Microsoft’s recent run of ‘Laptop Hunters’ television commercials, which are designed to bolster the presence of Windows by applauding certain aspects of generic PC systems, would have us believe Apple Mac hardware is overpriced and overrated. Not so, according to Consumer Reports.
...FTW? Which one? How about all of \'em? Image: dan taylor/Flickr.
More pointedly, the latest laptop performance round up carried out by the diligent testers at U.S. publication Consumer Reports has revealed Apple as the clear leader when it comes to the conventional portable computer market.
Notably, Apple devices secured the top three places in the 13-inch laptop category, with the popular ‘unibody’ MacBook sitting atop the hardware pile and propped up ably by the MacBook Air in second place, and the standard plastic body MacBook in third.
An undeniably impressive achievement for a computer manufacturer accused of being overly expensive, while focusing too heavily on branding and forgoing consumer choice and versatility (see the Laptop Hunters links below).
Clearly enamoured with Apple’s computer systems, Consumer Products also awarded full honours to the 15-inch MacBook Pro in the 14 to 16-inch category, while the 17-inch MacBook Pro similarly took top spot in the 17 to 18-inch division.
In terms of the hardware following behind systems on offer from Apple, Toshiba’s stalwart Satellite (M305) took second place in the 14 to 16-inch bracket, while the Dell Studio 17 snaffled the runner-up spot in the 17 to 18-inch category.
With Apple also securing the award for technical support, although only providing three months of service without additional customer charges, it has led some to suggest the blanket praise for all-things-Apple smacks of favouritism on the part of Consumer Reports.
For example, certain tech watchers have noted that Consumer Reports fails to properly appraise the accompanying price points of Apple’s hardware in relation to the sometimes marginal points advantage accrued during scoring.
“The 15-inch MacBook Pro was rated overall with a score of 75 out of 100, ahead of a 64-rated Toshiba Satellite [but] the Pro costs $2,000, the Toshiba $700,” pointed out one such reader posting a reaction to Apple Insider. “The main point, for the average consumer, is [are] the extra 11 points worth $1,300?”
According to the scoring criteria put forth for evaluation by Consumer Reports, its latest test of laptop hardware covered battery efficiency, design, performance, screen quality and versatility.
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