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Apple Archive

Computer Cost and Quality

- 2002.09.27

I have noticed that computer quality has gone down over the past few years. It's not just Apple; many companies have products that don't hold up as well as they should.

If you've ever used a compact Mac, you've probably noticed that they are built like tanks. They are very hard to damage accidentally, unlike some of today's machines. The same thing goes for the older keyboards and mice, while today's keyboards are made of flimsy plastic and are easily broken.

While computers aren't made as well as they were, for example, 12 years ago, they don't cost as much either. If companies put as much quality into manufacturing as they did in 1990, computers would still be very expensive.

Computers have become remarkably affordable within the past few years, but the lack of quality means that consumers may have to replace parts on their own and deal with confusing hardware problems. This isn't a new problem, but the issues have become more difficult for technicians to fix now that computers are more advanced. Advancement of technology is a good thing, though - the computers of 12 years ago can't do much of what people do on today's computers. Just try browsing the modern Internet on a Mac II.

Some computers are lemons to begin with, and the problems always seem to start as soon as the computer's out of warranty. Other computers work perfectly for years. There really is no way to explain it.

The general rule in computing is that you get what you pay for. A $699 Dell is not going to be as well made as a $1,599 Dell, just like a $899 CRT iMac isn't going to be as well made as a $2,000 G4 tower.

Hard drives seem to be what dies first on most computers, and the low-end models don't usually come with the best drives available. If you do buy a low-end computer, consider replacing the hard drive with a better, faster one as soon as you get the machine.

One nice thing that PC users can do is move the logic board and power supply into a newer, bigger case. Mac user's don't have that as a realistic option (although some people have done it anyway), but there are a lot of external peripherals that can be added to make up for features that might be missing in an inexpensive Mac.

The power supply is another thing that often goes bad on inexpensive computers. While you can't just go out and buy a better one for a Mac, you can help it last longer by making sure that any vents on the computer aren't blocked and are kept free from dust buildup. If your Mac has a fan, make sure that is kept clean also - a recent computer I worked on had about an inch of dust on the fan, which basically meant that it was doing absolutely nothing.

Another option, instead of buying a new bottom-line Mac, is to buy a used or refurbished midrange or high-end Mac (such as a G4 tower instead of an iMac), which will give you a few more features and better overall quality.

Of course, computers these days aren't typically used for more than a few years anyway - if your iMac dies when it's four years old, you might have been starting to think of a new machine anyway. But if you plan to keep a computer for more than three or four years, don't buy a low end model.

Recent Apple Archive articles

iPods, notebooks, and other modern electronics more readily replaced than repaired, 12.07. Whether it's an intermittent failure or a broken display cable, more often than not it's cheaper to replace a broken electronics device than repair it.
Options for replacing your older iPod, 11.19. Whether you've run out of space on your old iPod or want features it doesn't have, here are your options in new and used iPods.
Could the $200 'green' PC with gOS Linux become a threat to Apple?, 11.14. The low cost, low power Everex desktop comes with a customized version of Ubuntu Linux, has a Mac-like Dock, and sells for $400 less than the Mac mini.
Leopard different, a bit buggy, but worth the upgrade, 11.02. Leopard on a Power Mac G4 and a MacBook Pro: It runs well on both computers, but each has some odd bugs, and some of the changes are a step backwards.
More in the Apple Archive index.

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