sybil Ramkin lived twice as comfortably as he did by spending about half as much every month.

[–]RedDyeNumber4 1 point2 points ago

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Same applies to Dwarf bread. Sure, it's proprietary dwarf technology, but it lasts forever!

[–]Davezter 1 point2 points ago

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You are forgetting that spending $10 six times is much cheaper than spending $150 once. My Wife's computer was $500 and lasted 3 years before it totally gave up the ghost. My computer was nearly $3000 and lasted a solid 8 years before it gave up the ghost. Her computer=$166/year and mine=$375/year. Mine was a hell of a lot better quality, but it wasn't nearly as cost effective as hers and it was MUCH more antiquated than hers was when it finally died.

[–]ch00f[S] 1 point2 points ago

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Well, was her $500 experience at any point better than your $3000 experience?

[–]arjie 1 point2 points ago

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Well, considering that he said his was much more antiquated at the time of its death, the answer to that question is, "Yes. Near the end of its life."

[–]eleitl 1 point2 points ago

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I paid around 1000 EUR sans VAT for my components, but I probably had another 1-2 kEUR of stuff lying around. I expect it to last 3-5 years. Expecting 8 years lifetime today is a) not realistic b) isn't exactly enjoyable, unless you have unusual tastes.

[–]AdmiralBumblebee 0 points1 point ago

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Your point doesn't apply since you're paying that $3000 more than once (or $3k then similar cheaper product again), and I'm talking about things you only buy once if you make a wise purchase.

[–]Nerdlinger 0 points1 point ago

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Always.

I'm surprised more people don't.

I don't. I do what you hinted at and buy based on value. 150 vs. 10 is a win if the 150 is more than 15 times better by some metric. But if it's less than 15 times better then it's a bad purchase.

Of course, I can only estimate value in most cases, but I'd like to think I'm not fucking up every decision I make.

[–]AdmiralBumblebee 3 points4 points ago

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I value my time. Having to go out and buy (or even purchase online) the same item 10 times usually always increases the value by factoring in what my time is worth.

Hell, this post just cost me $13. fuck.

[–]wiLD0 -2 points-1 points ago

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Not to mention the $150 item not only lasts longer, but does it's job in a WAY better manner.

[–]tgeliot 7 points8 points ago

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Not always. There are plenty of customers willing to take advantage of customers who believe "you get what you pay for", like this

[–]maryjayjay 4 points5 points ago

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Yeah, like Monster Cables.

[–]jbarnosky 0 points1 point ago

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Hahahahahaha.

[–]MagicWishMonkey 1 point2 points ago

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... and usually comes with a better warranty.

[–]cojoco 3 points4 points ago

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I paid more money for a Panasonic DVD player for my mum because I respect the brand.

I have also had 5 cheap Chinese DVD players die on me over the years.

[–]BaboTron 0 points1 point ago

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A few years ago I had to get a laptop for school. I'd had my Toshiba CRT television for a few years by then, and loved it. I still have it, and it still runs great. I thought Toshiba'd then be equally capable of making a great laptop.

WRONG.

I'm typing this from my second Mac.

[–]blobkat 0 points1 point ago

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I hear ya. I had a toshiba for school back in 2005, and it was horrible. Toshiba even denied that they ever made that particular model. Bye, bye driver updates.

Now typing this from a macbook pro that I have for about a year now. It still looks brand new, build quality couldn't be better.

[–]LineNoise 4 points5 points ago

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My motorcycle gear springs to mind.

A Dainese jacket and a Shoei helmet aren't exactly the cheapest options but I happily sprung for them on very non-quantifiable grounds. Totally happy with my purchase and would do it again in a heartbeat.

My attitude is that you might pay for quality now but you usually pay for a lack of it later, and you often pay more.

[–]holyhandgrenadier 2 points3 points ago

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I've been in a motorcycle accident where the paramedic told me my Shoei didn't only save my life, but was the reason I was able to walk away.

I gave it to st john's ambulance after cutting it in half lengthways to show where the foam deformed when my head hit the cars A-pillar.

[–]zeppelinfromled 0 points1 point ago

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That's nuts. Did you happen to take a picture of it before you gave it to them?

[–]omgChubbs 3 points4 points ago

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My Etymotic ER-4S's have saved my ears from the abuse I used to subject them to when using cans or stock headphones. I never have to turn the volume up on anything past 20-30% and I get full bass, crisp and clear mids and highs, and even when not listening to music, they act as fantastic sound dampeners for noisy environments.

I could never go back to a cheap headphone/earphone again.

[–]blobkat 0 points1 point ago

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Sounds interesting... too bad I already have tinnitus, the ringing sometimes interferes with the music.

[–]mdreed 2 points3 points ago

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Whiskey. Specifically laphroaig, black label, and red breast.

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points ago

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Every purchase I make is informed by value. You buy the best quality you can afford, basically.

Having said that, PCs come out waaaaaay ahead of Macs using that system.

[–]MaxK -1 points0 points ago

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Clearly, you've never spent a lot of time working on a Mac in the past five years.

[–][deleted] 8 points9 points ago

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Value is an individual thing. I'm sure that Macs represent value to a lot of people. They don't to me - and yes, I've spent plenty of time working on Macs over the past few years. My income is not platform-dependent, and Macs don't offer me a lot that PCs don't, so they're poor value FOR ME.

[–]cibyr -4 points-3 points ago

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Unless you can afford a mac, and you value the design/build quality/features of the mac more than you value the money you'd save by buying a Dell/HP/whatever instead.

[–]Jakkers 3 points4 points ago

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Thinkpads address this issue.

[–]cibyr 1 point2 points ago

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Thinkpads haven't been the same since IBM sold their consumer hardware business off to Lenovo. Back when IBM made them they were damn near indestructible, but now they're just slightly above average quality and ugly.

They've certainly got nothing on the unibody MacBook Pros - the thinkpad leaves you with half the battery life, a tiny touchpad (and a "clit mouse") and a scratchable screen. Sure, you pay less - but you get less.

It all comes down to your perception of value.

[–]Jakkers 2 points3 points ago

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I've been very happy with my X60 - three years and never had a problem. In my mind they remain indestructible, while keeping the best keyboard in the business. My 9 cell battery gives me 7 hours of charge, the matte screen doesn't scratch, and for my money the "clit" mouse is far better than a touchpad. I'd honestly hate to own a laptop without it, and I don't get why more people don't feel the same way. Touchpads (not counting gestures, which are admittedly useful) have all the functionality of a trackball.

[–]VatoSteve 5 points6 points ago

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Instead of buying a cheap-o vacuum that will die out in a few months, I've splurged and got Miele. It may sound odd to be impressed by a vacuum, but that's the greatest vacuum I've ever seen!

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points ago

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I enjoyed this more than I should have.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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after seeing this - I getting a new vacuum!

[–]mattindustries 2 points3 points ago

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  • Nickel bicycle chain
  • Uninterrupted power supply
  • Snowboard goggles (for biking)
  • Flash storage

[–]qda 2 points3 points ago

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Sennheiser HD570 open-can headphones. Sound amazing still, 8 years later.

[–]bamfb2 2 points3 points ago

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I am always quality over quantity. I want to buy once....not a bunch of times trying to save money.

That said, I take care not to pay for perceived quality that is actually not there.

This may sound stupid, but the last item I bought was a fancy dress shirt that could be worn with a suit, a tuxedo, or to dress up a pair of jeans. It was hand made with ornate stitching...and it just oozes quality and craftsmanship. I paid about $50-100 more for it than I would have an equivalent one. It is worth it to me, as I know it will last longer, hold up better when I wear it, and garner more compliments than your average run of the mill shirt.

[–]stringerbell 2 points3 points ago

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I used to buy so-called name-brand watches from the department store or Costco (fancy designer names sometimes). I typically wouldn't spend more than a couple hundred bucks on a watch, but I wouldn't buy anything cheap either - but, without fail, they'd always break within a year, two at the most... So, one day, after my latest watch failed to live past a year, I bit the bullet and purchased a $500 watch from a watch shop - that was more than 10 years ago, and the watch has worked perfectly every day since (and only required 2 battery changes in the meantime)!...

[–]zdiggler 1 point2 points ago

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I went thru 3 watches in about 10 years and only cost me less than $150. I work out side in pretty rough environment. I don't care if my $35 watch get scratch or break.

[–]shimshimmaShanghai 2 points3 points ago

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my shoes, jacket, watch and sunglasses. all expensive and well known high quality brands. not, "well marketed and famous people like wearing them brands" generally with shoes the rule more $$$ = more quality is true. I pay about 400 pounds per pair of shoes, but im yet to wear out a pair (the current pair im wearing are on the cheaper end of my shoe collection, around 150 pounds - 5 years after buying them they are not as good as new, but they are still beautiful, comfortable and keep my feet warm.)

[–]Zalenka 2 points3 points ago

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I wanted something small, under $250 that surfed the web via wifi and played movies.

I searched for android devices and they were either underpowered, running an old version of android or way to expensive.

I bought an ipod touch.

[–]jnm108 1 point2 points ago

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I actually purchased a ZuneHD. I was impressed with the sound quality when using the same headphones on multiple mp3 players. It's the first MP3 player that I actually use. I've purchased a few in the past, and didn't use them for more than a week before I got tired of it.

[–]Syphon8 1 point2 points ago

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Quality is quantifiable.

[–]genesius 0 points1 point ago

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After reading "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", I'm not sure.

[–]belandil 1 point2 points ago

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My wife's hard drive died about a year ago. It came with her Dell and was a Maxtor. After doing some reading online, I learned that this brand was considered one of the lesser reliable manufacturers. I replaced her HD with a Western Digital Caviar HD, which should be more reliable and uses a bit less power.

I was also so annoyed with Dell for not even telling you the brand of many of their components that I'm very averse to buying things from them in the future. My mom was looking for a new computer, and this was a big part of choosing another brand. I went with a HP that was highly recommended by CNet.

[–]john_dune 0 points1 point ago

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too bad, HP has the highest defective rate in the industry (at least in canada. it's like they ship us the defective american systems)

[–]mancko 1 point2 points ago

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unfortunately i lose and/or destroy shit :(

[–]bibster 1 point2 points ago

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All my tools... Mostly festool and facom. Worth every cent, and that's a lot of cents!

[–]jamesinc 1 point2 points ago

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I bought a Sony VAIO in 2007 based on its keyboard. It was the only laptop I could find that didn't have the standard squashed-looking keyboard keys (which I hate). The layout was also really great (pic). The contact area of the keys was larger than in normal laptop keyboards, and that basically sold it to me. It's about to turn 3 and is the best laptop I have ever owned.

Edit: better pic of keyboard.

[–]eleitl 1 point2 points ago

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you purchased for reasons that can't be easily listed on a product sheet?

I always purchase stuff based on tests from reputable sources, or at least customer reviews. Product sheets are for the birds.

[–]ElwoodDowd 1 point2 points ago

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Firstly, quality is a quantifiable measure. That may be the source of your downvotes.

I buy things due to their functionality, which can be measured.

I believe you may be talking about an item's 'Advertised' capabilities vs. its actual capabilities. But your headline reads like "When was the last time you bought something that you thought was better with no empirical evidence to prove it?" - Which is basically what I see when I compare my friend Dan's laptop to my friend Mike's Macbook pro, as Dan's laptop can wipe the floor with Mike's at everything, and was 45% the cost - yet Mike swears his MacBook is a better machine. He may like it better, but just because he perceives it to be better does not make it a superior machine due to unquantifiable measures. Denial is denial. Though I believe you about camera lenses, Dan is a Nikon man and, once again, that is a quantifiable thing, his more expensive lenses take much nicer pictures, and you can tell.

But I do understand part of your point, in that, I purchased a Sanyo PLV-Z60 projetor which has a stated 1,100 or 1,200 lumens, but is demonstrably brighter that my Acer which claimed to have 2,600 lumens.

So... my answer would be my Sanyo projector :) (Dan had a PLV-Z5 before me.)

Note: In writing this, I have determined that I am a copycat.

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points ago

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Quality can be quantified- it's just difficult and people are lazy.

[–]sherkaner 2 points3 points ago

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And frankly people don't have the time to spend looking that deeply into quality other than a few items that they really care about. I actually think this is one of the major factors driving the increase in cheap, disposable crap products: It's very difficult or impossible for the average consumer to know what is truly built for quality, so they might as well buy something cheap.

It used to be this way for safety as well, until UL came along. I've often thought that somebody should form a non-profit body, similar to UL, made of engineers who define the real quantifiable metrics of quality for different products, and define a set of simple product marks, like the UL mark.

If your product meets the standards for your product type that the body warranties should last for 10 years of normal use, you may apply the "10-year Quality" tag. This tag, like the UL tag, can serve as legal defense for a company, and also gives consumers an at-a-glance indication of real quality. The usefulness of that tag can apply from everything from TVs to toilet brushes.

Any leaders of industry or wealthy benefactors who'd like to invest in making this happen? Bonus points: quality products don't quickly go into landfills, to be replaced by new products whose manufacture likely generated a lot of pollution -- building a fraction as much stuff is greener than many improvements in energy efficiency we're looking at now.

[–]ch00f[S] 4 points5 points ago

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I've often thought that somebody should form a non-profit body, similar to UL, made of engineers who define the real quantifiable metrics of quality for different products, and define a set of simple product marks, like the UL mark.

What you're describing sounds a lot like consumer reports.

[–]sherkaner 0 points1 point ago

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That's different. Consumer reports does testing on products, they don't actually certify methods of building quality products (which is admittedly much more difficult). As a result, there's no way for a company to build a product to a Consumer Reports spec, and advertise the result with a mark.

UL is so common now that we don't even notice it, but there was a time when there were very unsafe products on the market and having the UL stamp was an important thing to look for. Imagine if, instead of having UL standards and the corresponding mark, a subscription magazine started testing products and issuing safety ratings. Those who wanted to spend the time could get the information, but it would do very little to influence the design of product for increased safety, and it certainly wouldn't be something you could make use for products you bought day-to-day. That's very much the situation we're in today with respect to long-term product quality.

[–]arrgh406 0 points1 point ago

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I disagree. Quality is not something that can be quantified. Read Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance.

[–]modix 0 points1 point ago

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Newegg does wonders. Sure people can jump on the bandwagon for certain parts, but you really can get a large variety of reviews and a sense of the general pattern of things breaking. If something has 2k reviews and 99.9% are positive, it probably is quality.

[–]blooregard325i 5 points6 points ago

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The last computer I bought was a Power Mac G5. In 2003. Seven years later is can still do everything that I need it to. If the App is made for PowerPC, that machine will run it beautifully. Did I spend $2700 on it? Yes. Did I need to buy another machine in 7 years? No. That's $385/year, if you want to boil it down to that. Meanwhile, I have an Intel machine from the same time period, a 2Ghz P4, that can't play flash videos or H.264. The G5 can.
Call it what you will, but there is an unquantifiable difference. Oh yeah, and my iBook from 2000 is still running. I was using it up until Christmas when I bought my new MacBook. Ten Years.

[–]Leyths 10 points11 points ago

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Would you say that Apple has that same attention to quality now as they did when you purchased your machines? I'm just asking because my pre-unibody plastic Macbook I bought two years ago has degraded in quality so much in the short time I've used it; the palm rest has splintered, the machines case is yellow, the power charger has broken twice despite my care to never pull the cord, and the glue holding the plastic top around the keyboard onto the body has come loose in many places and it has become visibly raised in many places. I'd be interested in the opinion of someone who has followed Apple devices for longer than I have.

[–]hortont424 5 points6 points ago

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I think:

A) it's much harder to make a durable portable computer than a desktop

B) he bought the highest end machine they made, you one of the lowest

[–]Leyths 0 points1 point ago

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Yeah, its understandable that mine would be more prone to problems, but I did buy into a machine that cost over £800 and I was hoping for a laptop that would last years like I had heard the PowerPC macbook equivalents did. Probably just luck of the draw really.

[–]hortont424 1 point2 points ago

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The iBooks? I'm pretty sure they had similar issues at various different times... and the PowerBooks/MBPs don't have as many.

But yeah, it's definitely somewhat a luck of the draw thing, too...

[–]lukeydukey 4 points5 points ago

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From my experience (i have the black version of your macbook), the higher the price point in Apple products, the better the build quality. In regards to the palmrest, you should have been able to get that fixed regardless of warranty because apparently that's a manufacturing defect. However you can try calling to make sure, mine splintered early on freshman year and I got it fixed no problem.

The other thing is I noticed that build quality varies from generation to generation. Most notably: the iPhone. The first generation was this solid aluminum body phone that could take a beating. Ever since they switched to the new plastic body, it cracks like no other.

It seems to me that Apple purposely does that to cut down on material cost, but that's just speaking from a relative view.

[–]ch00f[S] 1 point2 points ago

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[–]blooregard325i 0 points1 point ago

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I don't think so. I think they're suffering from Toyota syndrome, high demand not able to meet quality. IMHO.

[–]sixdust 8 points9 points ago

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Your cpu is not the only factor in playing H.264 or flash. Your ram, gpu, and software also play a factor in this. A $2700 PC from the same time period would be able to handle it. This is not a fair assessment, nor a valid justification for paying so much for "quality". The PowerPC processor is not the same as an AMD or Intel from the same time period either.

[–]MaxK 2 points3 points ago

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As someone who ran NT a 2GHz DEC Alpha when most people were running computers in the 600MHz range, I can tell you it still ran like molasses after a couple years of Windows registry gunk, programs installing themselves as startup daemons, and other general Windows crapware, despite being a fairly technically savvy individual who went through and spent time cleaning out the crap periodically.

Then I bought my G4 and it runs beautifully to this day. There's certainly an unquantifiable superiority to the software the Mac runs, and I'm willing to pay a steep premium for that. The user experience is second to none.

[–]yasth 2 points3 points ago

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How in the world did you manage to find crapware for ALPHA? I am dead serious. No one ever bothered to release stuff for it.

[–]MaxK 0 points1 point ago

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It had this built-in emulation software that somehow made ordinary PC binaries run on it, as long as they weren't doing anything funky. So I could run pretty much anything, except most games.

[–]bdavbdav 0 points1 point ago

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Emulation software - there's your problem!

[–]MaxK 0 points1 point ago

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Nah, it started fast and I seldom installed anything.

[–]specialk16 0 points1 point ago

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There's certainly an unquantifiable superiority to the software the Mac runs, and I'm willing to pay a steep premium for that.

Ok Mr. fairly technically savvy individual, which "unquantifiable superiority" would OS X offer against Windows 7?

The user experience is second to none.

That's an opinion, not a fact.

[–]MaxK 0 points1 point ago

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The user experience is second to none. That's an opinion, not a fact. That's the point. In the end, the individual's experience is what drives them to prefer one choice over another. If the experience is strong enough to warrant a much higher cost then the software manufacturer can charge much more and benefit from that advantage.

Apple would not be in business if there weren't a great number of people who prefer their products enough to pay more for them. The majority of arguments I see against Apple products hinge on the price rather than other features.

[–]nistco92 1 point2 points ago

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I bought my Dell laptop for $800 in 2006 ($200/year at this point, and it's a laptop). I beat the hell out of it- use it for DJing w/Serato, do some moderate gaming (50-60fps in TF2, Torchlight, etc.), got me through college, and it's still going strong. I still even get ~2 hours of battery life on the original battery.

You don't have to spend a lot to have a lasting machine.

[–]btgeekboy 0 points1 point ago

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I bought my Macbook for $1200 in 2006 ($300/year at this point, and it's a laptop). I beat the hell out of it- use it for DJing w/Torq, minimal gaming (I prefer to go for consoles), got me through college, and it's still going strong. I still even get ~3 hours of battery life on the original battery.

You don't have to spend a lot to have a lasting machine.

:)

[–]zdiggler 1 point2 points ago

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I built my dad a sub $500 PC with XPPro in 2003 and he still using it and running fast. It ran game pretty decent back than too. He even upgraded the video card with HDMI port so he can hook it up to the TV for picture/movie viewing recently. Also upgraded the RAM and HDD him self. that's like $70 a year!

[–]modix 1 point2 points ago

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I spent $400 in parts on my current computer config. It has lasted me over 4 years. My previous parts cost $350, and that lasted me 3 years. You're spending more in a single year than I do for entire configurations of my computer.

I could upgrade my CPU and MB every year with some extra RAM and still stay under your budget. Once i5/7s drop, I'll buy one and replace my MB/CPU for another 350-400. Please don't make this seem cheap, as $400/year is ridiculous. Refreshes every couple years for a small amount of money beat some crazy expensive computer any day.

[–]cojoco 4 points5 points ago

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You can build a modern PC with better specs than your Mac for around $300 in parts.

You could argue that you could have bought a new computer every year for the price of your Mac.

[–]iigloo 0 points1 point ago

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What? He might be able to build a $300 PC now that matches the 2003 Power Mac, he might. But there's no way he could do that in 2003 or in '04 or in '05 etc. That's just bullshit. I know that Mac's are more expensive, but there is no way that there was a $300 equivalent to the 2003 Power Mac until way, way after it's release.

[–]FlyingBishop 0 points1 point ago

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I've got a $400 cheapo Emachines computer from 2005 with a 2.8ghz Celeron that will play H.264 and Flash. Not stunningly, but it does it.

Really, the only thing on that machine that ever gave me serious trouble was the CD RW. Replaced it a couple years ago with a cheap DVD RW, and it runs fine. That and the integrated graphics - but again they'll match that Power Mac.

Compare that to the OP's $385/year... I'm not really seeing the cost savings. If he had waited two years, he would have a machine of similar power for $100/year.

I guess what I'm saying is I accept Moore's law, and don't mind being a year or two behind the curve for a quarter of the cost, or less.

[–]bdavbdav 0 points1 point ago

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What? The integrated graphics will match the powermac? Are you high?

The powerMac back then was the equivalent to the Mac Pro today - thought of as a go-to machine for high end movie/audio/whatever else editing. Try running Premiere in Live RT on your e-machine.

[–]cojoco 0 points1 point ago

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What? He might be able to build a $300 PC now that matches the 2003 Power Mac, he might.

You are being a little silly, you know.

But there's no way he could do that in 2003 or in '04 or in '05 etc.

I never said that he could.

[–]ch00f[S] -2 points-1 points ago

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But it's hard to quantify the annoyance of building a new computer every year and moving all of your files over. Therein lies the point of this discussion.

[–]modix 1 point2 points ago

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Why do you move your files? Just move the HDD. Duh. It doesn't have to be a "new" computer. Change the guts out ever couple years for a couple hundred bucks. Grab a new HDD storage drive every now and then and you're set. Same box, same keyboard, same monitor. You'd be shocked at how much this drives down costs.

[–]thebassethound 0 points1 point ago

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Could I add that there is an element of fortune in that your macs haven't broken in all that time, as at least half of the people I know with macs have had to return them, sometimes multiple times, and sometimes losing a lot of data. That pretty much sucks. Also, if a part of a mac breaks is it not hard to replace that individual part yourself for a small amount of money?

[–]ch00f[S] 7 points8 points ago

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Well, sure. As a Mac user personally, I learned quickly that they are not infallible (Read: Faulty video card caused me to send back my macbook pro 4 times (six if you count the bad battery and CD drive). The replacement macbook pro they gave me (finally) has had no hardware issues to date. My Mac Mini has been running smoothly for 6+ years and my HP laptop from 2001 still works when I need a parallel port.

On the other hand, the only rig I ever built from scratch had a faulty motherboard that I spent months trying to get fixed. Had it been a name-brand computer, the motherboard manufacturer wouldn't have tried to blame it on my video card.

Yes, there is an element of fortune with all machines, but part of the "unquantifiable" aspect is the customer support (A place where Apple leads the industry).

My mom bought what I believed to be a severely overpriced IBM thinkcentre back in 2005. The thing has less ram than my 4 year old laptop and was almost as slow yet cost $2000+.

When the mouse broke, IBM offered to send someone out to replace it for us.

[–]nielsforpokker 1 point2 points ago

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My Mac Mini has been running smoothly for 6+ years

The Mac Mini came out in January 2005.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Mini

[–]ch00f[S] 0 points1 point ago

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Aw fuck, you got me. Thought I was older than I am. It's the 1.42ghz PPC model if you were wondering.

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points ago

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iMac headphone port breaks. Can I just replace the sound card? No. I am told I must replace the logic board. ONLY $700 FOR THE BOARD WITHOUT LABOR? BOY WHAT A DEAL

and so I stopped buying Mac.

[–]thephotoman 1 point2 points ago

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The iMac is the equivalent of a laptop that doesn't have nearly as much concern for heat dissipation or resource consumption. If you can't do the repair on a laptop, you can't do it on an iMac.

[–]bdavbdav 0 points1 point ago

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USB sound card?

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

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Fair, but it doesn't address the root of the problem. It was the first computer that I've had the headphone port stop working. It was the first computer where I couldn't replace the sound card myself.

[–]stinkypyper -4 points-3 points ago

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Ya, but what OS does it run? Apple is a software company not a hardware company. They just build hardware so they can get the software features and reliable platform they want.

[–]ch00f[S] 2 points3 points ago

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I would actually argue that point. Originally, Apple was a strictly hardware company. In fact, the idea of a "software company" didn't really exist until Microsoft came around and invented that market.

People complain that Apple tries to lock down its users too much (with the App store and AppleTV and whatnot), but I think what we're actually seeing is some of Apple's hardware roots shining through.

Your microwave is designed to run its own special software. Apple is trying to make their products like your microwave: single-purpose and elegant.

Not saying that it's a good idea. I think they really need to get with the times and discover that people find uses for their products that they originally didn't intend, but it might help to explain the attitude.

[–]stinkypyper 0 points1 point ago

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True, but I think they have transformed. They are focused a lot on software and media delivery now.

Apple is trying to make their products like your microwave: single-purpose and elegant.

I think that is what makes them work. As much as I would like to see Apples hardware and software units separated, I realize it's the synergy of the two that is their strength. Microsoft relies upon HP, Dell, and everyone else's junk-ass space heaters. They are forced to deal with all that low grade hardware and peripherals, and companies that don't push the edge. This makes a support nightmare and limits features they can implement. I for one think MS would make awesome computers. Their keyboards and mice are the best and most reliable there is. They need to start leading in that direction to push their partners.

[–]ch00f[S] 1 point2 points ago

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else's junk-ass space heaters.

Careful. Please try to avoid fanboyism, it doesn't help discussion.

[–]thephotoman 1 point2 points ago

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I dunno about fanboyism. Just because HP, Dell, and pretty much everybody else in the Windows box market space sells junk ass-space heaters doesn't mean that they don't also produce quality hardware.

[–]cojoco 0 points1 point ago

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Apple is trying to make their products like your microwave: single-purpose and elegant.

And that's why we buy a general-purpose computer like the Mac!

Oh, wait ...

[–]kdesu 1 point2 points ago

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You can slap OSX on various netbooks around that price range.

[–]sagewah 0 points1 point ago

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A mate of mine spent close to $8000 on a mac to run protools around the same time. At the 4 year mark, it died - one of the CPUs failed.

We built an entirely new PC for less than the cost of a replacement CPU (sans labour!) that runs rings around the old Mac.

[–]Shiggityx2 0 points1 point ago* 

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Glad you have had good experience with Apple. I owned a 2003 powerbook g4 that froze up a lot and generally seemed to run slow considering I paid $2000 for it. My 30gb 3rd gen ipod stopped working after 2 years so now I use a $50 sandisk that works great. My girlfriend has had to replace her iphone twice now and had horrible customer service dealing with it. Just doesn't seem worth it to buy "top-end" electronics anymore to me.

[–]wiLD0 1 point2 points ago

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Corda 2Move

To the casual observer it's just a USB headphone soundcard that outputs only 44.1-48kHz 16-bit audio. What's not easily quantifiable, is that it sounds heavenly.

Considering that I've been using it 10-15 hours every week for over a year, it's way worth it.

[–]thebassethound 2 points3 points ago* 

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Is that actually a soundcard, or is it an amplifier? Or are the two terms interchangeable in this case?

Also, what cans do you use with that? I wouldn't really like to spend more on the amp than I did on my cans. I use a Penguin "Caffeine" Chu Moy headphone amp which is great for my HD 595s. Guess it won't work too well with my integrated sound though.

[–]wiLD0 2 points3 points ago* 

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It's a combo USB DAC/Amp. It's a sound card in the sense that it hooks up to the computer via USB and lets you plug your headphones in. It's more than just an amp, an amp itself does not convert digital signals into analog ones. So no, the two terms are not interchangeable, but most but not all 'soundcards' let you plug your headphones in, so they have some dinky amplification circuit built-in.

I have the Audio Technica ATH-M50. It serves the purpose of a rugged closed headphone well. I say if you got 595s, treat them better when you can with a better signal :)

[–]sagewah 0 points1 point ago

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Quality?

The build quality on a Mac is no better than a well built PC. In fact, if you've ever had to pull one apart you'd prefer a PC as they're not actively hostile to techs.

Where apple products outshine PCs is in the packaging and the hype - and I've got no time for either.

[–]ch00f[S] 1 point2 points ago

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a well built PC

I think the prejudice arises because there isn't a $300 Mac which can be compared to a crappy PC.

[–]detaer 1 point2 points ago

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My BMW.

[–]nistco92 0 points1 point ago

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You should probably get the turn signals fixed.

[–]detaer 0 points1 point ago

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The bulbs went out, 2 bucks at the auto parts store later problem solved. Can you sign off on this fixit ticket officer?

[–]phlipski 0 points1 point ago

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Audio: Grado SR-60 headphones - bought them at least 12 years ago, and still use them on a daily basis. I did however have to fix a broken solder joint about 6 months ago. Etymotic er6i ear buds - 3 years old now, still work like a champ. Paradigm Titan's - bought in spring of '97 and still use them daily. Fuji F45 - low noise high-ISO camera's are not easily described on data sheets.

You know what pisses me off? My ipod nano (1st gen) died - the battery failed. And since those things were so slim there's no aftermarket battery replacement support like the older and bigger ipods. So FU apple for crappy product engineering.

I'm all for paying for quality that lasts but as mentioned in other posts, it's a balancing act that has to be considered on a per item basis.

[–]nistco92 0 points1 point ago

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The quality of those headphones is actually fairly quantifiable...

[–]blobkat 0 points1 point ago

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Just got my Grado SR-80i today. I'm now staying up way too late because I want to listen some more.

Heavenly sound.

[–]arrgh406 0 points1 point ago

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D90. Went to a store, and holding it felt... right.

[–]mobius88 0 points1 point ago

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My acoustic guitar (Martin HD-28V). Completely worth it.

[–]therealpdrake 0 points1 point ago

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my knives

[–]zeppelinfromled 0 points1 point ago

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A pistol. I spent $850 on my pistol because it is high quality. The experience of shooting it won't differ significantly from a cheaper gun (I easily could have found something for $500). It's not lighter, it's not smaller, it's not more powerful. But I know that it will last a long time and it's extremely reliable.

[–]Javbw 0 points1 point ago

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Buck Knife #110 - Buck makes great knives, and I don't need to hear about what kind of steel it is, accessories, etc. Same goes for Whia Screwdrivers.

[–]geebs61 0 points1 point ago

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My netbook (eee pc 1005ha) and my TV. The TV is an Insignia, a brand I hadn't even heard of before seeing it. But I'll be damned if it didn't look far better than all the others at the store in my price range.

It has been a fantastic television as well.

[–]Shiggityx2 0 points1 point ago

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Isn't this what reviews are for? If I'm making a big purchase, I look at both specs and customer reviews of the product.

[–]easyjet 0 points1 point ago

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My 11 year old Saab. I paid it off 5 years ago, it cost me yesterday for a full service and MOT yesterday £200. Fuel is about £500 pa now. Runs like clockwork. yes it looks like a dentists car but its fucking awesomely reliable.

[–]pwnies 0 points1 point ago

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Merkur safety razor. Does wonders.

[–]pyroman8813 0 points1 point ago

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When it comes down to these questions I like to use hand tools as an example rather than electronics as they are less likely to become obsolete before they break.

Solid hand tools have a very good chance of lasting you forever. I have some tools that are easily over 50 years old with some quite possibly coming close to 75-100 years old (not exactly sure how old some of them are but some i got from my grandpa who was around 85 when he died 15 years ago) which still work perfectly.

On the other hand I had bought some really cheap shitty tools a while back to to extenuating financial circumstances that where bought for about one tenth the cost of their comparable high quality equivalents which, with only light to moderate use , were broken within a few months. If I were to keep buying cheap tools like that It would quickly become far more expensive. When you add in all the hidden cost of having to stop working on a project to get new tools because the ones you were using broke (or worse yet they damaged whatever you were working on).

When I had finally had the money I bought new tools which have already lasted me 5-10 times longer through much heavier use with no signs of wear.

The one important thing to remember is while quality and preformance are important, buying top of the line tools or components can also be a waste of money if you aren't going to use it for all that they are capable of.

An excellent example of this is in the computer market. Due to the rapid advancement in technology new components become obsolete very quickly. This means that that new top of the line processor that you paid $1000+ for will soon be matched by mid level parts within a year or two. Sometimes far sooner.

I find that when ever you buy something you should aim for about the 80% performance range. This tends to be enough to do the vast majority of tasks and will cost you far less than their top of the line counterparts. A well built $500 desktop will be able to do almost as much as a $3000 gaming beast. Spending the extra 2500 will most likely only give the computer an extra 6 months or so of usable life over that of the $500 rig. with that money you could build a brand new rig every year end up with achieving an overall higher average performance level. You can stretch this even further with a few strategic upgrades.

TL:DR : don't buy cheap crappy shit or supper high end stuff as it is a waste of money. %80 is usually your best bet.

[–]mobyhead1 0 points1 point ago

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Every piece of Apple hardware I've bought has been primarily due to the quality, particularly the OS. I spent about $900 on my most recent Mac Mini. Sure, I could have gotten some white box with more memory, more storage and a better graphics card for the same amount, maybe even less. So what? It would be stuck running Windows, which I can no longer tolerate. It would have poor-to-nonexistent technical support. And I would still be wasting inordinate amounts of time troubleshooting IT issues. You get what you pay for, end of discussion!

[–]zdiggler -4 points-3 points ago

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now you stuck with Steve Jobs. On Open Platform PC you can at least load up Linux or some other Alien OS from outer space.

[–]ch00f[S] 4 points5 points ago

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Actually, in the movie Independence Day, they link up a Powerbook G3 with an alien spaceship computer and upload a virus and save the day. Macs are certainly compatible with Alien OSs from outer space.

[–]MaxK 1 point2 points ago

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You can run linux or windows on a mac as well. Mac OS X is just better.

[–]purelithium 1 point2 points ago

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My Unibody MacBook Pro is WAY more reliable/solid than any other laptop I've ever owned. I've taken this thing on military exercises, put it in my daypack, tossed it around the back of my vehicle, and it doesn't show any worse for wear. I love it. It was more expensive than any other offering, but the fit and finish is second to none, let alone the robustness.

Not trying to be an apple fanboy or anything, but I've tried everything else, and it all felt like toys (I've even used Panasonic Toughbooks at work, and they feel flimsy compared to this.)

[–]loginname 0 points1 point ago

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My iPhone, my iMac, my Nikon D80, my Drobo, and my Dyson vacuum cleaner. All were purchased with quality over cost in mind.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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7 jeans - 200 for a pair, but worth it.

[–]kojef 2 points3 points ago

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what kind of jeans?

[–]ch00f[S] 2 points3 points ago

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Care to share why? (most people here would never spend that much on Jeans)

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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Well, first, sevens are about the most robust jeans you can buy. Each pair lasts me well over 2 years, even wearing them 4 days a week. I figure before, when I bought Levi's at 60 a piece, I was buying 3 pairs a year. So, right there, you're saving money.

Second, Sevens are jean with elasticity, so they fit at least three times as comfortable as other pants and look that much better.

Third, they come with free tailoring, since they only sell them by the waist size and then fit them to length. I'm tall and thin, which means I typically have trouble finding good fits with other jeans.

[–]JimmyJamesMac -1 points0 points ago

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I have a $3,500 Mac (quad-core power pc G5, 4 gigs of ram) and a $1,200 HP (quad core, 3 gigs of ram). The PC is so much faster than the Mac it's shameful. I'd rather have speed than beauty and design. I've got shit to do. Yes, I do realize that this speed differential is prior to IntelMacs, but I still hate MacFags.

[–]bdavbdav 0 points1 point ago

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even JimmyJamesMacFag? :)

[–]JimmyJamesMac 0 points1 point ago

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Especially that one. He's got that stupid G5, a iPod Touch, and an AppleTV. He just ordered two iMacs for his buddies office, and is one of the only people waiting for the iPad to come out (to use as a hand-held sales tool for trade shows). You'd think that nobody else made stuff.

[–][deleted] -5 points-4 points ago

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The problem with Macs is the reason why they are bought.

Its blind hipster consumerism at its most blatant. People want to be thought of as "thinking differently", but in reality they are just tools who buy inferior, overpriced machines only so they can say "I'm a mac user" smugly.

[–]kojef 5 points6 points ago

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well... i got a mac only because of all sorts of PC-specific problems i had with live performance of audio. still use my PC for pretty much everything non-music related, but the difference in reliability onstage is really stark when comparing the macbook to the dell laptops i used over the years. At one point i was reinstalling windows before every show just to be 100% sure things were going to work..

[–]ch00f[S] 4 points5 points ago

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Damn, I iz blind plz show way!

[–]creativeembassy 2 points3 points ago

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When someone shows this much of a negative reaction, you either REALLY overvalue PCs or you're jealous of Mac owners. Either way, you need help.