For sure. I guess you are agreeing with me because that's pretty much what I was saying.doghouse wrote:As an EE working in the computer industry for many years my feeling has always been that a Windows machine built to the same level of quality as a Mac costs about the same. People see $300 Windows laptops and figure why buy a $1000 MacBook. But a Surface Pro starts at $800!!!Angstrom wrote:the exceptional structural design of the Apple laptops from 2000 to 2012ish and compare those to the flexy plastic abominations on the PC market at that time ... it's easy to see why a Mac Laptop was the choice for those who could afford it
I have used a number of inexpensive Windows laptops from name brands like HP, Compaq, Dell, etc. and in heavy use none has lasted more even 4 years before dying....keyboards, disks, trackpads, power supplies, displays and other major components have crapped out. They are literally throwaway machines. The machines sold to corporate users designed to be maintained for many years fare much better but cost 2-3x as much as the consumer grade machines. So you do get what you pay for. It's not at all OS related.
As I am a Windows-based person I was always on the search for a powerful Windows laptop which was as robust and capable as a Macbook. I think your assessment is correct, the bulk of Windows laptops are mostly built to be disposable so that corporate purchasing could write them off against tax every 2 years. Many are made for students as cheap study tools.
Of course in the past I also looked at gaming laptops as a Macbook alternative - powerhouses which look like a 12 year olds doodle of an alien spaceship complete with vents and jet thrusters all drawn with garish primary colours. Abominations.
These days there are a few powerful and robust sleep Windows machines, and they are in some ways more powerful than the latest Macbook Pro depending how you measure it. I think the Razer Blade has the 8th gen i7 while the latest macbook has the 7th gen. The razer has better graphics hardware, the macbook has better storage expansion capabilities. The razer has better connectivity. etc, but is a bit heavier.
If I wanted a Windows laptop powerhouse I might get a Razer with all the trimmings then the most expensive model is $3000 usd, and I think the macbook is slightly more.
However - I realised that performing live I need simplicity as per the old essay by Robert Henke which i still consider required reading for live computer performers. So my windows laptop is really just a sample-bank, an i5. It's a reasonably robust Asus thing which cost me £600. My desktop/studio machine was a few grand of the best parts I could find. But for me that's two different use-cases requiring different setups.
My point about Macs is NOT that they are expensive. It's this:
When I see lifelong Macheads asking for recommendations for a new Macbook off other lifelong Macheads the most common answer I see is "get the 2016 Macbook pro".
That's really weird, and it's not a price thing.
Your shenanigans are always welcome. H20nly,