How To Buy A
Macintosh!
A Savvy Guide To Buying An Apple Mac
©2006 Matthew Wanderer
Installment 2
(Find earlier installments
here):
Apple Computer’s Product Line
Getting a handle on how Apple organizes, or markets, their products
should give you an idea of the type of customer Apple has in mind
for each of their computers. These are just general guidelines, of
course, but should give you a little insight into the different
ways Apple has bundled both features and software (to a lesser
extent, as even Apple’s least expensive computers ship with a huge
amount of software) into each of the various Macs.
Apple breaks down their various products into two categories.
Apple’s Professional line of products, and their Consumer line of
products. The Pro product line includes the Mac Pro desktops and
the MacBook Pro portable computers.
Apple's Consumer line includes the Intel-based iMac and Mac mini
desktops and MacBook portables.
Ultimately, any of Apple’s Professional products will fit the bill
for even the most demanding users. They’re fast, expandable, and
built to do some serious computing tasks once left for
supercomputers. They’re also more expensive.
Portable: MacBook Pro
Desktop: Mac Pro
Apple’s Consumer line is built with the general computer user in mind. But just because they’re less expensive and not as expandable, it doesn’t mean they are underpowered. Apple’s Consumer products have actually been built on technology that was once only available only in their Professional line.
Apple's Consumer Mac Roundup:
Portable: MacBook
Desktop: iMac, Mac mini
Which Mac Should You Buy?
This whitepaper is a discussion about buying a Mac, not necessarily which Mac is right for your purposes. I’ll provide some general guidelines that might give you a head start in your selection process as the paper progresses, but the ideal way to narrow down the right Apple Mac is to write out a list of what you want to accomplish with your computer (see the bonus worksheet for help constructing your own list) and then visit an Apple Retail Store. The sales staff work for Apple directly and will point you in the right direction.
That having been said, it has been my experience that for eighty-percent of Mac users a high-end Consumer Mac with over a gigabyte of memory is a great place to start. That means the iMac upgraded to include 1GB of memory.
Apple Computer’s Product Cycle
Understanding a little bit about how and when Apple Computer introduces new products can save the Mac buyer a fair amount of money. Good timing can reward the bargain shopper with substantinal savings, but anyone who tells you they’ve got it all figured out is not being entirely honest.
Not unless that person happens to be Steve Jobs, Apple’s wildly popular CEO. This is because, in part, Apple Computer shrouds every new product and development in secrecy until the product actually announced to the world. Apple Computer is managed with loose-your-job-if-you-spill-the-beans secrecy. They run a very, very tight a ship.
As discussed above, Apple divides their product line into two major categories: their Consumer category and their Professional category. All of the products in both categories, have been made the move to Intel processors.
Now that the big change over has been made, the Mac buyer can expect incremental upgrades to iMacs, Mac mini's, MacBooks, MacBook Pros and Mac Pros. Upgrades such as slightly faster processors, larger hardrives, things like that. These upgrades are great, but to the average Mac user small upgrades like this shouldn't make or break the decision to buy a Mac.
Lineup Summary
With these fairly static products in mind, one should expect Apple to continually bring new features and increases the power of each product with some regularity. Watch for Apple to operate on a 6-month cycle with most of these product line improvements. This timeline is not written in stone, but for Apple fanatics it’s definitely a pattern we rely on to a certain degree.
Again, watch for each of Apple’s computer products be “updated” in some way every six months or so. Again, this schedule isn’t entirely reliable, not even close, but it is a guideline the company has stuck to in the past and it can tip the savvy buyer off to the idea that it might be worth waiting a week or two for a new product rather than buying one that hasn’t been updated for quite a while.
Each newly updated product is called a revision, as in Rev. A, Rev. B, Rev. C. But this is not something Apple shares with the public. Sometimes the revisions are significant, like when Apple introduces a "fix" to a common issue, other times a new revision simply denotes a faster processor and other feature enhancements.
This habit of secrecy actually generates a lot of “buzz” for Apple in the media, and it creates lot of speculation and debate on Mac-related message boards around the Internet. Both can be a lot of fun, but much of the speculation proves to be way, way off the mark.
Despite the “no comment on new products until they are released” policy at Apple, Mac fans have been able to inform themselves on what Apple might do next by studying Apple’s habits in the past. Occasionally this informed speculation can be fairly accurate.
Special events can also indicate a forthcoming product revision or introduction. For example, Apple tends to introduce most of their really new, or innovative, products at Mac-related conventions. MacWorld Expo’s (conventions) are the first to come to mind. These conventions are scheduled at specific times during the year and rumors tend to bubble up at these dates move closer.
Apple Computer participates in these conventions with lavish booths and Steve Jobs often headlines with a keynote speech. Lines to get into one of his speeches can begin the day before because this is Jobs’ favorite venue for announcing new products. Finding out when the next MacWorld is scheduled can give you a head start if you’re waiting for a specific product introduction or feature/speed boost (or revision) to an existing product.
Mac Rumor Sites
In murkier waters, you’ll find the rumor mill. You’ll find rumors posted on these sites with regularity. Although in years past these sites trended towards the extreme and far fetched, current rumors cited on these Web sites have been somewhat accurate. A quick Google search for “Apple Computer rumor sites” or something similar will produce a wide variety of rumor mongers.
Here are some examples:
As the Apple Turns (satirical)
http://www.appleturns.com/
Mac OS Rumors:
http://www.macosrumors.com/
MacRumors.com:
http://www.macrumors.com/
Support Apple-Project's How to Buy a Mac. Here's a link to Apple's Online Store:
Next Week: Check back next week for the next
installment. Go ahead and bookmark this page, We'll update this
static page with a link to the second installment when it posts. As
always, please feel free to link back to the page and please share
it with your friends.
All original How To Buy A Mac! installments can be found here, but note that we're migrating all How To
Buy A Mac installments to this new site (URL: apple-project.com).
Look for a new, updated installment every week right here:
http://www.apple-project.com.
Intel-Mac update:The "transition" to Intel processors is complete. But should you care? Well, unless you still need OS 9 or Classic for some reason, you shouldn't worry about it, or spend valuable time figuring out which processor you need, as you'll find out soon enough that it doesn't matter.
Instead, this guide focuses on how to get a good price on a Mac, but if you do want help in finding out which Mac is right for you there's a ton of information about that out on the Web already (Macworld.com is a great source).
Macs are Macs, for the most part, and we'll focus on other questions throughout this guide.
The next ten installments will move you towards an understanding on where and when to buy a Mac. How to look at the marketplace so as to arm you with the information required to get the best Mac at the best price.
Enjoy and save, because there's lots of savings to be had out there.
How To Buy A
Macintosh!
A Savvy Guide To Buying An Apple Mac
©2006 Matthew Wanderer
Installment 1
Intro:
Thank you for checking out “How To Buy
A Mac!” Our goal is to save you time and money on your next, or
even your first, Apple Macintosh. Together, we’ll prevent a
situation where you waste valuable time, get confused by the
options, or simply pay too much for your Mac.
I've been buying Macs for over 20 years. That's a lot of Mac-buying
experience. I'll try to share what I've learned, on and off-line,
so you can go Mac shopping armed with the information you need to
know ahead of time–before it’s too late–and find exactly the right
deal for you.
This exercise is all about saving you time and money, and it might
even turn you into you a Mac buying expert in the process. This
discussion not necessarily about which Mac is right for you,
however you will find information about making that choice in this
whitepaper. Saving money and where and when to buy is the
focus.
From buying at retail to bargain hunting, we’ll cover it all. We’ve divided this document into several essential sections. Apple-Project's Savvy Buyer Tip: If you want to skip right to the dessert portion, how to save money, I’ve summarized everything I’ve written that touches on the subject of finding a deal in the section titled “Macs For Bargain Hunters.” Feel free to jump there now.
If you don't have a lot of time to shop but you want to save $100 or more on your next Mac, we recommend buying your Mac from the Apple Online Retail Store's Special Deals section. Click the banner below to check out the models Apple has in stock.
Remember, the AppleCare warranty is identical to new-in-box Macs, so your new Apple Factory Refurbished Mac is protected in the same way as a brand new Mac. Click the banner link just below to start shopping.
If you work for the government (including the military) or are involved in education make sure you skip to the “Buying A Macintosh: Education, Government and Developers” section before reading the rest of this white paper. Apple has some substantial savings waiting for you.
1) First we’ll talk about the experience of opening a new in box (NIB) Macintosh. It’s a special event, and if you’ve never experienced it for yourself, you’ll see why it has become an “event” in just a little bit. The main point here is that although it’s entirely worth the expense, a NIB Mac does cost more than other “new” Macs and I’ll explain why.
2) We'll briefly talk about Apple’s product cycle. Notoriously secretive about new products, it's possible to research anticipated or expected revisions to Apple’s product line. This can be helpful if you must have the newest of the new, or you plan to sell one or your Macs with the expectation of upgrading to something new. It can also tip you off to the right time to shop for discontinued Macs that are often available at significant discounts. Timing can be everything when buying or selling, so if you’d like get the very best deal on an Apple Mac you’ll want to explore this topic a bit further.
4) Following warranties, we’ll explore the different types of “new” Macintoshes available to you. Not the different models of Apple Computer products, rather the different “new” Macs being sold in the marketplace. From New In Box to Open Box, from Factory Refurbished to Reseller Refurbished, you’ve got a lot to choose from out there. This is perhaps the most confusing and often overlooked aspect of buying a Mac; you might not actually need a New In Box Mac, instead you might find a less expensive Factory Refurbished model fits the bill perfectly. I’ll sort it all out and provide you with the information you need to make an intelligent buying decision.
5) We outline the different kinds of “new” Apple Macs, we’ll look at the Mac marketplace. There are obvious places to buy your new Mac, such as an Apple Retail Store, but there are several reasons to look elsewhere depending on your experience with the platform. If you’re all about saving money, or you’re looking for a competitive price but you’d like added support to go along with your new Mac, I’ll point you in the right direction.
6) We'll talk about what you might need to go along with your new Mac right out of the box. Because this is about buying an Apple Mac and not accessories we’ll limit our conversation a quite bit, but I think you’ll gain enough information to make a solid decision when the sales pressure is on.
7) Don’t forget to check out the “Right before you buy” section. I’ll tip you off to a few last-minute things you should do before you hand over your credit card. We’ll discuss upgrades and peripherals briefly with the idea that there are often better ways to buy these products than at the same time you buy your Apple Mac.
Special bonus sections:
Apple’s Best Kept Secret, and Apple-Project's Best Kept Secret, two bonus sections I’ve included to help you get more out of your Macintosh experience. The high resale value of Macs is a best-kept-secret held by Apple users. And if you’re into the latest-greatest, I’ll show you how you can “turn” your Macintoshes regularly without taking too much out of your pocket. Some call it the “free Apple upgrade program.” Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
I’ve also included a simple grid designed to give you an overview of Apple’s products and their capabilities. If you’re a shopping for a basic home computer, start by looking at Apple’s iMac and iBook. If you’re a power user, or a professional, consider Apple’s MacBook Pro or Mac Pro. That said, many “Pro” users, depending on the tasks they work out on their Macs, can get by quite nicely with Apple’s Flat Panel iMac and they’ll save quite a bit in the process. Check out the grid for more info.
The Macintosh Experience:
Your own Macintosh Experience begins when get your new Mac home and you start to unpack the box. Opening your first New In Box Macintosh is a unique experience, and it can be a lot of fun.
When you open your new Macintosh, you’ll find that Apple has thought of everything from the box itself and the molded foam, right down to the cable twist-ties. Everything’s first class all the way.
Some Mac fans enjoy the process, or ritual, of unpacking their new Macs so much that they document the experience online with photos and descriptions. I’ve even heard of dinner parties being arranged around the opening of a the latest Macintosh release. No kidding.
Documenting the opening of a new Apple product is becoming rather legendary among Mac users, in fact. Tech writers even write articles about the experience. Here’s a great Wired online article about the subject:
http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,50384,00.html
Apple-Project’s Savvy Buyer Tip: All of the glamor and attention to detail found in Apple’s New In Box packaging is insanely great. But it comes at a price. If you’re all about saving money, consider holding off on a New In Box Mac and opt for a Factory Refurbished Mac instead. There’s more on this in the “Shopping For A New Macintosh” section below. Keep your Mac’s original packaging materials around for two reasons. First, if you need to transport your Mac (for service or relocation) there’s no better way to protect your computer and keep it looking great. Secondly, you’ll get more for your Mac at resale if you have the original packaging materials at hand.
Support Apple-Project's How to Buy a Mac. Here's a link to Apple's Online Store:
Next Week: Check back next week for the next
installment. Go ahead and bookmark this page, We'll update this
static page with a link to the second installment when it posts. As
always, please feel free to link back to the page and please share
it with your friends.
All original How To Buy A Mac! installments can be found here, but note that we're migrating all How To
Buy A Mac installments to this new site (URL: apple-project.com).
Look for a new, updated installment every week right here:
http://www.apple-project.com.
