But Apple gives you that level of customization once you select a general size and tier of computer type based on your needs and price - and they don't have to segment a single model as though they were all totally separate models to meet the needs of multiple audiences, cause it's pretty obvious the distinctions between all their models. No one model of 15" MacBook Pro but rather fifty different configurations of a 15" MBP with 2-8GB RAM, half a dozen HDD capacities, a couple of SSD options, a few more video cards....."oh the 8gb ram+SSD option is great for you, Pro User!" vs "As a casual home user, you should get this Super Basic Model!" where they're both basically the same except one's got more ram, a slightly better processor, and an SSD.
The really odd thing is that all these manufacturers like Dell let you further customize the laptop you're looking at once you actually manage to find one you want. But they don't make it easy to figure out what exactly you're getting in the very beginning, and the process to get started has never been less convoluted as far as I can remember.
I may be a geek, but that doesn't mean I have half an hour to dig through ten thousand useless configurations when all I want to start with is a very, very, very basic laptop and just customize it a bit. I very much like the way Apple makes it so braindead easy (and a lot cleaner). All I went was "I want a mid-size display", "I want a half decent spec" and ended up with a mid-2009 midrange 15" MBP with my own SSD installed. Perfect. The whole purchase took less time than looking for the right "audience" I fit into to get the best models+prices on other sites.
>> they don't make it easy to figure out what exactly you're getting in the very beginning
I've bought computers from both Dell and Apple, and I think their sites are about the same. If you go to the Dell site, right off the bat, you can choose whether it's a home or a business computer. Then you can pick based on rough specs and price, and then customize from there. Which is not to say you have to customize. You don't. Same with Apple.
The main difference was my mentality when choosing who to buy from. With Dell, I wanted to customize. With Apple I wanted to not have to care. I think generally that's the main determining factor when people choose a manufacturer.
If you go to the Dell site, right off the bat, you can choose whether it's a home or a business computer.
Not only "can", but "must", which is really obnoxious. If I pick "business", are they going to try to rip me off because they figure I'm not spending my own money? If I pick "home", are they only going to show me the cheap stuff? There's no reason (that benefits users) to segment their products like that.
>> If I pick "business", are they going to try to rip me off because they figure I'm not spending my own money? If I pick "home", are they only going to show me the cheap stuff?
That's a strawman, considering Apple computers generally cost way more than the PC equivalents, and that Apple can be quite the cheapskate in components also (e.g. when i bought mine, it had a crappy the-sort-of-thing-you'd-see-in-a-HP video card and no upgrade options). Also, if the wizard-style sites bug you, retailer sites are often more "window-shopping" oriented.
The really odd thing is that all these manufacturers like Dell let you further customize the laptop you're looking at once you actually manage to find one you want. But they don't make it easy to figure out what exactly you're getting in the very beginning, and the process to get started has never been less convoluted as far as I can remember.
I may be a geek, but that doesn't mean I have half an hour to dig through ten thousand useless configurations when all I want to start with is a very, very, very basic laptop and just customize it a bit. I very much like the way Apple makes it so braindead easy (and a lot cleaner). All I went was "I want a mid-size display", "I want a half decent spec" and ended up with a mid-2009 midrange 15" MBP with my own SSD installed. Perfect. The whole purchase took less time than looking for the right "audience" I fit into to get the best models+prices on other sites.