In today’s digital world, the selection of a laptop goes beyond mere aesthetics; performance, price and value for money are all critical factors to consider. In light of this, I’ve decided to take an in-depth look at two major players in the market: the MacBook Pro 17-inch and the Dell M17x 17-inch laptop.
The first point of comparison is their price. Unsurprisingly, Apple’s MacBook Pro takes the lead with a base price of $2500, whereas the Dell M17x starts at $1799. That is a marked difference for two devices that, at first glance, deliver similar functionality.
Diving deeper, we can explore their specs — beginning with the processor. Both laptops boast a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, leading to parity in terms of processing power. For the Dell M17x, this increases the price to $19.99, while the MacBook Pro remains at $2500.
Increasing the processing speed further to 3.06 GHz, we see options for each laptop, with a quad-core processor available for those seeking more horsepower. However, I’ve decided against testing this feature presently.
A notable price difference is evident when we consider the RAM. An upgrade to 8GB of 1066 RAM in the MacBook Pro ramifications on costs an extra $1000. On the other hand, achieving the same upgrade in the Dell M17x costs $700. Again, offering the same benefits but at a lesser cost.
Next up is the hard drive. My focus here is on performance, which inherently aligns with a 256GB solid-state hard drive. For the MacBook Pro, this is an upgrade costing $650, while on the Dell M17x, a similar upgrade only sets us back by $400.
Lastly, software. A point to note is that at base price, the MacBook Pro does not include iWork, iLife, FCE or Office. Meanwhile, the Dell M17x comes bundled with open office and other open-source software solutions. However, for the sake of fairness, I’ve avoided factoring software into this price comparison, focusing instead on base hardware specs.
So, based on these comparisons, there’s a stark difference — nearly $1000, with the MacBook costing more for similar specs. Essentially, this suggests that with the MacBook, you may be paying a premium for an aluminium casing and an operating system.
However, in the spirit of a balanced review, this is merely an assessment of the physical specs and pricing, and not a reflection of user experience or personal preference. I welcome comments and counter-arguments that offer different viewpoints on this matter. Thanks for reading!
