So... why do people buy Apple Computers anymore? (minor rant)

[MadmanRB]

Okay here is a question I always wanted to ask a apple community but since discussion would probably get me banned by mad mods and the topic sealed under the vault deep in the core of Area 51 or something.
Regardless with Apples new hardware refresh coming out the big question on my mind is why the heck are people still buying Apple computers?

Here is my generalized beef with Apple especially under the Tim Cook leadership:

In the past Apple used to mean good quality products, even with the high prices there used to be an aura of getting something of value and well worth the money.
While Steve Jobs might not have been the genious everyone says he was he still knew how to present his product and deliver it in a form of decent presentation and good quality.
The Apple of 2007 is much different than that of 2017.
Apple is no longer the bold innovator nor the badge gold standard of hardware, it is sad shell of its old self more obsessed with the iPhone and while the iPhone keeps apple relevant it is unsure if Apple will remain so even with the iPhone in play.
To see what really is why I question anyone still loyal to Apple for their PC's all goes to several factors.

Hardware:

Laptops:
It amazes me that a Laptop that costs up to $1,599.00 only offers a single port to charger and connect to other devices.
Sure wireless may be "the future" but reliable wireless charging and connectivity is still a long way off.
The Macbook just utterly makes me sick by being a glorified Chromebook in terms of connectivity.
The Macbook Pro with its "touchbar" is still a big joke overall making me wonder why it was even invented if Apple wants to push the iPad.
Apple seems to be more cutting corners in some places while being insane in others.
The appeal of a Macbook is extremely low right now especially when you consider build quality, even lower end laptops like the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming laptop can kick the snot out of a Mac Pro even with a core i5 model and even if you are a media content creator there are still better laptops out there like the Dell Precision 5510 for about the same price as the Macbook pro.

Desktops:
Apples desktops are a total utter joke, while there can be some argument for the Macbook the iMac and other such products really are laughable.
Apples Mac Mini's are the biggest joke ever played to make a affordable Mac, even the earlier Models seemed to be a pure tease to those who wished to have a Apple logo on their computer.
The iMac all in ones may be cool to look at but are limited in hardware upgradibility and customization without paying top dollar.
Even if one were not skilled in building their own PC can still buy a high quality computer for far better long term value, I rather someone buy a ibuypower or Origin PC then a Mac that would be not much able to be upgraded.
And the less said about the iTrashcan the better.

Macs are PC's!:
Face it the Mac Vs PC stunt was one of the worst promotions in retrospect as it exposed Apple for who they are, a bunch of highway robbers who charge high prices for the same hardware as seen in much cheaper computers.
Ever since the switch from Power PC to Intel the justification to even call it a "Mac" is a joke at best, Apple has not been a Mac since 2005 and ironically that was the year of the Mac Vs PC advertising boom.
Its really laughable in retrospect.
The "build quality" argument also seems a joke if if you buy a regular PC you can still receive the same quality if you know where to look.

Software:

OSX seems to only real selling point for Macs as yes it has lots of software compared to Linux and not as many security issues as Windows.
However I feel OSX is weakening in terms of what it offers, with WINE on linux and good security practices on Windows it makes the price point of OSX really insane as the only way to get OSX legally is to buy a Mac.
OSX in terms of usability isnt bad as while I never owned a Mac I can easily navigate around one but still the appeal of OSX seems very loose with Linux being free on any computer.

Really though when you can build your own PC and know what you are doing the appeal of a Mac seems superficial at best.

 

[kmanmx]

Because like most of the internet, you see it from only one perspective, and that is not the perspective that Apple uses to sell huge quanitites of hardware with.

Like the vast majority of people who ask this question, your point basically boils down to this: I can get something with better specs, for less money. And that may well be true, but is also the reason only a small subset of people make their purchasing decision on.

Basically, the same people that like branded clothes, nice looking cars, fancy shoes.. they do not buy based on spec for the most part. They buy based on the items appeal. Apple win when it comes to consumer appeal. They make high quality hardware and are fashionable, reliable, cool. They're a known quantity. People know if their MacBook fails for no reason in 6 months, they can walk into an Apple store and walkout with a replacement. It's hard to have the same confidence about any other brand. It's also the default go-to brand when you have no idea what your doing. You're moderately well off, have no idea about smartphones or electronics. But you've heard of iPhone, so you just go and buy that, and you can rest assured it's a very good smartphone competitive with the best.

So, in short, it is no great mystery as to why so many people buy Apple products. People that think that are just being narrow minded and looking at it from one perspective, and like I said, it is the wrong one.

edit:

Oh, and also, you just don't realise how many rich people there are. There are millions of people in this world that give zero ****s if they can get a Dell of the same spec as Apple for less money. They could not care less. They just go to Apples site, find the most expensive MacBook, and they order it. Apple are a premium brand targeted primarily at those with more disposable income than is typical.

 

[Trotter]

Because like most of the internet, you see it from only one perspective, and that is not the perspective that Apple uses to sell huge quanitites of hardware with.

Like the vast majority of people who ask this question, your point basically boils down to this: I can get something with better specs, for less money. And that may well be true, but is also the reason only a small subset of people make their purchasing decision on.

Basically, the same people that like branded clothes, nice looking cars, fancy shoes.. they do not buy based on spec for the most part. They buy based on the items appeal. Apple win when it comes to consumer appeal. They make high quality hardware and are fashionable, reliable, cool. They're a known quantity. People know if their MacBook fails for no reason in 6 months, they can walk into an Apple store and walkout with a replacement. It's hard to have the same confidence about any other brand. It's also the default go-to brand when you have no idea what your doing. You're moderately well off, have no idea about smartphones or electronics. But you've heard of iPhone, so you just go and buy that, and you can rest assured it's a very good smartphone competitive with the best.

So, in short, it is no great mystery as to why so many people buy Apple products. People that think that are just being narrow minded and looking at it from one perspective, and like I said, it is the wrong one.

edit:

Oh, and also, you just don't realise how many rich people there are. There are millions of people in this world that give zero ****s if they can get a Dell of the same spec as Apple for less money. They could not care less. They just go to Apples site, find the most expensive MacBook, and they order it. Apple are a premium brand targeted primarily at those with more disposable income than is typical.

TL;DR-

You are paying for a name and bragging rights, e-peen optional.

 

[PopoChubbs]

I've not seen/heard much in the ways of "Apple vs. PC" in quite some time. Hell, I hear more about "PCMR" than I do pretty much anything else when it comes to computers. I know the two aren't directly related, but in the context of subject matter I ask you to bear with me. The district I work for has fluctuated back and forth between Windows and Mac, and while there are "staunch" defenders out there (ie: people who use Mac at home and so inherently prefer it in the workplace), so much of our user base is verifiably Technology Illiterate. What I mean is that honestly it wouldn't matter what we put in front of them, they'd be just as confused with it regardless of the logo stamped into the case. In my line of work, everything about PCs is more accessible and user friendly than anything Mac has to offer, along with a much less butthole-puckering price point. However, in the cases that we DO use Apple hardware, (albeit the very few) it most definitely has its place.

 

[Lotta Lumina]

I do understand where you are coming from: Mac computers tend to be priced higher than what they are generally worth in terms of specifications and such. However, I've noticed that running MacOS on my Mac, is probably one of the smoothest and easiest to use operating systems I have experienced - ever -, and I think it also helps if you have an iPhone (like I do) because it integrates well with things like iCloud Drive, Safari, Pages, iMovie... and so on.

I really enjoy using a MacBook, moreso than I enjoy using Windows computers, my MacBook Air feels really sleek and nice to use with a good aesthetic. While I don't have a high budget Windows computer to compare with my Mac, I still feel that Apple have good build quality and security.

I think if you are not a gamer, but more or less a graphics designer or somewhere in the lines of productivity, a Mac works really well because it just works so smoothly and stable.

 

[K!llP0t]

Everyone in my school just recently got MacBook Air's 11 inch. I like it, although, they locked the bios, so I cant boot from a liveusb. I was able to easily bypass their security measures, and just recently somewhat got in trouble for it. They said I was actually pretty smart, and that I am more than likely going to be helping them out with stuff like that. I don't really see an issue with apple computers. Although, I do hate how uncustomizable they are! I would love to have a different system font, or have a custom cursor. I do know you can still do those things, but I dont want to get into any more trouble with my I.T. people, lol.

 

[kmanmx]

TL;DR-

You are paying for a name and bragging rights, e-peen optional.

That is probably why most people buy Apple. But sometimes, they just make the best hardware.

I am less defensive about the Mac line because there really isn't any difference between Mac and PC. They are both x86 using Intel and AMD chips, same RAM, same Nvidia/AMD GPUs. If you buy a Mac over a PC, it's either because you just want something with an Apple badge, or you like the design more than a PC for whatever reason.

 

[iFargle]

I have yet to find a laptop with a keyboard and trackpad as nice as my Mac's
Well, keyboard comes close... but nothing comes close to the trackpad.

 

[kmanmx]

I have yet to find a laptop with a keyboard and trackpad as nice as my Mac's
Well, keyboard comes close... but nothing comes close to the trackpad.

True. iMacs though, I don't know if they're better at anything in particular. That said Windows PC AIO's arn't cheap either.

Actually there is one other big reason to get a MacBook. Apple are pretty much the only company that ever meet the advertised battery life. This is another reason people like Apple that Apple-haters quietly overlook.

 

[iParanormalx]

This thread is argumentative bait at best but I'll bite and bullet point why I've became pretty Apple loyal after a few years of having a work and personal phone (one andriod and one apple):

• No need to manage my phone like a computer

• No managing tasks
• No need for an AV software
• No need to manage where media, apps, and other content is stored

• More scrutiny to what is available in their app store

• Far less third party apps with potential malicious intent
• No 3rd party enabling options on the app store
• Better approval process for app store

• Less CVEs (I would say "more secure" but thats shallow because security is fleeting)

• They see less CVEs and they have better MTTR

• Software products

• DEP (I think i will always hate managing Android enterprise because of how effective DEP is in comparison)
• iCloud (50 gb for 1$/mo lol)
• iTunes (primarily for full encrypted backups/images)
• Podcasts
• Home
• ApplePay

• Hardware products/Accessories

• Lightning to HDMI (projects your phone screen to any TV/Monitor)
• HomeKit enabled devices
• Airplay enabled devices

• Previous investments

• Apps
• Accessories

In general, I really like how Apple aren't the innovators of direct, new, cutting edge features. Instead, they find innovation behind careful refinement of the best ideas their competitors come up with. They're the Blizzard of refinement and balance lol