Comparing apples to Apples
Last week I received my first my first Mac laptop. I could give specifics, but let’s just say it’s nice (I’ve nicknamed it Extenz).
Anyway, it’s my third major Apple purchase in less than six months. And as much as I hate to admit it (actually, I’m proud to admit it), I’m becoming the snob I make fun of PC enthusiasts for being.
Thus, it’s not really a surprise that I scoff at the new series of Windows commercials—you know, the ones where they hand a kid or college student a wad of cash for finding a computer that’s within their budget. Surprise, it’s a PC!
I only wish the cameras were still rolling when those same people fire up and wait for Vista to load.
It’s true: a direct comparison of hardware and processors will show that Macs are more expensive. What’s not calculated, of course, is ease of use, efficiency, vulnerability (as in, I’m not running four anti-virus programs anymore), brilliance (have you seen these screens?), and so forth.
Curious at whether the expense was justified, I decided to calculate the savings in time I save when putting the new laptop to sleep. My Dell averages five minutes to power down, whether that’s sleeping, hibernating and shutting off completely. Don’t even think about closing the lid without selecting one of those. The Macbook Pro, on the other hand, averages less than a minute, and that’s only if powering off—going to sleep is instantaneous.
So, if I save five minutes a day (hypothetically), five days a week, 50 weeks a year, at my billable rate that’s $1,875 a year.
Hardly scientific, I realize, but who cares. The reality is that I’m now much cooler.
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Posted in PS: Tools of the trade
May 12th, 2009 at 1:13 am
Welcome to the dark side…
I agree with everything you said.
May 12th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Well, it figures that a vegetarian would prefer an Apple. (too much?)
August 7th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Hey James. Glad to hear that you’ve switched to the Mac. I’ve been a satisfied Mac user for over 2 years. I can totally relate to your experience. You made a great choice.
October 11th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
You must have one helluva yearly electricity bill! LOL. You’re actually saving less than $2 a year in your scenario, but wouldn’t it be great if you could recoup the cost of your new Mac by saving 21 hours of electricity a year. Anyway, enjoy the Mac. Just don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re shrinking your carbon footprint much.
October 11th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
David, thanks for commenting.
I’m not sure how you’re calculating my savings to arrive at $2, but the post simply described the time saved from not having to suspend and restart a Windows machine. It’s hard to put a dollar amount on the frustration that’s spared.
As for my carbon footprint, computers are a vital part of my business; if staying up-to-date on technology increases my footprint, I suppose that’s a hazard of the industry I’ve chosen.