Apple Tax: The Santa Rosa low-end
Apple released a new Santa Rosa MacBook update yesterday so I figure I'd run the numbers again.
13" MacBook, 2028cc, 2.27kg, OSX 10.5, 2Ghz/4MB/1GB/80GB, X3100, DVD-R/CD-RW, 802.11n, 1394, GigE, Firewire, camera, Bluetooth, 1280x800 WXGA, 55w/h battery, 3 year warranty: $1348
14" Dell 1420, 2884cc, 2.45kg, Vista Home Premium, 2Ghz/2MB/1GB/80GB, X3100, DVD-R/CD-RW, 802.11n, GigE, Firewire, camera, Bluetooth, 1280x800 WXGA, 56w/h battery, 3 year warranty $1263
13" MacBook, 2028cc, 2.27kg, 2.2Ghz/4MB/1GB/160GB, X3100, DVD±R DL with 802.11n, 1394, GigE, camera, Bluetooth, 1280x800 WXGA, 55w/h battery: $1623
14" Dell 1420, 2884cc, 2.45kg, Vista Home Premium, 2Ghz/4MB/1GB/160GB, X3100, DVD±RW, 802.11n, GigE, Firewire, camera, Bluetooth, 1280x800 WXGA, 56w/h battery, 3 year warranty $1471
The Macintosh is 6% more expensive on the low end and 10% more expensive on the high end, without counting the $125 "black tax" that you pay if you want the same exact MacBook in black instead of white. The Dell is 40% bigger and 7% heavier. The slightly lighter weight, significantly smaller size, plus the MacBook's 4GB cache, dual-layer burner may or may not be worth the price difference to you.
Now that the MacBooks can support up to 4GB RAM biggest difference between the MacBook and 'Pro is the X3100 GPU. It'll use less power and generate less heat than a GeForce 8600 but I'm curious whether it's fast enough to run, say, Portal or TF2.
13" MacBook, 2028cc, 2.27kg, OSX 10.5, 2Ghz/4MB/1GB/80GB, X3100, DVD-R/CD-RW, 802.11n, 1394, GigE, Firewire, camera, Bluetooth, 1280x800 WXGA, 55w/h battery, 3 year warranty: $1348
14" Dell 1420, 2884cc, 2.45kg, Vista Home Premium, 2Ghz/2MB/1GB/80GB, X3100, DVD-R/CD-RW, 802.11n, GigE, Firewire, camera, Bluetooth, 1280x800 WXGA, 56w/h battery, 3 year warranty $1263
13" MacBook, 2028cc, 2.27kg, 2.2Ghz/4MB/1GB/160GB, X3100, DVD±R DL with 802.11n, 1394, GigE, camera, Bluetooth, 1280x800 WXGA, 55w/h battery: $1623
14" Dell 1420, 2884cc, 2.45kg, Vista Home Premium, 2Ghz/4MB/1GB/160GB, X3100, DVD±RW, 802.11n, GigE, Firewire, camera, Bluetooth, 1280x800 WXGA, 56w/h battery, 3 year warranty $1471
The Macintosh is 6% more expensive on the low end and 10% more expensive on the high end, without counting the $125 "black tax" that you pay if you want the same exact MacBook in black instead of white. The Dell is 40% bigger and 7% heavier. The slightly lighter weight, significantly smaller size, plus the MacBook's 4GB cache, dual-layer burner may or may not be worth the price difference to you.
Now that the MacBooks can support up to 4GB RAM biggest difference between the MacBook and 'Pro is the X3100 GPU. It'll use less power and generate less heat than a GeForce 8600 but I'm curious whether it's fast enough to run, say, Portal or TF2.