Back in January I went on a rant about the 2009 MacWorld convention and how upset I was that Apple hadn't released a new Mac Pro in over a year. Well, Apple has finally announced a new Mac Pro...
http://www.apple.com/macpro/
Other than their typical, wild claims of being a million times faster that the previous generation, there are no major upgrades or modifications. And for the price this is ridiculous because we all know Apple's performance benchmark claims are as accurate as the local weatherman.
I think I said it best when I said "I'll probably end up with some half-ass, stop-gap system whose overall performance is marginally better than what they put out over a year ago." Man, I hate being right all the time. Maybe it's a good thing that I can't afford a new computer.
And did I mention what the price is? For the two 2.93GHz quad core Intel Xeon with the new ATI Radeon card the price tag is a whopping $6,100! This is, by far, the most expensive computer that Apple has ever produced (sans any optional RAM and hard drive upgrades). While I do some freelance work from home, it would take years before this system could pay for itself. Don't forget about all the new software and all the other expenses that come along with purchasing a new system. While switching to a PC will never be an option, many folks who would normally purchase (and need) a Mac Pro desktop will be forced to settle for an iMac, MacBook Pro or even a Mac Mini.
I'm no economist, but I fail to see the logic of even a niche company like Apple charging these outrageous prices in this economy. You can put the needs of the shareholders before the needs of your loyal customers for only so long. I won't be surprised to see Apple clones that are priced to sell making an appearance in the near future. Apple... dropping the ball yet again.
No comments:
Post a Comment