$899 MacBook – Tempting?
In advance of tomorrow’s Apple media event, rumors are swirling about a sub-$1000 laptop – with most sources pegging it at an $800 or $900 price point. This would be a $200 to $300 drop from the current cheapest MacBook – but perhaps more importantly, it would also be the first time for an Apple laptop to break into a 3-digit price.
Of course, there are plenty of sub-$1000 laptops on the market already – you can buy Dell’s Inspiron line at prices from $499 up, and if you’re willing to compromise down to the “netbook” level of machine, with a 9-inch screen, you can find pricing under $400. But those cheaper machines are not, of course, Macs.
As a happy Mac owner already, the new price point isn’t much of a temptation to me – we’ve already got two MacBooks in the office, and being developers, we’re unlikely to go for a low-end notebook in any case. But I wonder whether it will contribute significantly to Apple’s ever-growing share of the laptop market.
If you’re not yet a MacBook user, what do you think? Could a new, cheaper Mac laptop tempt you to switch? Or are you firmly committed to some alternative, despite the pressure to join the cool kids?
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Splitting hairs here, but there was a $999 ibook at one point.
The only thing that has stopped me from buying a Mac is the price, so this is tempting for me. My PC, although HP service is fantastic, is doing some funky things, so I’m definitely intrigued.
I have an iMac and love it. I plan to get a Macbook or MBP, but I dont use laptops so much.. so a cheapy would suit me well, as long as its mac :)
I’m looking at a higher end macbook pro. However it is tempting as a laptop for the kids. They currently have my old HP; perhaps I’ll replace that next year with a macbook.
Already got a MacBook myself, but a lower price means the wife might spring for one.
I use a MacBook for work, but am in the market for a new personal notebook. The $800 price would deffinately tempt me.
I actually just got a refurbished macbook (the black one) and I’m already finding it worth the investment. With a respectable harddrive, I find myself taking it around with me and getting more done on my personal projects when I’d be otherwise waiting around for things (meeting someone, missed a train, etc.)
Thus said, it took me until the age of 26 to afford even a refurbished macbook, so a lower price would have gotten me to take the jump a lot sooner.
Since getting a macbook pro for my new business, my wife has noticed the considerable difference in experience with her new Lenovo. The expense has put her off changing, but I think that may change now.
I’m tempted. But what I’m tempted is to get a refurbished Macbook of some kind from the Apple site. I think that’s a better deal.
I would love to get something for my wife for Christmas!