Now they are condemned for using high-end components. Yes, they use components also available to the PC manufacturers now. However, few of the PC companies use the same components as Apple - and they only use them in their high end products.

Which cost the same as, or more than, Apple's.

Go spec out a PC with the exact components. The exact ones. And find one with a conformal coated motherboard. You may be surprised at the price.

Apple's supply chain and manufacturing processes are now more efficient than Dell's and they can lock in component prices with more muscle than HP and Lenovo. Apple demands and gets exclusive first run production of new products from Intel, Corning, Omnivision, NVidia, ATI, etc. Heck, Apple had the full production of Gorilla Glass two years before anyone else got any. No one has access yet to the high resolution displays Apple is using from Omnivision and everyone waits several months after Apple gets the latest Intel CPU's.

The point of the above is that Apple can keep their profit margins while keeping the relative price low. They don't have premium prices, but they only have premium products.

It is more accurate to say that Apple does not sell inexpensive computers than to say that Apple gets a premium price for their computers.

I never understand the passion and arguments about the hardware (I understand about the operating system). If one wants a less expensive computer, one should buy a PC that costs less.

It works the same for boats.

Mark