Macs are considered expensive. On US list prices Apple is already ahead on the purchase price in five of seven device classes, and over four years in all seven, because residual value, IT support, energy and licences pull the difference back.
Project Wizard’s interactive TCO calculator compares Apple and Windows devices over one to six years, with acquisition, residual value, IT support, energy and software licences as separate items. The figures come from IBM, Forrester and Jamf.
According to ProjectWizards, “where the sources give a range, the calculator uses the value less favorable to Apple; every assumption is sourced and can be overridden.”
Studies by IBM and Forrester put the savings per Mac at US$273 to $843 dollars over its lifecycle due to fewer support tickets, higher residual values, no separate operating system licenses and lower energy consumption. The TCO calculator compares seven device categories, from entry-level laptops to smartphones, and adds the licenses for project management and documentation software on request. You can replace the figures the calculator with your own if you wish.
Here’s the conclusion from the ProjectWizards’ report: In five of the seven categories the Apple device is even cheaper to buy, and on the all-in-one desktop both sides are level. Only on the pro laptop does Windows start cheaper: the Dell XPS 14 begins about 300 US dollars below the MacBook Pro 14, and that is also where the narrowest final gap of about 80 US dollars remains. In every other category, residual value, support and energy pull the difference clear over the period of use. In the end, your own numbers decide: enter your device prices and see how the math works out for you.
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Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today
