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The GPU in the Neo isn't particularly fast...nor is the storage. Neo makes loads of compromises to hit $600 with some of it's features. Even for $400 you can ge
by chocochunks 7mo ago
The GPU in the Neo isn't particularly fast...nor is the storage. Neo makes loads of compromises to hit $600 with some of it's features. Even for $400 you can get Windows PCs with TWO whole USB 3.0 ports. $400 quickly hits diminishing returns territory.
Like here's a $500 PC:
https://www.amazon.com/Aspire-Copilot-WUXGA-Display-Processor/dp/B0DWNLN3KP https://www.amazon.com/Aspire-Copilot-WUXGA-Display-Processo...
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Acer-Aspire-14-AI-review-Basic-home-and-office-laptop-done-right.974950.0.html#c12912859 https://www.notebookcheck.net/Acer-Aspire-14-AI-review-Basic...
Twice the storage, twice the RAM, comparable GPU. CPU is a slower in single core, but comparable in multi-core. Faster storage. USB 4, HDMI, multiple USB A ports. Supports more than 1 external monitor. Yep, chassis and screen are worse but it's better in many other ways.
- philistine 7mo agoYou're proving the point. The computer you found wins on the specs page for sure. But the proof is in the pudding; Apple makes money hand over fist because they focus on reasonable specs, and quality. The thing that kills a modern laptop is not a slow CPU or RAM on the chip; it's a cheap chassis that breaks. That's what makes people change their computer.
- chocochunks 7mo agoApple wins on the perception of being a luxury brand. That's it.
- kstrauser 7mo agoThat, and having a machine at this price point that people aren’t horrified to use.
- chocochunks 7mo agoWhat makes it horrifying? Plastic? Is the only thing that's important the material it's made out of? I think there's many use cases where the Acer would be less horrifying to use than the Neo. Which device would be better for running a Linux VM for CS class homework for example?
- kotaKat 7mo agoHypervisor.framework on the Mac, personally.
- chocochunks 7mo agoWith half the RAM?
- ryandrake 7mo agoA vanishingly small number of end users (both PC and Mac) care about how much RAM they have. I'd be willing to bet that at least 75% of PC and Mac laptop owners couldn't even tell you how much RAM they have, or they mistake hard disk storage for RAM or vice versa.
- MrDrMcCoy 7mo agoWhy bother with a VM for Linux on the Acer? Just run it natively. There's almost nothing that actually requires Microsoft anymore, and you'll get better performance.
- garbagewoman 7mo agoIts ok, your laptop is best, just go buy it already
- janalsncm 7mo agoIt’s not just about perception. Apple doesn’t load your computer up with crapware and ads from the five different companies in the supply chain. They got away with it forever because at $600 there was no competition. I would say it’s more that Microsoft will make your $600 feel cheap, Apple will make it feel respectable.
- autoexec 7mo ago> Apple doesn’t load your computer up with crapware and ads from the five different companies in the supply chain. No apple prefers to have a monopoly on ads and crapware but they're still there. The internet is filled with annoyed apple customers who want to debloat their systems: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254337272 https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254337272 https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/414682/how-can-i-remove-unwanted-preinstalled-apps-from-macos https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/414682/how-can-i-r... https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/articles/5gb-pure-bloatware-apple-intelligence-200000861.html https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/articles/5gb-pure-bloatware-apple-... https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macos-debloating-thread.2278758/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macos-debloating-thread...
- kstrauser 7mo agoYou didn't read any of those, did you. They're asking about things like, literally: How can I delete the Chess app? How do I disable Spotlight? How do I remove Siri? Those are not in any way comparable to ads or Candy Crush in the start menu.
- fsflover 7mo agoI now assume that all ads on Apple news are scams (kirkville.com) 1178 points by cdrnsf 49 days ago | 564 comments https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46911901 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46911901 Apple testing new App Store design that blurs the line between ads and results (9to5mac.com) 618 points by ksec 67 days ago | 514 comments https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46680974 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46680974 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46463180 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46463180 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46325114 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46325114
- gopher_space 7mo agoI have thirty years worth of old laptops in a closet. The macs all have hinges that still work. It’s nice to own things designed to not fall apart after a few years.
- longislandguido 7mo agoWill you be adding the Neo to the pile in your closet? Because that's where it belongs with 8GB of RAM.
- gopher_space 7mo agoLook, sometimes Apple sucks and sometimes Microsoft sucks. The only thing that sucks 100% of the time is a monoculture.
- chocochunks 6mo agoGuess you didn't buy a PowerBook 5300 or a Titanium PowerBook G4, both infamous for hinge failure. Our 5300 didn't even make it to the four year mark.
- kstrauser 7mo agoSo for $100 less, you get a markedly lower-DPI screen that's 40% dimmer, a slower CPU, hotter running, and a worse chassis. Almost no one's going to be slapping multiple external monitors on either of these. If they did, they might run into the problem where the Acer is often limited to 640x480: https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/733442/have-a-new-aspire-14-ai-external-display-resolution-will-not-go-better-than-640-x-480-help?tab=all https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/733442/have-a-new-a... That is not remotely in the same category as the Neo.
- chocochunks 7mo agoYou get twice as much RAM, twice as much storage. 4x faster storage too. You get a full sized HDMI port. You can do multiple monitors if you need to. It has a fan for better sustained performance. You can plug in a flash drive, mouse, monitor or other external peripheral without a dongle. Oh, and it's actually COOLER running than the Neo. The Neo costs a $100 more, needs a $30 dongle to connect to 90% of the stuff people have, has half the RAM, half the storage, slower storage. Has considerably worse I/O. But has a better screen and build quality comparable to a MacBook Pro from 2007. It's different compromises. Personally I'd rather have more RAM, storage and IO than a prettier case and better screen.
- janalsncm 7mo agoYou don’t need to buy Apple adapters. You can buy a $10 usbc to hdmi adapter off Amazon and it’ll work just fine. Same thing with the USB A ports. Not really selling point imo.
- chocochunks 7mo agoApple's official HDMI adapter is $70. I was already talking generic.
- kstrauser 7mo agoOr just use a Thunderbolt cable to send video, power, and USB to a newer monitor with a single cord. That’s my work setup and I’d never go back. And yeah, USB A? I got a cheapo C-to-A hub for my dwindling number of legacy devices. There’s no remaining upside to A.
- yourusername 7mo agoThe screen is also much worse. 60% SRGB coverage 1920x1200 300 nits vs 97% 2408x1506 500 nits. I'd pick the macbook neo for $99 extra.
- thrawa8387336 7mo agoShould be at least 4X the RAM and 4X CPU cores, just to run Windows at a comparable speed.