[Species 8472]

I think that the price of the "Faster " PBG4 800 from the Apple Store in my country is too high. Below is the price and specs.

4.634,78 EUR
Apple PowerBook G4
15.2-inch TFT XGA display
800MHz PowerPC G4
256K L2 & 1MB L3 cache
512MB SDRAM memory
40GB Ultra ATA drive
DVD/CD-RW drive
ATI RADEON Mobility 7500
32MB DDR video memory
Gigabit Ethernet
56K internal modem
AirPort Card

If you compare this to the Dell laptop below you get my point.

3.809,00 EUR
Dell Inspiron 8200
P4 1,8GHz Processori-M with Enhanced Intel SpeedStep
15" TFT UXGA+(1600x1200)
64MB DDR nVidia Geforce 4-440 GO 4xAGP 3D
256MB 266MHz DDR-SDRAM
40GB ATA-100 HDD
CD-RW/DVD COMBO
MS Win XP Home & MS Works 6.0
Internal 56k V.92 Modem & 10/100 NIC

In the US the price for the Dell is $2,930.00 and the price for the Powerbook is $3,199.00. As you can see the price difference is not as big as here in Europe. For me, a college student, the Mac prices here in Europe are too high. Is Apple cashing in extra money in Europe. What do think?

[eurozone]

I had the same first reaction here in Switzerland, but then realized there are a few errors in comparison. First, the US price is without VAT (which varies in each state). second, in CH and perhaps in your contry, there is a computer recycling charge added to the cost of all electronics. I am not sure if this is a percentage, or just a flat fee. So, once I calculated the US price, exchange rate, plus our 7.6% VAT, there was a difference of (I forget) about 300 CHF. So add a charge for recycling, and a bt for currency fluctuation, import duties, and I think that the price is not significantly higher, just that we are whacked with more added costs.

[Paso]

Originally posted by Species 8472:
<STRONG>I think that the price of the "Faster " PBG4 800 from the Apple Store in my country is too high. What do think?</STRONG>

So there is also EUR in Fluidic Space
?

[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: Paso ]

[Species 8472]

Originally posted by eurozone:
<STRONG>I had the same first reaction here in Switzerland, but then realized there are a few errors in comparison. First, the US price is without VAT (which varies in each state). second, in CH and perhaps in your contry, there is a computer recycling charge added to the cost of all electronics. I am not sure if this is a percentage, or just a flat fee. So, once I calculated the US price, exchange rate, plus our 7.6% VAT, there was a difference of (I forget) about 300 CHF. So add a charge for recycling, and a bt for currency fluctuation, import duties, and I think that the price is not significantly higher, just that we are whacked with more added costs.</STRONG>

That migth be true but I still think the Mac is too expensive. I get the top of the line 1.8GHz Dell laptop for the same price as the low end 667 MHz Powerbook. If the Powerbooks had superdrives I would not be complaining.

[Species 8472]

Originally posted by Paso:
<STRONG>


So there is also EUR in Fluidic Space
?

[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: Paso ]</STRONG>

You would be amazed with what you can discover in fluidic space

[maffioso]

you should take a look at the prices in Australia, the "Faster" Powerbook retails for $3199 USD and in Australia it retails for $7400, our dollar is worth something around the $.52 mark, that would make it around the $6400 mark. Yet it is marked up $1000 by Apple Australia this is a joke!

Good going Apple Australia, this is a sure way to increase market share

[Species 8472]

I have done some more calculations by removing VAT from the EUR prices. With the Dell laptop the EUR price is the same as the US price if VAT is removed from the EUR price. On the Apple price there is an extra 361 USD. (1 Eur = 0.92 USD). Is this the way Apple treats European customers?

[workerbee]

Originally posted by Species 8472:
<STRONG>Is this the way Apple treats European customers? </STRONG>

No it isn't. It's the way Apple treats non-US customers.

[D'Espice]

Originally posted by workerbee:
<STRONG>

No it isn't. It's the way Apple treats non-US customers.</STRONG>

Totally agree. Personally, I hate Apple Germany, the prices here are complete nonsense. For example the new eMac: Should be a cheap computer for educational purpose. Instead, Apple Germany has made it a very expensive alternative to the iMac. Which also is very expensive btw, just to compare:
Low-end iMac: 2100 Euro = $1900
Low-end eMac: 1700 Euro = $1550
And don't get me even started on the high-end machines... ;(
That's germany, and that's why I won't buy any Macintosh computer here any more. I'm flying home twice a year (Chicago), so I'm just gonna buy an eMac or iMac back home, and take it with me.

[eurozone]

Originally posted by Species 8472:
<STRONG>

That migth be true but I still think the Mac is too expensive. I get the top of the line 1.8GHz Dell laptop for the same price as the low end 667 MHz Powerbook. If the Powerbooks had superdrives I would not be complaining. </STRONG>

Well, It is not like I want to pay more....
But i really think this was not an issue about general price relationship between Macs and PCs - only the difference outside the US. I am not sure, but i beleive that you have to use a slightly higher conversion rate since they presumably are using a higher rate to protect themselves against market fluctuations. Business

Of course we want faster machines for lower prces, but forget the Dell comparison - it is not the same at all. The fit and finish and component quality is much higher on the Mac. And if you prefer using windows.... I doubt you will get as long a usable life from your dell as you will from a mac. I still use my 7100! How old is that?

[Species 8472]

Originally posted by eurozone:
<STRONG>

Well, It is not like I want to pay more....
But i really think this was not an issue about general price relationship between Macs and PCs - only the difference outside the US. I am not sure, but i beleive that you have to use a slightly higher conversion rate since they presumably are using a higher rate to protect themselves against market fluctuations. Business
</STRONG>

This is not an issue about price relationships between Macs and PCs - It's an issue of Apple having much higher prices outside the US. Why would Apple have to protect themselves against market fluctuations more than Dell?

Originally posted by eurozone:
<STRONG>

Of course we want faster machines for lower prces, but forget the Dell comparison - it is not the same at all. The fit and finish and component quality is much higher on the Mac. And if you prefer using windows.... I doubt you will get as long a usable life from your dell as you will from a mac. I still use my 7100! How old is that?</STRONG>

The fit and finish and component quality is not at all worse on a Dell. A friend of mine has got a Dell laptop and I actually think it's quite good. It's only the design and OS that sucks on a Dell.

[ 05-04-2002: Message edited by: Species 8472 ]

[eurozone]

Originally posted by Species 8472:
<STRONG>

It's only the design and OS that sucks on a Dell.

[ 05-04-2002: Message edited by: Species 8472 ]</STRONG>

is there anything else?