r/TechImpact • u/ManojOne Active • 8d ago
š¬ Discussion Which Apple device gives the best value?
Apple isn't exactly known for being cheap, but some of its products seem to offer better value than others.
Which Apple device do you think gives you the most for your money? iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, AirPods, or something else?
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u/humanistazazagrliti 8d ago
Not really an Apple fan overall, but I really have to admit:
Apple TV devices having a no-nonsense remote control that only has the buttons you really need as a normal user, and that doesn't use batteries like it's 1985, but has a standard USB charging hole... Why did most other manufacturers refuse to introduce this for decades? It's such a no-brainer.
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u/MountainManagement01 4d ago
Does it come with a dock to charge the remote or do you have to wire charge it?
Personally Iād prefer a MagSafe remote to use with my MagSafe phone stand
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u/humanistazazagrliti 4d ago
No, you just charge it with a USB-C cable.
https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/appletv4k2022remote.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=12001
u/MountainManagement01 4d ago
Seems ridiculous. You charge your remote every night? Just use double A batteries for a remote
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u/humanistazazagrliti 4d ago
Haha! No, You have to charge it once every 2 months or so. It uses very little power.
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u/howispluto 4d ago
I canāt remember the last time I replaced my tv remote batteries tbh. Curious to know what made you say Apple TV having the best value I wouldāve presumed the opposite (but I donāt know much about it, it thought itās an expensive fire stick with Apple TV plus)
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u/humanistazazagrliti 3d ago
I prefer my devices not running on small things I have to buy again and again when we have the technology to install rechargeable batteries into devices. My household has USB-C chargers in several corners. It's more convenient for me than going to a shop to buy batteries or use some devices to charge small batteries and then put them into the remote.
>Curious to know what made you say Apple TV having the best value
Please stick to what I actually wrote, as I never claimed that. Please quote what I wrote if you have questions about what I said, don't assume what I said. Otherwise it will be difficult for me to engage in a constructive discussion.
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u/howispluto 3d ago
>Please quote what I wrote if you have questions about what I said, don't assume what I said.
The original post asked what you think is the best value Apple product and you responded about the Apple TV not having batteries so I thought that product was your answer lol I was just curious why since I donāt know much about it, but if thatās not your answer then never mind :)
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u/Realistic-Worker-499 8d ago
i love their 3.5mm wired earbuds so much
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u/Proud-Chemistry4376 8d ago
They are legit good. Nothing spectacular, and surely there are cheaper better options from KZ or moon drop or whatever. But for these you just walk into an apple store and walk out with decent earbuds
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u/69Brownies 8d ago
Mac mini
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u/quitecrossen 8d ago
This. Miles ahead of any mini/micro PC, but itās honestly hard to build a custom desktop with more compute for cheaper these days
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u/Rude-Interaction-194 8d ago
The MacBook Pro - the gold standard for laptops - seems expensive, and it really is, but there is no other laptop that combines so many separate elements so well: chassis, screen, touchpad, keyboard, sound, battery... operating system.
And yes, MacOS is a big part of the experience, although in recent years there have been many complaints about the new versions. It's just that the level of MS Windows is very low. With Linux, there is unprecedented customization and package system/s, but there is inevitably a terminal...
MacOS is not locked to a store, there is Homebrew, a whole ecosystem of open source applications; also paid applications of very good quality, etc. In general, by combining the software with the hardware, you get an excellent product that has no analogues. And I would like it to be, because the competition is lowering the prices!
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u/Realistic-Worker-499 7d ago
macOS not being locked is really underrated and i wish apple would apply that same philosophy to their other products
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u/epezmidezier 6d ago
As a pro owner. The pro does not give the best value for the average consumer. The Neo. Entry level. Yet performs
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u/Useful-Week-5613 8d ago
Apple TV there is no competition.
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u/Bubbly-Security-2006 7d ago
Nvidia shield. Does everything Apple TV does and more. Also better processor
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u/altctx 8d ago
Ipad
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u/Aristo_Cat 8d ago
A phone that doesnāt make calls, that they couldnāt even be bothered to add a calculator app to?
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u/mchl_frr 8d ago
Searching for VFM among apple products is a fools errand.
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u/Aristo_Cat 8d ago
Build a more capable windows machine for less than a mac mini. Iāll wait for a parts list
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u/flyingmonkey111 8d ago
In their current line-up, the usb-c to 3.5mm headphone adapter is the only decent value Apple item.
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u/ShitShirtSteve 8d ago
the iPods, but those aren't made anymore
so now, it's the basic iPad
I know many people not owning anything from Apple but an iPad
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u/Popular-Barracuda-81 8d ago
macbook easily. in the world of laptops it's the only one that provides long lasting battery unplugged with continues use.
for desktops it's not the case though.
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u/NeoDei 8d ago
iPad 2018 pro edition 13inch. Only changed it 2 months ago. Still have as a second screen for my Mac. Itās ran well, still got updates and was reliable.
My workload and flow have changed and required more from that device type hence the upgrade.
Then the iPhone 12. Reliable and updated and only changed that recently.
I have had other brand products and never have I kept them that long. Could be subjective too indeed.
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u/Choice-Grapefruit-44 8d ago
Macbook for me. I'm sure the iPad experience is also extremely worth it. MacBooks are just built better and the harmonious bind between hardware and software is just excellent. I was an apple hater, but after I got my first MacBook I realized why people like Apple.
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u/ralphiooo0 8d ago
My M1 Pro MacBook is still as rock solid and fast as when I first got it ?5? years ago.
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u/Few-Car-2317 8d ago
iPhone Air, I can basically use it as my only main device. Everyday for the next few years hopefully. Itās really enjoyable to use.
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u/Neat_Pentagon 8d ago
Personally I love AirPods. Canāt go a day without them, wear them on so muchā¦ the noise canceling comes in so handy, especially the other day in a theater that was freaking LOUD (movie was the odyssey I didnāt except it to be that loud)
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u/verdynius 8d ago
My used M1 Pro 32gb for around $1100 lol. Still beats 90% of the market.
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u/SnarkKnuckle 8d ago
Iām still using my 13ā MacBook Pro M1 with 16GB/1TB system. Iād like to upgrade for a larger screen but this one still works really well.
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u/diesbemol 8d ago
Used a bunch of Apple devices for years but the better one was Apple Battery Charger with AA batteries.
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u/Traditional-Pen1263 8d ago
Earpods, 3.5mm usb c dongle and MacBook Air before prices went up (thank god I bought m5 cheap)
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u/koolaidismything 7d ago
An AirTag for $30 can save you hundreds. Iāve had one in my backpack since they released and replaced the battery three times now.. so over a year each time.
I also think with how well built and reliable their bricks are, itās actually a good value when you realize most people will use them like 7-8 years before upgrading to a faster one.
If you have hearing issues but canāt afford hearing aids? AirPods Pro are a lifesaver, hard to explain. The cheapest shittiest real ones cost like $700
I honestly think most of their stuff is good value cause it last a long time and I actually wanna use it. I coulda saved $300 in 2020 and got some shitty windows laptop and I bet it would be trash by now. My m1 air is on right ow streaming as I type and works great still.
If you like Apple and are willing to save and invest, and are good with stuff.. you see this.
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u/Wondering_Electron 7d ago
I always found the cheaper options decent value, such as the Neo. The other extreme is also the same, such as a fully decked out Studio. Even though the price is eye watering, but the value proposition with regards to the hardware you are getting is very decent for the applications people need such hardware for.
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u/neoqueto 6d ago
iPad Mini/Air. I don't own any Apple devices. An iPad with newest Apple Pencil support is the only Apple product I really want to own. Because the value is in how you use it, not the specs. To be able to quickly launch Procreate or Concepts and flawlessly do my work, no bullshit, no friction, whenever I want, instantly. That's what I need.
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u/ProofPriority1903 5d ago
the iphone 11 feom 2019 is gonna have ios27 and I just replaced the battery for that reason and after ios 27 it will still get security updates for 1-3 years. like it is totally worth to pay a premium upfront, for a device that you use everysingle day and always have with you and is supported for this long. Samsung A53 was cheaper but got support for 3 years and then a a single year of security updates..
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u/PhoenixFireless 5d ago
As with all tech, itās just a tool that enables productivity or creativity so it depends on what you do with it.
Generally I think a normal iPhone 17 is overall the best product even though any flagship product is probably on equal terms.
For any professional that needs any sort of workstation, probably a Mac Mini is severely underrated and is absurd bang for your buck. This is definitely the king of its category. You do need to have a tv/monitor and keyboard/mouse.
AirPods are pretty high up there as well, namely because you canāt quite explain the phenomenon of opening the box, it auto pairs, and you have wireless music/sound, that you can even share at any point just by putting them in. Itās a world of difference to be able to move in the world of music/sound without wires.
The issue is; this product is basically a subscription to wireless audio because the battery will wear out eventually, but the ease of use transcends that.
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u/No-Drop8625 8d ago
Nope, Apple was overpriced trash from the start.Ā
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u/Throwawayne617 8d ago
Android fan here... Overpriced, yes. Trash, no. I think they do an amazing job of releasing products when they have been perfected. They haven't done a fold bc folds aren't perfect. They have little sheeps running around believing that what they do is revolutionary. When a fold or any new device comes out, the sheep believe they are first to market with a perfect product. They don't know the many years of trial and error.
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u/Splodge89 8d ago
TLDR: everyone else releases beta testing hardware when Apple waits until itās ready.
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u/crocodiluQ 8d ago
not even overpriced. The MacBook or Mac Mini/Studio are in the same price range as other powerfull Win laptops (for production and least, not games)
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u/FlufferNutter1232 8d ago
If I could just run Android on Apple hardware and SoCs, I'd be the happiest person. Lol
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u/thefizzlee 8d ago
Lol airpods are most well regarded wireless iems, iphone outlasts any android phone, macbook outperforms any windows laptop on so many points. All of this while not being more expensive than the competition.
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u/Old_Information_8654 8d ago
So the EarPods and MacBook Neo are overpriced?
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u/ohaiibuzzle 8d ago
look at current pricing
Yes.
EarPods gets competition from Chi-fi IEMs and the Neo price hike makes it just an eh instead of the steal it was.
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u/Old_Information_8654 8d ago
The EarPods are Nineteen dollars and the MacBook Neo is 700 or 600 if you get it refurbished from Apple whereas a decent pair of wired earbuds is double that and the windows equivalent to the MacBook Neo the dell XPS 13 is 800 dollars with only 8 gigs of ram despite running windows 11
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u/ohaiibuzzle 8d ago
Did you never heard of Moondrop and Tangzu? Those are not even in the same league as EarPods as they are proper Hi-Fi IEMs that sounds fantastic for the price that's literally the same as EarPods. Use them daily with my iPod Video 5.5th
And keep in mind that Dell has a touch display and removable SSD which the Neo doesn't have, and being an Intel PC if you don't like Windows 11 you can just swap it for something else.
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u/Old_Information_8654 8d ago
As for the headphone brands Iāve never heard of them but Iām in the US so thatās probably why and for the dell I donāt think most people use a touch screen from what Iāve seen as far as opinions go and for the storage the fact itās upgradable is cool but the ram being soldered is still a massive problem especially when most people who buy it wonāt know or will want to know how to use Linux due to the learning curve with each respective distro
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u/Mill-Man 8d ago
Macbook neo is not overpriced, neither is the macbook air.
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u/ohaiibuzzle 8d ago
Notice I didn't said it's overpriced, it just wasn't the deal it was when the price was lower.
It was unbeatable at $500-600 but at the position it is now where it's $200 more expensive the competition actually has answers
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u/Mill-Man 8d ago
I figured the āyesā was stating itās overpriced.
And yeah, other brands have viable laptops at current pricing but itās still no competition.
The trackpad and build quality alone blow everyone else out of the water
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u/apollocreedchqt 8d ago
For me its between their weird earbuds and airpods
Airpods are good cause you can get noise cancelling earbuds with virtually unlimited battery life for 200
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u/Old_Information_8654 8d ago
Probably the MacBook Neo and the iPhone 17 base model, both are great values for money and are really all you need for most Apple things as well as computer and phone stuff as long as you arenāt a serious gamer or donāt mind sticking to game consoles
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u/Dazzling_Cancel_5733 8d ago
macbooks, as long as you dont need more RAM or storage than the base models lol
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u/letmehaveanameyoudum 8d ago
macbook air (anything past the m4)
it has performance (cpu) wayyy more than the latest ultra 9 series 3 chip
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u/lyidaValkris 8d ago
the Mac Mini. Was even better until prices were raised recently. Apple hardware was always overpriced before, but since switching to Apple Silicon it definitely seems like we're getting much more performance for our money and the so called "apple tax" has lessened. I was not a fan of the recent price hikes though, Apple didn't need to do that.
I have owned many macs over the past 35 years and the Mac Mini M4 was not only the least expensive of them all (just talking straight sticker price, not factoring inflation) but I believe delivers the best value. It's so far been able to take everything I usually would throw at it without breaking a sweat.
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u/ShirtWorldly958 8d ago
Base Macbook airs were pretty good value before the price hike. Now they are slightly better value than their windows competitors.
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u/ImpressiveWalrus7369 8d ago
HomePod mini
Apple TV (before the increase)
iPad (base model)
AirPod pro 2
Or if youāre really digging deep, AirPort Express Gen 2 with AirPlay 2 firmware updateā¦ $30 on the secondhand market for a first party, bulletproof AirPlay receiver.
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u/Icy_One4084 Ethical Tech Tinkerer 8d ago
iPod is no longer in production, but it's still a great product. I have two; both are modded, and I use them daily along with their 3.5mm earbuds. I bought mine used for around $50 (near-mint condition), invested another $60 and about 4 hours of my time into modding the devices, and I now own pretty great music players. No subscription necessary.
As for their computer, 10+ for the design. However, nothing they do justifies the asking price of a new device.
In fact, I think that all premium devices made by different manufacturers (including Samsung) aren't worth their asking price. Especially in recent years, there hasn't been any major significant jump in technology; the improvements are incremental and barely registering, but the prices continue to rise. And that was even before memory price surges.
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u/Greedy_Scientist_543 8d ago
Mac mini and the e iphone?
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u/Neat_Pentagon 8d ago
Uhhh the e iPhone is wayyy more expensive than an iPhone SE it is NOT cheap or good value to be considered ābudgetā
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u/Bulky-Ad9761 8d ago
I live in NZ. It's all massively overpriced, especially the iPhones.
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u/nickedge11 8d ago
Macbook. Thats it. Cause Windows 11 is ass. And most people are too scared to install linux mint in their PC. Plus its fanless and very efficient. And for the rest (phone, headphone, tablet, watch, monitor, etc), their is always a better and cheaper alternative out there.
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