New Microsoft Ad Shows How PCs Are Always Cheaper Than Macs

by Laura June — Mar 27th 2009 at 3:41PM

Microsoft's latest ad -- a companion-piece to its new "Laptop Hunters" website -- stars "real person" Lauren. Lauren's a little funky, a little folksy, and 100 percent real. She doesn't have an agenda to push, she's just out in the world, living in "reality" searching for a sweet laptop that's under $1,000. She admits to herself she's "not cool" enough for a Mac (though cool enough for a Volkswagen) and gets on with her life. She's a real American -- with an unpretentious, pragmatic life. The ad rather smartly puts the focus on our current economic climate, while expertly reinforcing that age old Apple-user-as-dick stereotype, pejoratively wielding the word "cool" as an underhanded insult -- odd, since the Microsoft portal it wants you to visit helps "socialites" pick a laptop. All in all? It's kind of a brilliantly mean piece of work -- check it out after the break.

[Via BoingBoing]

Tags: ad, advertisement, advertising, apple, im a pc, ImAPc, laptop hunters, LaptopHunters, lauren, microsoft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Reginald E Johnson said 4:26PM on 3-27-2009

What do you expect? That's like comparing a Yugo to a Viper! When you have got the best, you have to pay for it. Some of you may have noticed that the Vista system looks a whole lot like OSX! One of my friends has actually made her Vista desktop look just like mine and I have a Macbook Pro. Ain't that a blip!

LIVININDAREALWORLD said 7:07AM on 4-06-2009

Funny tho she "DOES" have Vista no matter what she makes it look like.

Reginald E Johnson said 4:28PM on 3-27-2009

One more thing that most people fail to realize is that Apple makes the operating system and the hardware! Microsoft just makes the software to run it!

Joe said 12:35AM on 4-05-2009

Apple does not make the components that are in your little Mac. Open up your laptop and look at the circuitry and you might actually learn something. Like dont type something you don't know.

mikemaj82 said 5:01PM on 3-27-2009

Microsoft has the worst advertising department in the world. Another commercial that means absolutely nothing. Just like the "I'm a PC" commercial..wtf? The reason it's cheaper than a MAC is because she probably got a virus on it the minute she hooked it up to the internet.

Ted Stevens said 1:55PM on 4-01-2009

Microsoft does have problems with marketing, probably because they have no idea what they want to be. They want to get away from looking like an old stodgy company like IBM, but when they make ads they come off like a dad having a midlife crisis and trying to look cool to his kids. Apple products are hardly perfect, but their advertising is. They manage to make ads that appeal to people without trying too hard to look "cool". Microsoft just makes ads that make no sense, like the Seinfeld ad, or ones that come off as fake and corporate. The key to good marketing is to make people forget it's marketing.

casey said 10:20PM on 3-27-2009

mikemaj is the man man. he said what i don't have to. bill gates is a virus. he redirects his porn surfing to all of our IPs so we are left with the (pun named) trojans. !

Nota Fanboi said 11:25PM on 3-27-2009

Look Reg, Apple DOES NOT make the hardware. Intel does, and if you look, you will see that you are paying much more for the same product. Apple requests different SKU's for products that Intel currently produces just to create teh appearance of a difference. In the real world, thos parts are the same, and they perform the same tasks. The "HOW" is different. Apple charges you a premium because you simply are willing to pay that premium. Just be honest about it. BTW, I have a MAC friend, and he made his OSX desktop look like my Vista desktop, and that proves what? Mike, hey, if she did get a virus, it could be removed, unlike the SAD MAC or silly bomb icons.

nathan said 8:06PM on 6-05-2009

Apple does design the hardware. Sure, they don't make the chips, but that's not the claim. They design the operating system to fit and work well with the exact hardware they provide, and they design the hardware they provide to show off their operating system. The chips they use, the type of ram and amount of ram, the motherboard, the extra hardware features like backlit keyboards, a certain integrated webcam, and the setup of the keyboard are all designed to work the way the operating system would like the best. There is no hassle with drivers, low quality components, or uneven setups. The problems they do have are often different, and generally have more fail safes than normal. They do all this for a profit that they don't comprimise much on, but they produce good quality machines.

Angbii said 11:33AM on 3-28-2009

Buy the Mac. You can always buy vmware or parallels desk top, the PC operating system, and have TWO computers (a good Mac and a pc) for the price of one!

Karel said 8:30AM on 6-11-2009

You could always buy (or build) a Windows pc and run a virtual Mac.
It's not legal, but it's cheaper.

Draven Michaels said 1:13PM on 3-28-2009

I say to any and all who might read this post "Go with the MAC". It might be more expensive at the outset but you will save down the line. My MAC laptop that I bought 5 years ago STILL works perfectly and while I have upgraded to an even newer model last year and purchased an iMAC for my home office I have saved over the long run in spades. NO virus' have infected any of my laptops or desktop MAC's and any small problems I have had have been taken care of at the MAC store without a problem. Now, compare this to my friend who bought a PC desktop and laptop and two weeks into both had numerous problems with the software and hardware respectively, had to bring both into Bestbuy to be checked, and then was told that her warranty DIDN'T fully cover the issue THIS after being sold an extended warranty of sorts. She went through months of phone calls and servicing visits. She might have spent $800 but it had cost her more than $3,500 in waste of time and loss of work opportunities. I'm LEN and I'm a MAC - YOU can keep YOUR PC!

Allison said 6:31PM on 3-28-2009

Buy the mac. I bought a PC in August of 2007 my high school graduation. By May of 2008 it was totally dead. I bought a mac the following June and it is still working in perfect condition. My whole family has switched to mac because they last longer. Sure, $700 for a PC is cheaper than $1000 for a mac, but you'll spend that $700 two or three times more before you need to even buy a new battery for your mac. Macs are the best!

darth_nazgul said 6:07PM on 3-28-2009

So she's buying a laptop based on look and feel and not software... That means that if Apple made a laptop for $699, she would be buying that. Microsoft is basically advertising HP in this commercial instead of Windows. She is looking at the hardware and not the software which doesn't tell me that Windows is the "superior" OS. What I got out of the commercial is that "cool" people buy Macs and un-cool people buy HPs. Didn't tell me anything about the operating system. Good job at advertising another company Microsoft!

CanBert said 12:10PM on 3-29-2009

MAC's are good -- PC's are good -- depends on the user's abilities -- MAC's are generally good for people who don't know much about computers and want something that works and little trouble. PC's are good for users who know more about computers .. I mean I haven't had a virus in 10 yrs....don't open all that crap your PC retarded friends send you and your generally fine. Besides I run linux on all but one PC...plus I can generally upgrade my PC myself for like $200 and have a spanking new/fast machine...generally can't upgrade a MAC..have to buy a whole new one....but like I say I am not the norm and know more then the average joe blow....MAC users , in general, know nothing about computers.

Chuck said 6:55PM on 3-30-2009

I think you're right on the money. I've been lead to believe that the kind of people that buy a Mac don't want anything to do with knowing how their computer works, they just want it to work. That's probably why musicians and video editors like Macs. They only want to know how to work their music and video programs, nothing else.

I haven't gotten a virus on my computer since I was in highschool and downloaded porn without abandon. Mac people can overspend on their computers all they want. With what they would pay for a good Mac I would buy two good PC's that would run perfectly without problems.

randomnut said 3:05PM on 3-30-2009

Buy a PC, WITHOUT windows. That way you will really save some cash.

Zanacross said 9:45PM on 4-01-2009

Anyone who can't look after a PC shouldn't have one. My PC that I have had for a year now has not had a single problem. It's running windows Vista and it's still as fast as the day I got it.

Papapop said 12:37AM on 4-05-2009

CanBert just said everything I was going to say, good job.

I love how all these MAC people are here talking about PC's getting viruses and having it not work in 3 years or so, well I've got a really old PC from like 1990 downstairs that works great like the day we got it for christmas running 3.1. So where's your 5 years running now?

Viruses? Don't make me laugh, you're compairing an underused OS(don't lie) that coders don't make that many viruses for, compared to windows which is the most widespread OS that coders tailor to.

Microsoft has about 80% of the computer market, MAC 15% and UNIX based 5% If you're looking to get someone's credit card # who are you going to go after? You're not safer on a MAC, you just have less of a user base.

Bottom line: if you take care of your computer, it will take care of you.

Incase you didn't guess, I use windows but I'm looking into using Linux soon.

Jamess3000 said 4:09PM on 8-23-2009

Viruses - just can't install itself in the background on Mac OS X like they can with Windows, while surfing the web or just clicking stuff -- its called --- Permissions --- on the Mac as of 2001 with Mac OS X as the core of Mac OS X is -- UNIX --

| 1 | 2 | 3 | Most Recent | Next 20 Comments

Add your comments

Your comments:

Remember me

E-Mail me when someone replies to this comment

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.

Switched Video

Most Emailed Stories

Editors' Picks

Deals of the Day

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=758444&pid=758443&uts=1256672453

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

'Black Friday' Deals to Watch For

Getty Images

Black Friday' Deals to Watch For

Traditionalists might balk, but the holiday shopping season is already underway. Skeptical? Head to your local department store and you'll be inundated by Christmas trees and ornaments. Bargain hunters, though, know that the real deals are more than a month away.

Black Friday, traditionally, is when retailers truly slash prices. Early birds can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of their holiday bills. Switched.com checked with a few elves, who gave a sneak peek at what you can expect deal-wise this year.

Blu-ray Players and Movies: Blu-ray is shaping up to be the biggest door buster of this year's Black Friday. de Grandpre expects at least one retailer will offer a Blu-ray player for just $49. Look for bargains on Blu-ray films as well, with last year's hit titles (such as "Iron Man") to fall as low as $5.

Laptops: With the proliferation of Netbooks this year, it's never been easier to find affordable portable computing, but Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com says it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. Look for well-equipped Netbooks to sell for $199 – and basic 15" laptops to go for as little as $249.

HDTVs (Pretty big): The holidays are typically the best time to buy a new TV – and Black Friday is the time to do it. If you're looking for a normal sized set, you're in luck. Piper Jaffrey analyst Mitch Kaiser says he expects to see 32-inch LCD sets for as low as $299. GottaDeal.com is estimating 37-inch plasma and LCD sets will fall to $399 or less.

HDTVs (Really big): Need something bigger? How about a 46-47 inch LCD set for $599 – a 25 percent savings? Or a 52-inch LCD for $999? Dealnews says you can expect both. Plasma deals will be a little harder to come by, but a 50-inch set should run roughly $899.

HD Camcorders: You've wanted to shoot your child's school play in HD for a while, but haven't been able to spring for the pricey camcorder. This might be the year. Low-end, flash-based 720p models could drop as low as $60 (though you won't be able to zoom with those). Expect a high quality 1080p HD camcorder for $349.

GPS: While navigation systems have dramatically expanded their reach this year – even making it onto the iPhone – there's still a market for car-based systems. Dealnews predicts you'll be able to find a no-name entry-level system for $49, while a Garmin or Tom-Tom brand will be as low as $69.

Digital Picture Frames: Showcasing your digital pictures consistently gets cheaper. This year, skip the 7-inch screens and focus on the 8- or 9-inch ones, which should be available on Black Friday for as little as $30.

Monitors: Computer monitors might not be the sexiest of gifts, but they're usually welcomed with open arms – and they'll be cheap this year. Name brand 22-inch LCD models may go for as low as $99, while 24-inch models will drop below $150.

Memory: Don't know anyone who needs a monitor? External hard drives are always popular, since they're an easy way to back-up data. Dealnews expects a 1TB drive to fall as low as $49 this year. Gottadeal is looking for 8GB flash drives to hit $15.

Latest Reviews from CNET.com

CNET provides the latest tech news, unbiased reviews, videos, podcasts, software, and downloads, making tech products easy to find, understand and use.

Top Product Reviews

Home Audio Reviews
9.0 out of 10
Definitive Technology BPX
Works great with Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Digital. Full Review
9.0 out of 10
Denon AVR-4306 (black)
Incredibly well-featured 7.1-channel receiver; excellent sound quality; three HDMI inputs; converts analog video to HDMI output; upconverts analog video to 720p/1080i HD resolution; iPod and USB MP3 player connectivity; Internet radio and MP3/WMA streaming audio via built-in Ethernet port; XM Satellite Radio compatible; touch-screen remote; multizone, multisource operation; browser-based control via home network; accurate autocalibration routine. Full Review
8.8 out of 10
KEF KHT3005 (black)
The KEF KHT-3005 is one compact, beautifully designed speaker package with solid aluminum satellites that feature unique driver technology to produce incredible clarity. Meanwhile, the equally astounding dual 10-inch, 250-watt powered subwoofer delivers ultradeep bass. Full Review
Cell Phone Reviews

8.7 out of 10
SignalBoost Mobile Professional Amplifier Kit
The Mobile Professional Amplifier delivers a powerful signal boost to your cell phone. Also, it offers a compact design and easy setup. Full Review
8.6 out of 10
Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL cell phone signal extender
The Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL significantly boosts your cell phone reception and is easy to operate. Also, it uses a wireless connection to your phone. Full Review
8.3 out of 10
LG VX6000 (Verizon Wireless)
Compact and stylish; impressive battery life; solid audio quality; sharp color screen; built-in camera; USB ready; affordable. Full Review
Digital Camera Reviews

9.3 out of 10
Canon EOS 1D Mark III
Extremely fast, 10-megapixel continuous shooting; very low noise; highly customizable; well-designed body with weather sealing; 3-inch LCD; abundant optional accessories. Full Review
9.3 out of 10
Nikon D3 (body only)
Full-frame sensor; well designed, pro-level weather-sealed body; very low noise, even at extremely high ISOs; fast. Full Review
9.0 out of 10
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Very low noise, high quality images; 21.1 megapixels; live view shooting; pro-level build-quality and performance. Full Review
Desktop Reviews

8.5 out of 10
Apple iMac (24-inch, 2.8GHz)
A minor specification update results in some significant performance gains; graphics upgrade an option on this 24-inch model; sleek, polished design didn't receive an update, but we won't start clamoring for a new design until the current one is at least 12 months old. Full Review
8.4 out of 10
Apple iMac (27-inch, 3.06Hz Intel Core 2 Duo, ATI Radeon HD 4670, Fall 2009)
Largest display among all-in-ones; fast dual-core CPU makes up for lack of quad-core (mostly); finally has an SD card slot; wireless mouse and keyboard; Mini DisplayPort input ripe with possibility. Full Review