Is there a dollar value to MBP 'sexiness'?

I work for a system integrator as a partner of a large global IT infrastructure company. The bulk of my pre-sales effort is regurgitating powerpoint slide-ware with screen shots that are often 12-18 months old and generally leave our clients asking for more. I know that I can build a great demo system using VMWare (our products are all Win2k3 Server based) on any hardware (except for my really old Lenovo (IBM) laptop). The demo idea is essentially sold to executives, what is not sold was the use of an MBP (17” to be exact) for a number of “tho shalt not tip the cart” reasons. Cost between a Lenovo with 17” screen, 64 Bit OS, 8GB Ram vs. a 17” MBP with 8Gb RAM is negligible. They are willing to listen further on my justification for use of a MBP.

I can already justify the usability and stability of the platform based on existing market evidence but I think that using an Apple product for the demo platform gives it an edge that I could not duplicate with a Lenovo platform. Pulling a 17” MBP out of my bag and launching a demo on it will illicit the obligatory ‘oohs and aahs’ before I even boot-up. It’s really hard to put a number on this though. Has anyone performed or justified the purchase of a Mac based upon its ability to be a function of the art of the presentation? I also think that it would lend some “street cred” to the presentation (and me as an engineer) if I’m using an Apple platform to launch a couple of VMWare Win2k3 server windows and then perform some basic operations.

Thoughts?

I can already justify the usability and stability of the platform based on existing market evidence but I think that using an Apple product for the demo platform gives it an edge that I could not duplicate with a Lenovo platform. Pulling a 17” MBP out of my bag and launching a demo on it will illicit the obligatory ‘oohs and aahs’ before I even boot-up. It’s really hard to put a number on this though. Has anyone performed or justified the purchase of a Mac based upon its ability to be a function of the art of the presentation? I also think that it would lend some “street cred” to the presentation (and me as an engineer) if I’m using an Apple platform to launch a couple of VMWare Win2k3 server windows and then perform some basic operations.

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Sort of like pulling up to your date's front door in a Lexus? Why not try it for yourself and evaluate the results? Then you can tell us how much (or not) of an impression you made.

Regards.

Spending extra $ simply to try to impress your friends and colleagues is a waste of money. Believe me, they won't care. A computer is a tool. You should base its true value on what it does for you.

Oh, and as an engineer, I would give a person a lot more "street cred" if he built the computer himself instead of ordering it from a catalog.

Juan Largo said:

Spending extra $ simply to try to impress your friends and colleagues is a waste of money. Believe me, they won't care. A computer is a tool. You should base its true value on what it does for you.

Oh, and as an engineer, I would give a person a lot more "street cred" if he built the computer himself instead of ordering it from a catalog.

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I'm a hardware engineer, I have no reason to build the stuff at home too

It proves nothing, sucks up time and to be honest.. it's a laptop anyway most folks need.

If it was me, I would also be impressed and interested if you pulled out the Lenovo as I have high respect for them and the IBM Thinkpads they came from. For me if the computer works well and gets the job done, that is really all that counts. I got a Mac for me, not to impress anyone else out there.

I agree with dtravis. I love my iMac, but also love my big, heavy, ugly big honking brown IBM thinkpad. Get the Lenovo. Dull brown is the SEXIEST COLOR EVER.

Dull brown? My t61p's black