So many people have been complaining, "Apple's products are so expensive!!! Why?! I want a MacBook!" and for some, "I want a MacBook Pro!"
Now, let's see whether the above complaint on price is reasonable. Consider the time and effort Apple's employees spent to make high quality products. Two obvious factors prioritised by Apple in satisfying their customers are: durability and usability. Why durability? Apple aims at making products that can last long in the competitive market. Why usability? Well, wouldn't you want to have a computer which is powerful and yet very easy to use?
That's not all! Consider the quality of materials Apple uses for their products. Previous and latest Intel-based MacBook Pro series were designed to handle every single task in computing (well, at least that's Apple's vision). Well, how is this possible? Engineers at Apple Inc. always aim at getting the best hardware suitable for their products. Take for example, one would ask, "what is the best graphic card that we can install on this MacBook Pro model? Can it satisfy most of the changing requirements in software advancement in the long-run?". Hence, the engineers will begin to analyse which is the best graphic card that is suitable for that particular MacBook Pro model. They will also analyse other hardware requirements, bearing in mind that every hardware element must be high in quality, durable, and compatible with a wide-range of software.
Previously, only MAC OS platforms can run on Apple computers. Thanks to Intel microchips, users can run many different operating systems on Apple's Intel-based computers. Some examples: MS Windows Operating Systems and Linux. The "BootCamp" feature makes it easy to switch from one operating system to another. It gets even better, just use a virtual machine software (such as VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop) and there is no need to restart the system, thus saving time.
Figure: Running MAC OS X and Windows XP at the same time using VMware Fusion.
So…! again, why are MacBook Pro laptops expensive? Because they were designed to meet Apple's vision in quality standards. Some even say that Apple products are only for VIPs. Well, not really. The prices on Apple products are still reasonable because of their compact designs, performances and features. Therefore, they are actually "affordable" products. Don't just judge a product whether it is affordable or not because of its price. Instead think about whether or not it's worth paying for a product's quality :)
Compare these two cars: A Nissan Skyline GT-R35 and a Lamborghini Murciélago. Which one do you think is more expensive? And why is that?
Don't ever, EVER complain that Apple's MacBook Pros are expensive in your country (compared to their prices in the U.S.). Don't forget about these things: tariff and delivery costs.
OKAY, let's get back to the topic. Before you plan on getting a MacBook Pro or any particular Apple computer/laptop, ask yourself this, "Is this product suitable for me?". There are few things to consider before purchasing an expensive Apple computer/laptop for no reason(s). It all depends on what do you really want to do with the computer. If you are a programming engineer, you'll be able to work on any platform. So using a Mac shouldn't be a problem for you.
If you intend to use a computer only for chatting, social networking, and internet surfing, then there's no need to get a Mac computer. If you are a professional photographer or movie editor (or both), then get an iMac or a high-end MacBook Pro laptop. For a non-Apple computer, you could still use Microsoft Windows for multimedia projects, but most of the multimedia tools developed for MS Windows are not easy to use compared to the ones designed for MAC OS. Don't trust me? Try it yourself.
Lastly, is MAC OS really the right operating system for you? The number one reason why majority of customers buy MS Windows operating systems is because they want to avoid compatibility issues. Not many are involved in programming MAC OS. Even in IT courses, students are still being taught to program in MS Windows environment. Apart from that, many applications were programmed to suit MS Windows systems. For this reason, many software companies try their best to develop applications for both MAC OS and MS Windows OSs. However, not all of them are compatible in MAC OS due to the lack of professionals to program the language. For some companies, they specialised in creating software for MAC OS only. Still, not all of them are free because not everyone knows how to program in the unique language, due to the fact that majority of programmers were trained to develop software for MS Windows systems.
So think about it… the MAC OS is not really that suitable for everyone after all, particularly among those who require to work using applications that are designed to work on MS Windows platforms. It is not wrong getting a MacBook Pro, but what's the point of getting it if you know that you are not going to utilise every single feature of the MAC OS and discover its full potential? Besides that, MacBook Pro and other Mac computers were designed to maximise the performance of MAC OS, whereas for other operating systems, it all depends on the availability of drivers and whether or not these drivers can maximise the full potential of the hardware elements. For example, the wireless signal on a Mac computer is higher when running in MAC OS compared to MS Windows (when running in an isolated environment without the use of a virtual machine). Even though there are virtual machines out there developed to enable MS Windows to run in MAC OS, the performance of the MS Windows will be decreased due to shared use of hardware resources.
Final conclusion(s)! Think of what you want to do in computing before buying a computer/laptop. Don't buy a MacBook Pro (MBP) just because it's one of the best laptops in the marketplace. Instead, get the MBP if you are determined enough that you can carry out most of your tasks using the applications and features in the MAC Operating System. Also, it would be important to continuously find ways to yield the full potential of your Intel-based MacBook(MB)/MBP/iMac e.g. using Windows/Linux/GoogleChromeOS on your Mac, sharing information between MAC OS and Windows in a networked environment, remote assistance from Windows to MAC OS etc. Remember, do not spend your money on something for nothing, especially when it comes to IT technology. Do provide comments (negative/positive or both). Cheerio!!!
Copyright acknowledgment note:
Apple and its products (MAC OS, MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac) are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.
Google Chrome OS is a registered trademark of Google.
Lamborghini is a registered trademark of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
Linux is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.
Microsoft and Microsoft Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Nissan is a registered trademark of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
VMware and VMware Fusion are registered trademarks of VMware, Inc.
Parallels is a registered trademark of Parallels Holdings Ltd.
Any other names used may be trademarks of their respective owners, which I fully respect.
Apple and its products (MAC OS, MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac) are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.
Google Chrome OS is a registered trademark of Google.
Lamborghini is a registered trademark of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
Linux is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.
Microsoft and Microsoft Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Nissan is a registered trademark of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
VMware and VMware Fusion are registered trademarks of VMware, Inc.
Parallels is a registered trademark of Parallels Holdings Ltd.
Any other names used may be trademarks of their respective owners, which I fully respect.
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