Comment by seec

Where did you find me saying it was a hacker thing? And it's not simply about having a different opinion, those are perfectly fine.

It's about saying things that range from deceptive statements to outright lies designed to satisfy the cognitive dissonance created by making a somewhat less optimum choice (sometimes irrational). It's all about projections and insecurities.

A couple hundred more was the case in the 2000-2010s but nowadays, Apple hardware very quickly closes up on thousands of euros difference for a device capable of the same workloads.

The RAM controversy started precisely because of that fact; on paper entry level MacBooks bench very well, but as soon as you start you level up your workload the truth appears and suddenly a much cheaper device less powerful on paper gets more done. There are plenty of youtubers who demonstrated that, even self-proclaimed Apple fanboys.

This is exactly what I mean by delusional: you can be happy/content with your purchase but trying to downplay the stupid compromises one has to make at a given price point is complete foolery no matter what the perceived advantages a MacBook may bring. Trying to rationalize/minimise those facts to others in order to justify Apple's extortionate pricing is very close to religious beliefs which is delusional by definition.

My first job was working for an Apple service provider (very high end) so I know firsthand the various reasons that may be valid for buying a Mac; but with Apple current business practice it has become less and less advisable, pretending otherwise don't get you bonus point from Apple...

Then you say that somehow a 2014 MacBook looks better than any PC laptop. Now I wonder if you live under a rock or just didn't check any modern laptop worth a dam recently (to be clear, I am generally talking about laptops in the 1K euros range at least). Have you seen a modern Huawei laptop (looks pretty much like a MacBook until you start looking at it closely), in my country it starts at half the price of a MacBook Air; in fact, as a Mac user, the first time someone handed one to me I couldn't believe the price they paid for it and the assembly quality for said price.

But even then, looks are a rather subjective thing, and you can say it looks better to you, but it is not really an exact truth. I find their latest design bulky and inelegant, well made, sure, but not necessarily nice/interesting looking. In fact, Surface devices look very nice as well (even though they are overpriced, they still manage to be better value will less volume); Asus has some pretty good-looking laptops, HP as well, even Dell manage pretty good with their XPS line.

Trying to justify multiple hundreds of euros price difference (at minimum) for a subjectively better look is not exactly rational behavior. It would be like someone trying to sell me on his Louis Vuitton handbag purchase that is "worth the price" because it looks good; even though the common LV pattern is a toilet room tile pattern that should have stayed there. You could have paid a master craftsman to make an even better bag to your specifications that would look just as good (I live close to one of their factories so I know that for a fact). But few people are delusional enough to say shit like that, because it was not a rational purchase, this is all about emotions and the emotions it brings in other peoples.

The problem I have with fanboys (Apple's or any other for that matter) is that they try to pretend otherwise and that's just delusional. Apple is a company that mastered marketing and knows very well how to create desire that will inflate the value of their products that should be tools first and foremost. Some people like this fact and I find it a bit sad (considering the supposed use case of the device), others begrudgingly pay the price because of various reasons (that very often boils down to limited self-imposed choices).

As for the unibody I don't think you understand why exactly Apple is doing that. It has a lot more to do with saving on device assembly (making stuff more complicated to repair in the process) and ROI on the billions they invested in custom CNCs than any real benefits for the user. It doesn't make the laptops last longer (not that it matters considering how fast Apple is obsoleting their stuff nowadays) and it can render a device useless for just a dent at the wrong place, because you can't swap chassis. On top of that, modern premium laptops have moved on to magnesium alloys that noticeably save weight without compromising on strength and Apple hardware is often heavier for a given form factor.

I could go on for days so I will leave it at that. Just to be clear I am not saying all Apple stuff is all bad or whatever just that it is tiring to see people defending their stuff tooth and nail when considering the price their customers should ask for much more and the behavior that consist in defending all the very real compromises of their gear is, yes, delusional.