Specifications Help

I'm a prospective MacBook buyer, and I was always wondering, why are the Mac Book specifications greatly lower than a Windows Laptop around the same price?

eg: I can get 60gb hard drive and 512 ram on the MacBook, but compared to a Windows Laptop (around the same price), I can get 120gb hard drive, with 1gb ram.

Is there some underlying advantage or something?

Thanks for any help in advance.

Two completely different operating systems.
Windows specs do not need to equate to Mac specs and vice versa.


It would appear that you are falling prey to the same thing that many potential and even new Mac users do. You are thinking Windows and looking at a Mac. Perhaps if you were looking to buy a notebook computer that was designed for Windows and had the specs of a MacBook it would be a bit under par. But, this isn't Windows so there is no need to think like it is. :black:

It is really that simple.

D3v1L80Y said:

Two completely different operating systems.
Windows specs do not need to equate to Mac specs and vice versa.


It would appear that you are falling prey to the same thing that many potential and even new Mac users do. You are thinking Windows and looking at a Mac. Perhaps if you were looking to buy a notebook computer that was designed for Windows and had the specs of a MacBook it would be a bit under par. But, this isn't Windows so there is no need to think like it is. :black:

It is really that simple.

Click to expand...

So basically because Mac's just need less with their OS and their programs?

It's less demanding than windows.

I don't agree. I don't think that Mac OS X is less demanding than XP; if anything, it needs more memory and a better graphics chip to perform at the same level.

A MacBook is more expensive than a Dell or HP notebook with the same specs because Apple thinks it has "added value." Mac OS X, the iLife applications, the iSight camera, and the remote control aren't typical PC features.

Mac OS X is, in my opinion, a more reliable and powerful OS than WinXP, and I feel that alone justifies the cost of the hardware to run it. Some people get a kick out of iLife, or the way it looks on their desks. Others look at the specs and ignore the intangibles. Each person should based on whatever you feel is important in a PC.

The Mac specs are going to be lower than that of any PC stylee laptop/desktop machine. Apple probably dont have business partners like AMD or NVidia etc etc to use their products in an Apple machine. Before Mac started going Intel, how could you compare the hardware. I believe that Apple made a good choice about sticking with components they know to give the end user the best performance for their OS. You can't really say that about M$

You are paying for the neat design and some of the fairly nice bundled software. It is kind of hard to make a direct comparison because there is so much more to a system than just screen size, CPU, RAM and hard drive capacity.

technologist said:

I don't agree. I don't think that Mac OS X is less demanding than XP; if anything, it needs more memory and a better graphics chip to perform at the same level.

A MacBook is more expensive than a Dell or HP notebook with the same specs because Apple thinks it has "added value." Mac OS X, the iLife applications, the iSight camera, and the remote control aren't typical PC features.

Mac OS X is, in my opinion, a more reliable and powerful OS than WinXP, and I feel that alone justifies the cost of the hardware to run it. Some people get a kick out of iLife, or the way it looks on their desks. Others look at the specs and ignore the intangibles. Each person should based on whatever you feel is important in a PC.

Click to expand...

I agree 100% with you on this one. Mac OS X has a need for alot of resources, and sometimes 512mb of ram just does not cut it. I think that is the reason they changed the amount of standard ram in the mac pro to 1gb. It is also more graphics intensive with things like core image, and soon to be core animation.

Youll easily find other highbrand laptops at compareable prices. Try looking at sony fx. You pay for the design and that special umpf. That extra care for the details - that feeling of having a non-standard thing. I havent had a laptop before which i several times a day pad or stroke with a smile like i do with my new milkybox.

The amount of ram in the different macbooks is also a consequence of apple trying to have a broad productline. Just enjoy the benefits of moving to an platform where you can take advantage of the availability of much cheaper std.products like ramblox fx

macs are 18921340986315xtimes better than any pc

I was in the same boat trying to decide wether on going with a MacBook or A pclaptop and to be honest in someways the macbook was a bit more appealing i have worked on PCs most of my life and get angry when it takes for ever for an application to load or when i get some f**king virus cause i was at a coffee shop with a open server. i personaly feel there are down falls to both pc and mac laptops. PC laptops are a little cheaper but arnt as strong, more prone to viruses, memory gets drained when running more than one program, and dont have 64 bit opperating systems "yet". Mac laptops are less prone to viruses, so far have had great customer service experience, have a stong OS but there plastics are made of cheap quality and i dont feel they test there computers as much as a pc company. You just have to way what you are going to use it for if your more of a gamer get a PC in my personal opinon if your more into design or photography go with a mac, i bought mine not to play around on i bought it strickly for school, deisgning and photography. :yinyang: just way on what you mostly would us it for.

Actually no, i tried finding another notebook on a website which i won't name, but they have ALOT of notebooks.

I couldn't find a single one with a 2Ghz T2500 processor for less then £1000..

Though that is just CPU.

Here's something... Done basing it off a 1.83Ghz T2400

HP
Bluetooth, wifi
1.83Ghz core duo
CDRW/DVD ROM
512 DDR2 RAM
60GB HDD
x1300 128MB GPU

Which costs about £175~ more than the comparable (apart from GPU) base Macbook

Also there's

Toshiba
Wifi
1.83Ghz Core duo
DVD+/-RW
512 DDR2 RAM 533Mhz
60GB HDD
GMA 950 128 shared GPU

Which costs £150 *more* then the baseline Macbook...

Edit: So from what i can see the Macbook is actually cheaper then "comparable" notebooks.

Questa4 said:

I'm a prospective MacBook buyer, and I was always wondering, why are the Mac Book specifications greatly lower than a Windows Laptop around the same price?

eg: I can get 60gb hard drive and 512 ram on the MacBook, but compared to a Windows Laptop (around the same price), I can get 120gb hard drive, with 1gb ram.

Is there some underlying advantage or something?

Thanks for any help in advance.

Click to expand...

Hard Disk sizes and ram may be higher in the PC Laptop but comparing Mac/PC specs is like comparing apples and oranges.

Compare MacBook/Similar Windows LapTop

To me, it was not only important what went inside the computer, but also the case design and sturdiness. After playing around at Comp USA with HPs and Toshibas, then feeling the Macbook (or iBook, at that time) I was astounded with the quality. You want your laptop to last, don't you ?

Pierre said:

To me, it was not only important what went inside the computer, but also the case design and sturdiness. After playing around at Comp USA with HPs and Toshibas, then feeling the Macbook (or iBook, at that time) I was astounded with the quality. You want your laptop to last, don't you ?

Click to expand...

Yup! Plus since your always looking at it why wouldn't you want such an attractive piece of engineering!? :3

Okay, thanks for helping me understand...

What are some ideal/good performance specs for a Mac? (considering future upgrades)