The New MacBook Pro: Unfixable, Unhackable, Untenable

Post by vacri » Sat, Jun 16, 2012, 7:47 AM UTC

rayiner wrote: post #112

moystard wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mea culpa for the recycling part then. I think the upgrade point is still huge: The MBP 2009 that I mention in my previous post has been upgraded twice (RAM and HD). That has allowed me to keep it for three years and in my opinion has justified spending that amount of money in a laptop (2000 euros at that time). I don't know if I would put the same amount if I knew I could not upgrade it.

I don't know if the European Apple-tax makes this tenable, but I just sell my MBP on EBay every year or two. A 16-month old MBP 13.3" is selling for about 70% of its original price on EBay. If you do this three times in four years, you'll have paid about as much as the original price of the machine, for about as long as you were going to keep the machine anyway, but will get little upgrades over time as Apple upgrade…

Post by danboarder » Sat, Jun 16, 2012, 8:31 AM UTC

spullara wrote: post #284

mikeash wrote: post #269

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There are Android phones with screen resolutions equal or superior to that of the iPhone. They may not do as well in less concrete terms like overall quality, but when it comes to common specs with numbers on them, you can do better on Android.

You cannot get an Android phone with the DPI of an iPhone 4 retina display. I'm sure you know that but you clouded the issue by referencing screen resolution.

Post by jonah » Sat, Jun 16, 2012, 9:39 AM UTC

ctdonath wrote: post #216

diegobc wrote: post #204

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could you expand on the point that refurb units could be better? Also, remember that most companies get valuable manufacturing feedback by analyzing failed machines which have been "in the wild."

Based on very little information and lots of intuition reaching conclusions shared by others... Most "refurb" units are just bought-and-returned products. There's nothing wrong with them. If there is something wrong, it was a problem with a new unit (either broken at purchase or soon thereafter), someone bought it assuming "new" better than "refurb" and got a lemon; the problem is easily identified and replaced with…

Post by ericd » Sat, Jun 16, 2012, 9:53 AM UTC

Ralith wrote: post #254

ericd wrote: post #235

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At their volumes, it wouldn't be cheaper in any meaningful sense.

That depends how you define meaningful. It obviously required more resources than simply using standard parts and tools, so there must be some payoff.

Post by pyre » Sat, Jun 16, 2012, 12:03 PM UTC

MartinCron wrote: post #287

pyre wrote: post #282

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> your *clunky* Dell laptop Careful, there. Your bias is showing.

I use a Dell laptop every day. I really enjoy it. Competent and well-built machine. Good value, all that. If I put it next to my wife's MacBook Pro, well, the only word for it is "clunky". Put a reasonably handsome man next to George Clooney and he'll look clunky, too.