I see, so their pricing is not consistent. Good to know... So it's only 40% more...
Even that Mac Mini has a 1066MHz front side bus, and DDR3 1066MHz RAM... far faster RAM than your Dell 537s' 800MHz FSB and DDR2 RAM.
For $110 (still leaving you considerably under the price of the Mac Mini) I can upgrade the Dell to a 1066 MHz FSB, 2.93 GHz processor, and 3 MB L2 cache.
That entry level Mac Mini has 3MB of Level 2 Cache, compared to your Dell 537s 2MB of Level 2 cache, which is slower and less capable.
See above. For $110 you completely eliminate this point. And end up with a 15% higher clock speed as well. Hmmm...
Your claim that the Dell is faster than the Mac—based on a slightly faster clock—is probably questionable.
Eleven percent isn't slightly faster... If it was, why offer the slightly faster 2.53 GHz processor as an option to the stock 2.2 GHz unit on the Mac Mini?
Even if you upgraded the processor on the Dell to the offered 3.0GHz 6MB Level 2 Cache, 1066 FSB Core 2 Duo for considerably more money (taking your Dell to $767), you are still stuck with an 800 MHz FSB on the motherboard and 800 MHz DDR2 RAM which would add several wait states to any tasks.
Let's say your correct, and you end up with the 3 GHz Dell at about the same speed as the 2.5 GHz Mac. You're still $230 cheaper. Meaning - as the original poster contended, and as your own research shows - the PC hardware is cheaper than the Mac hardware.
It's OK to admit that the Mac is a more costly platform; it's good hardware, but it's pricey. It looks nice, but you pay for that. If that's what you want, so be it. But to deny that an equivalent PC is equal or more expensive is simply misleading, disingenuous.
Oh, and I've been to the Foxconn factory (down in Shenzhen), seen Macs roll off one line, and Dells off another. The manufacturing costs are the same - it's the same factory. They use, for the most part, the same vendors for their components. They get the same kinds of discounts. The difference really is in the pricing structure of the two companies. And Apple has been for a LONG time a premium priced product. You pay for the logo, you pay for the style. You pay for the "experience". You pay - extra.
But your memory is still only 800MHz DDR2 compared to 1066 DDR3. That's a big difference. Old tech/new tech. Keep dancing.
Eleven percent isn't slightly faster... If it was, why offer the slightly faster 2.53 GHz processor as an option to the stock 2.2 GHz unit on the Mac Mini?
A faster processor with a slower bus and slower RAM is going to be a slower system... you can't fill a bigger bucket with a smaller hose faster than you can fill a slightly smaller bucket with a bigger hose. The Mac Mini has a "hose" matched to its "bucket." Your PC doesn't.
It looks nice, but you pay for that.
And you pay for machined, structural aluminum... but more costly is small form factor. Your small Dell is 1,063 cubic inches in size while the Mac Mini is only 85 cubic inches! That kind of size engineering and manufacturing really costs money.
If you want to check that out, configure one of Dell's new Zino HDs at 207 cubic inches... I just did and wound up with a similar form factor with a much less powerful plastic computer at a price competitive with the much more feature complete $599 Mac Mini.
But to deny that an equivalent PC is equal or more expensive is simply misleading, disingenuous.
I don't think I've ever denied that... ;^)>
Other things that cost is getting the energy usage down. The Mac Mini draws only 110 Watts. Your PC draws 250 Watts... and you have to endure the fan noise that goes along with disposing of the waste heat produced by that much wattage. The Mac Mini is totally silent.
Value on the Mac Mini also includes the suite of integrated software that is included with the OS... something lacking on the Dell. Also lacking on the PC is gigabit ethernet, Bluetooth, Firewire 400 or 800, and optical sound in/out.
You pay for the "experience".
Quite frankly, the Mac experience is worth it. Windows' experience is a tough task master. Most of us have endured it (and still do daily... although Windows7 is getting better) and will not go back.