I recently had one of the two fans in my old 15″ Apple MacBook Pro die, and rather than repair it (the third mechanical failure I’ve had on the MacBook in 4-5 years), I decided it was time to replace it… and I replaced it with a Windows machine. Why?

Cost.

I like Mac OS X. I really do. It’s very simply, easy to use, and of course is based on BSD which meant I could often put my Linux knowledge to use on day to day tasks. I loved the build of my old MacBook, with it’s solid aluminium case meaning that the motherboard isn’t subjected to stress anytime it’s picked up and should last a lifetime with care.

Unfortunately, the cost of doing business with Apple is extremely high, and I just can’t afford that anymore. The spec of the new machine versus what I’d be able to afford from Apple is as follows:

I think the difference is pretty clear. The Toshiba might have a cheap plastic case, but it is both cheaper and better kitted, actually featuring technology from the last 6 months as opposed to tired old kit from 2 years ago (seriously, Core 2 Duo’s when everyone else is offering Core i3/5/7? And a 256MB graphics card? I haven’t seen a graphics card with less than 512MB, even in laptops, in about 18 months).

Sorry Apple, but as much as I like your hardware, your prices have gone far beyond my budget. It’s just no contest.