Microsoft asks consumers to

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Microsoft asks consumers to ?do the math? before buying a Mac

Microsoft has launched a new Mac vs PC site.

The new site, ?Do the Math?, launched in Canada recently and aims to compare Mac based computers to several PC counterparts. Microsoft has put together comparison charts for the following Macs:

• MacBook 13
  
• MacBook Air 11
  
• MacBook Air 13
  
• MacBook pro 13
  
• MacBook Pro 15
  
• MacBook Pro 17
  
• iMac 25.1
  
• iMac 27
  

The comparisons feature Samsung, HP, ASUS, Sony, Dell, Acer and Toshiba machines. Most of the machine comparisons feature the same or better configurations to their Mac counterparts. ?Surf the web or surf Hawaii,? says Microsoft. ?The choice is yours. When you a buy a PC this summer, you?ll have tons of cash left over to spend on other things.?

Microsoft has previously produced a number of TV commercials featuring Mac cost comparisons. The software giant launched a series of ?Laptop hunter? commercials in early 2009. The adverts kick started the successful ?I?m a PC? campaign that Microsoft went on to use for its Windows 7 adverts.

Source: winrumors

Link: "Do the Math"

[riceBox]

[Miuku.]

I'm sure the price is a concern. To some.

[Vice]

I like how they detail the colours as "Silver" when all the laptops being compared to the MacBook Pros are plastic coloured silver while the MacBook Pros are aircraft grade aluminium.

I wonder if Skoda will do the same thing. Do the Math, do you really need that BMW? :laugh:

[Udedenkz]

IMO, any laptop that cost more than $399.99 should be able to run Dragon Age, otherwise it is a rip off.

[Charisma Veteran]

The money was the only reason I didn't get a Mac in college. Now that I probably could afford one, I've gotten past the phase of wanting one. My Windows machine for work and the Linux boxes at home are just fine for me.

[game_over]

Microsoft missed out the UNBEATABLE Apple displays, the trackpad, the designs, the aluminium unibody, and plenty of other little things that Apple users value.

The specs of Apple computers work well with what they run, it's not like they sell poorly performing machines.

[Rudy]

Oh my..... :pinch:

I LOVE how they compare the 27" iMac with 23" all in one computers.....really it makes the iMac look like a GREAT deal lol

And comparing the MBA with netbooks running Atoms CPUs???

Oh and security protection is "Purchase Separately" lol nice try MS

[Ironman273]

I like how they detail the colours as "Silver" when all the laptops being compared to the MacBook Pros are plastic coloured silver while the MacBook Pros are aircraft grade aluminium.

I wonder if Skoda will do the same thing. Do the Math, do you really need that BMW? :laugh:

They do it all the time! Hyundai Equus has an advertisement on my new issue of Car & Driver that says something to the effect of: The car for people with money to burn but the common sense not to. It's aimed specifically at Lexus, BMW, Mercedes. In 1989 Lexus was running similar ads when it launched the LS400.

[HawkMan]

I like how they detail the colours as "Silver" when all the laptops being compared to the MacBook Pros are plastic coloured silver while the MacBook Pros are aircraft grade aluminium.

I wonder if Skoda will do the same thing. Do the Math, do you really need that BMW? :laugh:

It's actually shock proof plastic, so the difference is that the macs have regular alumium bodies that gets annoying finger marks, if you drop something on it that weighs more than a feather, the mac gets a dent, that you can't fix, the surface is permantly dented. on the high grade shock proof plastic, it simples bounces of without a mark. incredible.

Aluminum doesn't make it better. just different.

[Rudy]

It's actually shock proof plastic, so the difference is that the macs have regular alumium bodies that gets annoying finger marks, if you drop something on it that weighs more than a feather, the mac gets a dent, that you can't fix, the surface is permantly dented. on the high grade shock proof plastic, it simples bounces of without a mark. incredible.

Aluminum doesn't make it better. just different.

I'll take aluminum before plastic ANYDAY :yes:

[Udedenkz]

Microsoft missed out the UNBEATABLE Apple displays, the trackpad, the designs, the aluminium unibody, and plenty of other little things that Apple users value.

The specs of Apple computers work well with what they run, it's not like they sell poorly performing machines.

I am not sure I would pay more for something that decreases my words per minute count.

[Rudy]

I am not sure I would pay more for something that decreases my words per minute count.

How would it decrease you wpm? :unsure:

[Vice]

It's actually shock proof plastic, so the difference is that the macs have regular alumium bodies that gets annoying finger marks, if you drop something on it that weighs more than a feather, the mac gets a dent, that you can't fix, the surface is permantly dented. on the high grade shock proof plastic, it simples bounces of without a mark. incredible.

Aluminum doesn't make it better. just different.

Have you even touched a Mac? The aluminium is anodised and does not leave finger marks for a start - and secondly no laptop on that website if dropped on the floor is going to just bounce and be fine. The cases would take cosmetic damage at the least.

[HawkMan]

And comparing the MBA with netbooks running Atoms CPUs???

Oh and security protection is "Purchase Separately" lol nice try MS

You have no idea what an Atom can do do you ? the MBA has an old C2D, The Atoms are new and more powerful than you seem to think.

and security protection IS purchase separately on Mac. how is that wrong. running OSX without protection is just as dangerous (or just as safe) as running Vista/Win7 without it.

I'll take aluminum before plastic ANYDAY :yes:

Why ? because it looks nicer, cause it's not more solid, it doesn't handle shock or damage any better, in fact, mostly it will handle it worse. it scratches easier.

again, why would you take aluminum over plastic ?

Have you even touched a Mac? The aluminium is anodised and does not leave finger marks for a start - and secondly no laptop on that website if dropped on the floor is going to just bounce and be fine. The cases would take cosmetic damage at the least.

Did I ever say anything about dropping ANYTHING to the floor ? no I didn't, I said dropping small items onto it. however IF we where to talk about dropping to the floor. I did drop my old Toshiba in the backpack and it took no damage at all, not even a crack. I know the plastic deformed and then bounced back out, cause of the impact and the physics involved. I also know that the aluminum would do the sam, well you know, minus the bouncing back part. it would then be permanently dented in that area. and possibly transfer more force further into the hardware due to the lack of the rebound force.

[what]

I see the point, if we bought everything by looking at pricetags, everyone would eat supermarket own brand food, drive around in small French cars, live in flats in northern towns, and generally just settle for "that'll do". Apple is a premium hardware manufacturer and that's reflected in the price, but you get a better built product at the end of it.

I lol'd at the iMac 27" comparison though. The nearest screen size they can get is 23.6". Not really the same thing, is it?

[Udedenkz]

How would it decrease you wpm? :unsure:

Is that a serious question?

[Samurizer]

Have you even touched a Mac? The aluminium is anodised and does not leave finger marks for a start - and secondly no laptop on that website if dropped on the floor is going to just bounce and be fine. The cases would take cosmetic damage at the least.

I don't know where you live, but around my parts, it's not going to cost me $200-300 to buy a transparent, almost-invisible adhesive sleeve to protect my laptop from fingerprints.

Aluminium casing? My friend had an MBP, all the metal was good for was scorching her lap at 80 degrees.

[bdsams Veteran]

Oh my..... :pinch:

I LOVE how they compare the 27" iMac with 23" all in one computers.....really it makes the iMac look like a GREAT deal lol

And comparing the MBA with netbooks running Atoms CPUs???

Oh and security protection is "Purchase Separately" lol nice try MS

On the MBA they also didnt mention it was on ssd...

[Zain Adeel]

for the 27inch the others are touch enabled..

and yes..

the SSD and the Display panel type isnt mentioned either which is the real thing that adds value

[Max Norris]

Ugh this whole article is just flamebait. If you want OSX you buy a Mac. (Or build a Hackintosh and save some money.) If you want Windows you pick from the other bajillion vendors who surprisingly don't build identical models.

I'm sure the price is a concern. To some.

.. Seriously?

[Vice]

Did I ever say anything about dropping ANYTHING to the floor ? no I didn't, I said dropping small items onto it. however IF we where to talk about dropping to the floor. I did drop my old Toshiba in the backpack and it took no damage at all, not even a crack. I know the plastic deformed and then bounced back out, cause of the impact and the physics involved. I also know that the aluminum would do the sam, well you know, minus the bouncing back part. it would then be permanently dented in that area. and possibly transfer more force further into the hardware due to the lack of the rebound force.

If you drop your stuff a lot you should probably stick to those cheap notebooks then I guess.

I've never once dropped any laptop or smart phone they are simply worth to much to me. And yes I'd rather have aluminium over plastic any day. It was one of the defining reasons I bought a MacBook Pro in the first place. And Aluminium as you well know means the notebook can be thinner and lighter on top of just looking better.

And I disagree with your assessment that plastic is more scratch resistant. I'd say instead that black plastic hides scratches well in mediocre lighting but if you show the plastic in direct sunlight or under good indoor lighting your see tons of hairline scratches. Something my anodised aluminium MacBook Pro does not suffer from.

I don't know where you live, but around my parts, it's not going to cost me $200-300 to buy a transparent, almost-invisible adhesive sleeve to protect my laptop from fingerprints.

Aluminium casing? My friend had an MBP, all the metal was good for was scorching her lap at 80 degrees.

The only single reason I said it wasn't a fingerprint magnet is because he said it was. I was correcting his false information about the material. He was the one making it an issue.

[what]

Is that a serious question?

If you don't have an answer you can just say so.

[Samurizer]

I see the point, if we bought everything by looking at pricetags, everyone would eat supermarket own brand food, drive around in small French cars, live in flats in northern towns, and generally just settle for "that'll do". Apple is a premium hardware manufacturer and that's reflected in the price, but you get a better built product at the end of it.

Terrible analogy, to say the least. In this case, you're actually getting superior hardware for a lower price.

[Vice]

Terrible analogy, to say the least. In this case, you're actually getting superior hardware for a lower price.

Your just looking at raw performance data. You are forgetting about size, weight, display quality, backlight keyboards, trackpad quality, material use like Glass on the display, Glass on the Trackpad, Aluminium enclosures, Thunderbolt 10Gb/ps connectors.

This is just like focusing on the price if you only focus on raw performance. A rocket will get you to the moon but you won't want to drive one to work.