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This comes at no surprise. I predicted that at some point desktop computers used by designers and software engineers would start approaching workstation class p

This comes at no surprise. I predicted that at some point desktop computers used by designers and software engineers would start approaching workstation class pricing (around 4K USD or more) as laptops took over. This will reflect the depressed demand as more people are able to get what they need done via a laptop. Apple might be one of the few manufacturers able to sell desktops at a loss, and justify it since the Makers are the ones using them to generate demand for other, higher margin products like phones, tablets, and laptops. The PC market also exhibits this trend, but at a slower pace because PC gamers keep prices a little more depressed. However now that high end GPUs are approaching $1000 each, it's probably happening there too.

bluedino 10y ago
What do you need a Pro for that you can't do on a 15" MacBook or iMac? Serious video editing and 3D graphics. That's about it. For 95% of us the portables get the job done.
- _ph_ 10y ago
  3D graphics - the graphics of the Mac Pro have not been refreshed in 3 years. Lots of memory. More CPU than the iMac. Better storage. Multiple screens. Better cooling. I have a MB Pro and an iMac, and while they are great devices, a proper desktop mac is something I miss.
analog31 10y ago
I wonder if a problem is maintaining a commitment to the Mac when the computer market is no longer committed to desktop / laptop computers in general. It seems that the world has kinda topped out on what they (we?) need, which is some kind of modestly functioning computer with a keyboard for "work," and a phone for everything else.
- pdimitar 10y ago
  The "death of the desktop computers" is greatly exaggerated. It's simply that a well-built future-proof PC can easily last you 5 years. I have the 2nd generation i7 and after 5 years of usage, I only added 16GB RAM and a better GPU (since I play demanding games). Might add 2x 512GB SSDs but I guess I'll just switch the motherboard and CPU in order to be able to use the NVMe models. Anyway. The market might have platooed on the profit margins several years ago but that doesn't mean that the PC and gaming laptop branches aren't VERY much alive and kicking, and even gathering steam lately.
  - pvdebbe 10y ago
    Good ol' i5-2500k Sandy Bridge keeps going on strong. I expect it to last yet another 5 years. "Thanks" to intel monopoly the desktop has been in a good place (if a tad expensive) for a long time now.
    - lostboys67 10y ago
      Depends how good the new ARM chips are
MaysonL 10y ago
From your mouth to Tim Cook's ears. (Although I highly doubt it: Apple seem to be too much in love of high margins on everything)
chaostheory 10y ago
> Apple might be one of the few manufacturers able to sell desktops at a loss I wish this was true, but at the price points they're selling the mac pro; I have a hard time thinking that they are losing money on each unit.
eropple 10y ago
High-end GPUs are overkill for most tasks for software developers. My current PC has a $600 GPU in it (because I wanted to buy top-of-the-line, and that meant the 980 Ti; I carried it over to the new build), which is now about a $300 GPU. The rest of the desktop was $800, including 32GB of RAM and a 6700K. It's not nearly as expensive as you suggest and it's not going to be. A high-end PC is going to top out at $1400 or so for the foreseeable future. You can go higher if you want to pay for it--but you aren't going to need to. If anything, those prices will come down, not go up.
lostboys67 10y ago
You still going to be able to build a "workstation" PC for less than apple. And I am assuming you mean a Single i7 on consumer mother boards. I am not sure if even the most expensive MAC pro could get near something built on say the X99-E-10G WS workstation class MB (4x SLI and 128GB Main Memory) $x Graphics cards 128GB

bluedino 10y ago

What do you need a Pro for that you can't do on a 15" MacBook or iMac? Serious video editing and 3D graphics. That's about it. For 95% of us the portables get the job done.

_ph_ 10y ago
3D graphics - the graphics of the Mac Pro have not been refreshed in 3 years. Lots of memory. More CPU than the iMac. Better storage. Multiple screens. Better cooling. I have a MB Pro and an iMac, and while they are great devices, a proper desktop mac is something I miss.

analog31 10y ago

I wonder if a problem is maintaining a commitment to the Mac when the computer market is no longer committed to desktop / laptop computers in general. It seems that the world has kinda topped out on what they (we?) need, which is some kind of modestly functioning computer with a keyboard for "work," and a phone for everything else.

pdimitar 10y ago
The "death of the desktop computers" is greatly exaggerated. It's simply that a well-built future-proof PC can easily last you 5 years. I have the 2nd generation i7 and after 5 years of usage, I only added 16GB RAM and a better GPU (since I play demanding games). Might add 2x 512GB SSDs but I guess I'll just switch the motherboard and CPU in order to be able to use the NVMe models. Anyway. The market might have platooed on the profit margins several years ago but that doesn't mean that the PC and gaming laptop branches aren't VERY much alive and kicking, and even gathering steam lately.
- pvdebbe 10y ago
  Good ol' i5-2500k Sandy Bridge keeps going on strong. I expect it to last yet another 5 years. "Thanks" to intel monopoly the desktop has been in a good place (if a tad expensive) for a long time now.
  - lostboys67 10y ago
    Depends how good the new ARM chips are

MaysonL 10y ago

From your mouth to Tim Cook's ears. (Although I highly doubt it: Apple seem to be too much in love of high margins on everything)

chaostheory 10y ago

> Apple might be one of the few manufacturers able to sell desktops at a loss I wish this was true, but at the price points they're selling the mac pro; I have a hard time thinking that they are losing money on each unit.

eropple 10y ago

High-end GPUs are overkill for most tasks for software developers. My current PC has a $600 GPU in it (because I wanted to buy top-of-the-line, and that meant the 980 Ti; I carried it over to the new build), which is now about a $300 GPU. The rest of the desktop was $800, including 32GB of RAM and a 6700K. It's not nearly as expensive as you suggest and it's not going to be. A high-end PC is going to top out at $1400 or so for the foreseeable future. You can go higher if you want to pay for it--but you aren't going to need to. If anything, those prices will come down, not go up.

lostboys67 10y ago

You still going to be able to build a "workstation" PC for less than apple. And I am assuming you mean a Single i7 on consumer mother boards. I am not sure if even the most expensive MAC pro could get near something built on say the X99-E-10G WS workstation class MB (4x SLI and 128GB Main Memory) $x Graphics cards 128GB