Many have asked me about why/how the Mac is better/different/selling so much. I think my answer will surprise some and seem obvious to others. Here is an explanation for why I think the Mac is selling so much.
How Apple play by their own rules
Macbook Pro: Unique design
The Mac has always been different. And that is a key part of Apple’s image. The differences used to be bigger before, when Macs used different internal components than normal PCs. They still do to some degree, but not as much as before.
But that doesn’t really matter. Because while normal computers are marketed based on their processor, storage space and memory, Apple market the Macs by touting their ease of use, great displays, aluminum enclosures, battery capacity and other non-performance features.
Why can they do that?
1: Most people don’t care about internals.
Most people really don’t care if their processor is a Core 2 duo 2,4 Ghz or an AMD Athlon X2 6000+. They don’t even want to know if their graphics card is an Intel X4500 or an Nvidia 9400GT. 1TB says nothing to most people, and they just want to know that the computer can “store all their stuff” and “runs fast”. And that brings us to the next point:
2: A Mac is always high-end
You won’t be disappointed with the performance when you buy a Mac. Apple only uses high-performing components, giving you the confidence to choose your computer based on other merits. This is also some of the explanation for Apple’s high prices.
3. It is easier to sell design than Ghz
This means your computer is faster! Really!
Imagine you are a sales person at a computer store. Little Bill and his uncle Steve are out shopping for a new computer.
How do you explain to them why the HP with a 2,4Ghz Quad Core Intel processor is faster than the Fujitsu Siemens with an AMD Phenom 2,8 Ghz? Wouldn’t it be much easier to say: “This computer is fast and easy to use. And look, it looks cool too!”.
Macs have always been known for great design, and Apple knows this. Their big Apple stores are designed more like art galleries than traditional stores. This also gives them a feel of exclusivity, which of course sells well to many.
4. Macs are cool
Not cool / Cool
Apple are geniuses at marketing. Ask any teenager what is cooler, an Apple laptop or an HP laptop? Or even a Mac or a PC laptop? The answer will most likely be a Mac, unless you happened to stumble upon a gamer or a hardware-geek.
Apple have historically not cared much for these groups, but lately they have pushed slowly but steadily to get more games on the Mac platform.
Why did I buy my Mac? (rather long story)
These are four of the main reasons why Macs sell well and are considered different and in many cases better. But I am a hardware-geek myself, and I was a gamer when I bought my Mac. So why did I buy my Mac?
A Macbook like mine
So I went shopping for a laptop. Like the hardware geek I am, I set out with a few decisions already made. I wanted a fast laptop. Core 2 Duo processor or a top-of-the-line AMD. I wanted a laptop where I could upgrade the RAM myself easily, because I wanted 4GB RAM at a time when most laptops came with 1 or 2. I also wanted good battery, and it needed to be light. I didn’t care that much for graphics, because I wouldn’t be gaming on this anyway. And it had to be compatible with Linux.
Already this ruled out most computers under $1000 (at the time). The only fast enough computers under $1000 were mostly heavy 15,4″ laptops built in cheap plastic and sub-par battery time.
All of this, together with my curiosity for the Unix’y Mac OS X, pushed me towards a white Macbook. One day after work I walked down to the local Eplehuset (a Norwegian Apple premium retailer), and I was sold. The machines looked amazing, the keyboard and the trackpad was great. Before trying the Mac I really liked the nub-mice found on some Thinkpads and Dells better, but the Mac trackpad was just… better.
OS X Snow Leopard
Me and OS X
I had decided that if I didn’t like OS X, I would put Ubuntu on the machine, since they provided a nice how-to for getting Ubuntu working perfectly on the Macbook. A week after my purchase I had already decided that I didn’t need to. OS X was like the perfect Linux distro: Unix-like core, user friendly, intuitive and fast. It even had more programs available for download than Linux.
Now, one and a half year later, I still think Mac OS X is the best OS out there. Snow Leopard will arrive in the mail any day now, probably making my Mac even faster.
Give it a try
I don’t work for Apple. I just like their products. So my recommendation is: If you haven’t tried a Mac, do it. It might just make your next computer upgrade a much more pleasant experience than if you went for Windows 7. Not that Windows 7 is bad (it is much more polished than Vista), it is just that OS X is so much better. And The Mac hardware is, too. Not faster, but better designed. Apple designs their machines to be used every day, without slowing down or break.
My Macbook has been with me everywhere I have been for the last 18 months, except for my trip to Naxos where I only brought my Asus Eee. If I had decided to buy another computer I might not have done so, and I might even have been looking for a new laptop now, instead of sitting here with my Mac.
Final words
This has been my longest post so far. This is because I had so much to say about this topic, and I probably could have continued for much longer if I wanted. These words are my thoughts about the Mac. Feel free to think otherwise, and if you do, please comment below.
