Filed under: Hardware, Portables, Surveys and Polls, Macbook Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air
Consumer Reports still hearts Macs
Consumer Reports continues to shower praise on all things Apple it seems. In a report in the June issue, the Magazine says Apple won the top three places in the 13 inch laptop derby. The unibody MacBook was in first place, followed by the MacBook Air, with the white plastic MacBook in a solid third place.CR also named the 15-inch MacBook Pro as top laptop in the 14- to 16-inch group, and the 17-inch MacBook Pro walked off with the honors in the 17- to 18-inch category. The HP Pavilion publicized in the first Laptop Hunters ad from Microsoft came in 4th in the category behind Dell and Lenovo laptops. The Sony VAIO FW370 that was the star of the 3rd Microsoft ad came in 5th in the 14- to 16-inch category.
Apple also took the honors for best in tech support.
This won't bring smiles to the folks in Redmond, who are going all out to convince people that Apple computers are not a good value. It should be noted that none of the Apple laptops were rated a best buy, but they all scored the highest in each category and were recommended by the magazine. Of course Apple has repeatedly said they are not trying to win on price, but on quality, and Consumer Reports seems to accept that as the case.
I generally don't put a lot of stock in CR for some of its testing, but these high ratings for Apple laptops are just one of a continuing chorus of approval from the press and generally happy Mac owners.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tzvi said 4:08PM on 5-05-2009
Mr. Martin,
Qhy don't you put much stock in CR's testing? Is there a flaw in their methodology we should know about? I've always trusted their reviews over those of the various tech websites, and especially biased magazines like Macworld, because Apple is a sponsor of many of these. CR has no sponsors, buys everything they review in the same retail market the rest of us use, and doesn't allow their reviews to be quoted in others' ads. They go to lengths to keep their impartial viewpoint, which is why I trust them.
So what are they doing wrong?
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Matthew said 4:54PM on 5-05-2009
Probably because they tend to put heavy weight on categories that do not add or subtract from the product and put less emphasis on categories that really do matter.
For example TVs: They put heavy emphasis on the speakers when in reality, people buying 52" tvs for watching blu-rays SHOULD have a receiver and speakers.
Le Big Mac said 8:28PM on 5-05-2009
It's not the be-all and end all, but CR does offer two things: 1) an overview of products that are worth looking at. Why consider seriously a computer that gets low marks across the board. 2) Ratings for customer support and reliability, which are much harder to compare up front.
That said, sure, their ratings often don't weigh things as you or I might (which also may be different), and, worse, they often compare apples to oranges (sorry), by which I mean top-of-the-line Macbook Pro to a mediocre Dell, or vice versa.
Dave Barnes said 9:50PM on 5-05-2009
@Matthew
"Probably because they tend to put heavy weight on categories that do not add or subtract from the product"
Spot on.
CR gives equal visual weight to performance, versatility, ergonomics and speakers.
WTF?!
See http://forums.appleinsider.com/showpost.php?p=1412707&postcount=62
So, ergonomics is equal to speakers?
I subscribe to CR. I think they do a great job with slow-moving technologies such as washing machines and laundry detergent.
But, computers. Forget it.
Ken Broughton said 4:21AM on 5-06-2009
With respect, you guys are hardly the typical consumer. YOU may think a high end TV 'requires' separate speakers. If you were even vaguely representative then don't you think the manufacturer's might have cottoned on and included these in their packages? The fact is that most people just want to buy an item that looks nice in their living room, and works easily, and then forget about it. Your claims that they are getting their testing wrong is really just criticising them for not having you as god-editor creating magazine especially for you and your individual tastes and view... which if you think about it is a stage we're mostly meant to grow out of after we cease being toddlers.
ABCNEWSER said 4:21PM on 5-05-2009
Kind of disappointed the iMac wasn't first in AllInOnes catagory. I don't understand what they don't like about it.
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Luna Lovegood said 4:25PM on 5-05-2009
"The HP Pavilion publicized in the first Laptop Hunters ad from Microsoft came in 4th in the category behind Dell and Lenovo laptops. The Sony VAIO FW370 that was the star of the 3rd Microsoft ad came in 5th in the 14- to 16-inch category."
Let it go.
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mark said 8:48PM on 5-05-2009
TUAW wrote:
"I generally don't put a lot of stock in CR for some of its testing...."
Why not? They're impartial, typically quite thorough, and are well-respected. So, what concrete reasons would you have for *not* putting stock in their testing?
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MRBlue said 1:49AM on 5-06-2009
When you make a great (and green) product with a great OS and software suite it's not impossible to see why Apple systems got top honors.
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reddy said 4:42AM on 5-06-2009
Good article ,here I have a good place that is Tradestead , there are different kinds of beautiful and powerful consumer electronics that I like it very much!
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Tom said 8:43PM on 5-06-2009
I take most CR reviews with a grain of salt, I'm not sure how it is with computer hardware but as far as cars they're definitely questionable.
http://www.enbargain.com
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eric said 2:46PM on 5-28-2009
Try syncing a smartphone to a Mac. The Mac is worthless. It can't manage to work 10 year old technology. Pathetic.
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Sharon Davis said 12:39AM on 7-17-2009
If you get occasional game samples it sure would be nice to pass them around after you are thru with your testing, I have signed up for so many things like that and in years and years I have never gotten a freebie. I have won contests, just would love to win a test game or whatever.
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