Laptops Macbook Air finally gets some competition, or does it?

[superczar]

Dell launched its new Adamo notebook today, which is available for a take home tag of $1999 only

http://www.adamobydell.com/in

That's $200 more than the air and $700 more than the MB with a ULV processor and integrated graphics and a weight of 2 kgs to boot...

Maybe it's just me, but it looks almost like a clone of the MBA to me, and frankly, if I had $2K to spare for a if-looks-could-kill kind of lappy, I'd rather plonk it on an Apple than a Dell and use the remaining change to treat myself to some Apple Pie

Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that when an Apple gets bashed up for putting a price premium on its machines over say a Dell or Toshiba, what we conveniently ignore is good engineering required for a nice build costs $$$ and that reflects in the price of the final product

Even a Dell is not immune to this as evident from the premium pricing on the XPS line and the ultra premium pricing on the Adamo now

PS: I am a bit disappointed as I was expecting Dell to really undercut MBA with the pricing..Not only does this thing cost more it also weighs more while being considerably lower specced than the air (not to mention uglier, which although is a subjective opinion)

 

[Styx]

This thing is hideous, overpriced and runs windows, in a nutshell....Junk!

 

[kuduku]

highly overpriced flaunting device

 

[ReekingArchvile]

Why would i not buy "apple" at 2000$!!!!!!

 

[YoGi-Sama]

Why would i not buy "apple" at 2000$!!!!!!

Exactly... people tell me why did I spend $1700 on MB while I could have got similar config in Dell or HP for half the cost. Yeh right!! with what? cheap plastic shells, tacky keyboard (specially on HP's low end line, in my personal experience), 14 inch of heavy junk to carry? No thanks, I'll take quality over quantity any day.

These same people who cry about Apple tax / price premium, turn blind eye to products like Adamo or Vaio P, and talk about apple killer product. Douches!

Good for you to bring this up SZ!

 

[superczar]

highly overpriced flaunting device

err, if it was for flaunt value alone, gimme an MB air anyday

more flaunt value, more functional and $200 cheaper to boot

 

[Zero Cool]

MBA kicks stupid Dell's GAY Arse

 

[titana]

Buy MBA make it dual boot ..if you want windows..i will not go for dell at those prices...

 

[Pat]

when an Apple gets bashed up for putting a price premium on its machines over say a Dell or Toshiba, what we conveniently ignore is good engineering required for a nice build costs $$$ and that reflects in the price of the final product

Thats exactly what I said when I read Dell's pricing!

 

[Keane 16]

Pathetic pricing by Dell. Do they really think they'll turn any potential MBA customers by pricing the Adamo at $2000? Sheer stupidity.

 

[YoGi-Sama]

Here's another one in the face : Dell Adamo battery not user-replaceable, says bearer of harsh truths

Those, who cried foul for Apple not giving facility for user replaceable battery on MBA... now what would they say?

 

[superczar]

anyway, the idea behind this thread was not to trash Dell or the Adamo lineup

All I wanted to point out was quality comes at a price

The MB costs roughly around the same as a XPS 1330 despite having a far better build and the usage of more premium parts all around (beyond the holy mobo/cpu/Ram trinity)

But that does not stop the bashers from comparing it against a Vostro or an Inspiron just because they share comparable CPUs/Mobo/RAM

 

[YoGi-Sama]

All I wanted to point out was quality comes at a price

^ Agreed... but since you brought this up, I thought I would share my opinion about typical "apple tax" issue people keep raising in Apple vs. others argument.

In my opinion, Adamo is a excellent example of engineering a product, a feature about Apple that people usually ignore, unintentionally or otherwise. They will take specs sheets and show the price difference. But they won't take the other factors in consideration like product build, software, hardware and software integration and user experience etc.

 

[i_max2k2]

Competition where?

Seriously how does it make sense to be paying more for a 1.2/1.4ghz, intel on board graphics, adamo would have been great if they had something similar to 1.86/2ghz procy, along with a 9400M or something. The fact that it has a 128gb ssd standard, is indeed good and because of that the machine will definitely fly. But compared with the Reb B MBA, it still bites dust, this is a competition more for the Rev A it seems. I love my Rev B, the fact that it can play blu rays flawlessly is something that I'm sure Adamo wont be able to do.

 

[bikalpapaudel]

I think this one isnt in the same league. And yeah, it sucks.

Although MBA is something I'd want to own, but given the option, I'd rather go for a plain-jane MacBook.

 

[Lord Nemesis]

This thing is hideous, overpriced and runs windows, in a nutshell....Junk!

Not to mention, the same applies for Macbook Air too.
Too overpriced and runs crappy Leopard, again in a nutshell junk.

Regardless of its thickness, its still pretty bulky with its 13" screen, by bulky, I do not refer to the weight, but the amount of space it occupies. It may be slim enough to fit an envelope, but you still need a foot long envelope.

For the kind of price it sells for and the sacrifice of functionality to achieve the slim form factor, one can as well go for a more capable Mac Book. If I want a machine that I can easily put in a small bag or something, then I would rather go for a cheapo Atom based Netbook.

Regardless of the brand, overpriced laptops like these are designed to exploit a specific market segment who go crazy hearing words like slim and ultra slim without comprehending the difference between just being slim and being compact.

 

[bikalpapaudel]

^ Nice point out there, but it definitely has an audience wider than what you project.

 

[superczar]

Lordy, think you missed out on the point behind the thread

No one denies that the MBA is somewhat overpriced, but in comparison to the horrendous overpricing on the Adamo, it actually starts looking like a VFM deal

The crux being that junta starts jumping all over whenever Apple comes out with a new system claiming it is overpriced , and how Apple exploits customers..blah..blah

But when a Dell does the same, this vocal majority does not seem to mind at all

 

[Lord Nemesis]

superczar, I understand the point behind this thread, but I think what you said is the other way around most of the time. When Apple releases a overpriced and half-assed product, most Apple fans don't seem to mind, but when some other company releases a similar half-assed product, suddenly the same people begin to criticize. One perfect example such double standards is how Linux and OS X fans crib that Windows does not bundle any useful software like Linux or OS X. Yet when MS does so much as put an icon to Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer, the same people criticize how MS is anti competitive and monopolistic and want MS to be drowned under countless lawsuits.

While I agree Mac Book's are great (the best portables actually), Mac Book Air is not. Comparing it features and price wise to another crap product may make it look less crappy, but crap is crap whether its in small quantity or large.

 

[Party Monger]

superczar, I understand the point behind this thread, but I think what you said is the other way around most of the time. When Apple releases a overpriced and half-assed product, most Apple fans don't seem to mind, but when some other company releases a similar half-assed product, suddenly the same people begin to criticize. One perfect example such double standards is how Linux and OS X fans crib that Windows does not bundle any useful software like Linux or OS X. Yet when MS does so much as put an icon to Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer, the same people criticize how MS is anti competitive and monopolistic and want MS to be drowned under countless lawsuits.

While I agree Mac Book's are great (the best portables actually), Mac Book Air is not. Comparing it features and price wise to another crap product may make it look less crappy, but crap is crap whether its in small quantity or large.

+1 .....I couldn't agree more..