Mac vs. PC: What You Don't Get for $699

In the article, "Mac vs. PC: What You Don't Get for $699", Arik Hesseldahl argues while a PC may seem to be a great deal just with the price alone, consumers should really consider just how little they are getting compared to a more expensive Mac.

Apple may have had the upper hand in advertising for some time by downgrading the quality of PCs to Macs, Microsoft has come back strong finding the right voice to draw people's attention toward PCs again. Microsoft's main point weapon of choice in competing with a Mac is price. Since the country is in a recession, most people will be happy to pay $699 as opposed to $2,800 for a laptop. I know I would. But Apple still argues that while their prices may be higher, it's for good reason. The first thing Apple points out is that a PC comes with a 60-day trial of Norton Internet Security 2009 but then once the trial runs out, the customer would be shelling out $50 a year to keep their computer safe. A Mac has no need for any antivirus software. Now while I do not know the inter workings of a Mac having never purchased one myself, but having no kind of protection on a computer seems rather risky. I'd rather still pay the cheaper price and then add on the extra cost of safety. Apple also has a free diagnostic check on any computer in their retail stores as opposed to the $129 fee that the Geek Squad at Best Buy would charge. However, while their diagnostics fee may be free, what the article doesn't mention is what their fees are to actually fix the computer. That could be completely outrageous. Still, I would rather stick with a PC as I don't ever go to the Geek Squad anyways. I just simply use my own computer repair man who is by far cheaper and does just as good as work as the Geek Squad would I'm sure. So far, Apple hasn't done a good job at persuading me to change to their product.

When it comes to speaking about what comes on the computer, Apple yet again tries to sound triumphant over a PC. Apple computers come with iLife which is a suite of multimedia tools where a user can organize photos and home movies and turn them into watchable DVDs, create their own music and also aid in Web site creation. Apple also argues that if a PC were to give the same sort of amenities, the customer could very easily spend over $500 just to have the same programs. When I'm shopping for a new laptop or computer, I have these main criteria in mind: be able to do Microsoft office, play music, watch DVDs, download and organize my photos and be on the Internet. All the fancy extra gizmos that an Apple offers are not necessary for me to use my computer at all so therefore I do not need to be spending that sort of money on something that will in a sense be wasted. Other key features that Apple says make it a better product over PCs are: battery life is much longer, they are lighter weight and the screen resolution is substantially better than on a PC. Hesseldahl states that while some people may not care about pixels and multimedia software, a PC still doesn't measure up when it comes to overall satisfaction. I believe that to be a totally biased sentiment. While I don't necessarily care about pixels, I do care about having the features I discussed above in my computer and I care about not having the extra gizmos that are going to cost me a lot more money I'll never use. So therefore, by having my minimum requirements, my customer satisfaction will be at a high level.

Apple spokesman Bill Evans says, "A PC is no bargain when it doesn't do what you want." In my opinion, people who willing choose to purchase an Apple are doing it for two reasons: one because they do like the features it offers but two because it perceives them in a light that they may be interested in the finer things in life and they want other people to think that simply because most people know the price for an Apple is significantly higher than a regular PC. Apple's main argument is always going to be about quality and how it is much higher than that of a PC to justify their higher prices. Their advice to Microsoft: the Windows guys ought to take the hint and just build better computers.

Between my fiance and I, we are divided. He is a lover of Macs and I'm a lover of PCs. Going back on all the features like the different multimedia tools making the higher price so well worth it, I think of how my fiance uses his laptop. He doesn't do anything fancy like create his own music or put his photos onto a DVD or even photoshop his photos. He wants the same features that I do out of a computer. But yet he insists on getting a more expensive Mac still. And not only that, his Mac laptop started to puke in the same time frame as my PC. So he would be doing the same things as me on a computer and for the same amount of time but yet spending a significantly higher amount of money. It is very possible to find a PC that will satisfy its customers while keeping some pennies still in their pockets. Apple could throw all the greatest features at me comparing it to a PC, and quite frankly, there is nothing it can do to change my mind.