Everyone has their own experiences with brands, and this is a recount of my own with Apple. If there is one thing that can be said about Apple products, it is that they are expensive! But maybe there is a reason why they are so expensive: maybe it is because they are very reliable.
I’ve purchased around 7 computers in my lifetime. I started out with Windows-based Pentium computers built by Compaq, and after becoming very interested in technology I started purchasing parts and building my own, like any hardcore tech geek. But, shockingly, I haven’t done that since purchasing my last computer. That last computer just so happened to be a Macbook.
This Is Reliability
My Macbook computer is nearly three years old. Interestingly, my first Mac-based computer is this very computer, and it is the only Apple computer I have purchased. Some might take interpret that information differently, but I believe it to be a very good thing.
This shows that Apple products are extremely reliable. I’ve seen many people in my family have computers break and fail, but none of them have been Apple products. And that just goes to show how impressive Apple’s products are.
I can’t recall any other technology product I have owned that has lasted as long. Not even my mobile, which I pay thousands every contract cycle can manage to last me even a year or two at times (I’m hoping my recent purchase of a Droid X fares better).
Now I’m not going to say that my experience with Apple products has been flawless. For example, I had to call Apple once to ask for a replacement power brick because the wire in my previous one melted near the connector. But Apple replaced it for free, even though I was out of warranty, with next-day shipping.
I also had a fairly serious issue where I had my Macbook develop a hairline crack. Now that was a serious issue, and one I never would have expected from an Apple product. But no company nor product is perfect. So, I again relied on Apple customer service to make it right, and they did, again, even though I was out of warranty (this hairline crack issue was common with my generation of Macbook).
Try getting that level of customer service from most other companies!
I was, again, surprised by how well Apple handled the situation, even though I wasn’t necessarily supposed to receive any support whatsoever. I know I wouldn’t have received any help by most other companies. So cheers to Apple for taking the extra steps to keep me happy.
So here I am with an aging Macbook that I have been very happy with. I feel that it will last for another few years, as long as the battery holds out. Unfortunately, the battery doesn’t last quite as long as it did when I got this thing new, but that is to be expected. But I am more than impressed with the value I received from this Macbook. But I’m thinking it’s time to upgrade.
Great Value
The good news is, however, that I could probably sell this Macbook for around 50 percent of the price I purchased it, which is pretty darn impressive considering how fast technology products depreciate (my $900 desktop that I built around the same time I purchased my Macbook is now probably worth peanuts). Is this simply because Apple products are cool? I doubt it, as many other technology products are cool, particularly in the mobile arena, but they depreciate drastically after a year or two. So what is it?
I think it is because Apple’s products are so reliable.
Not only do they retain their value even years after being purchased new, which opens up the opportunity to resell it later on down the road for to purchase something new again, but they also are built very well. When you add in the fact that you get unrivaled customer support from the company, I just can’t say enough.
In fact, I might have actually saved money when considering how much money I would probably have spent purchasing new desktop and laptop computers from lesser companies like Compaq — I know for a fact that my sister has gone through three Compaq laptops in the past few years.
Don’t get me wrong, though, as I’m by no means a hardcore Apple fanboy who will follow Apple to death, as I still run Windows- and Linux-based computers and own a Droid instead of an iPhone, but I am well aware why Apple fans are so loyal to the company. I don’t blame them.
Now, I’m sure there will be someone out there who has had a completely different experience than me with Apple, and I’m sure they will voice their opinion in the comments (which I encourage). I too realize that Apple has had some fairly serious issues with recent products failing. But you have to admire the fact that the company tries its best to make it right when things do go wrong.
So, if you are considering purchasing an Apple product in the future, or even if you are on the edge about purchasing your first Apple product, I think I could safely say that your purchase will be well worth it. I know mine has been so far.
Apple products might be an expensive investment, but it is well worth it.
