"Sheila browses through a few more notebooks before settling on an HP HDX 16t. The specific details of the system were not disclosed, but HP offers configurations starting at $1200. The recommended system costs $1700, directly from the manufacturer, and features a 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 320GB hard drive and 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT GPU."
At least she got a good machine that might actually be suitable for the task and her requirements (unlike Giampaolo whose choice still baffles me every time I see his commercial). The only puzzling part of the ad is her requirement that the new machine be able to "cut video." Okay, I can understand that. My question comes from her strange platform hunting. After all, how many hardcore video editors aren't already married to one particular piece of software?
For example, most of my editing is done on iMovie '09 and for bigger projects that require more oomph, I use Final Cut Express, neither of which would allow me to buy a Windows PC. Ever. Wouldn't someone as hardcore as Sheila have a similar preference? And if so, why even bother looking at other platforms?
Just struck me as odd, but like I said, at least she got a good machine.
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Current Apple Stuff: 2008 MacBook Pro 15.4", iPhone 3Gs (32gb), AppleTV, 4gb Shuffle.
I figure Microsoft's case would be stronger if these laptop hunters were all focused under $1000. If I were looking for a laptop and had $1200 to spend, I'd just get a MacBook.
You could always face the fact that you're not part of the demographics that these ads are aimed at.
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Current devices: iPhone 3G. Previous devices: Samsung Epix and 1st gen 32GB iPod Touch BlackJack II, iPaq 6945, iPaq hx4705, Dell Axim x30 high, iPaq 3765.
My question comes from her strange platform hunting. After all, how many hardcore video editors aren't already married to one particular piece of software?
Personally, I didn't perceive her as being "hardcore" - she seemed like someone who was just starting out, because you're right, someone with a lot of video editing experience would have a preferred application and that would guide their decision. Heck, if she really knew what she was doing, she should have gotten a desktop PC with an Intel Core i7 CPU - there's nothing faster for video rendering.
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I have to say - if I walked into a store with a budget of $2000 to buy a notebook, and then somebody handed me $2000, my budget would no longer be $2000 - it would now be probably around $3000. In other words, if I was all set to spend two grand already, why wouldn't I just take the extra two grand and buy a better machine?
(And, if the latest Consumer Reports is to be believed, Mac notebooks are best at each size that they looked - 13", 15" and 17" - the top 3 at 13", too. Not that we didn't know that already . . .)
I had another thought as I was watching this commercial again: Apple's artificial use of RAM as a differentiating factor might turn some people off. RAM is cheap - there's no reason for even Apple's lowest-end Macbook to not come with 3GB or 4GB of RAM. Windows laptops do - even the $799 laptops. Apple instead tries to use RAM as a dividing line between their laptops - which is just silly.
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Microsoft Uncorks New "Laptop Hunters" Ad
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