Microsoft and PC makers have long shown how the iPad should be,with Surface and 2-1 devices, Apple naturally wants to rather sell two devices.
If you replace an iPad you bought for $350 a year ago with a $600 surface, it will be a markedly worse experience as a tablet. Nothing has yet combined the two without comprimise - you either get a device which is a bad laptop and a good tablet, or a bad tablet and a good laptop.
Still, I rather have the compromise in Windows, and Android DEX land, than carrying two devices, with Apple margins.
Microsoft Store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/devices/surface-lapt... - $1,149
Apple Links: https://www.apple.com/macbook-neo/ - $599 https://www.apple.com/ipad-11/ - $349
I'm sure there are much cheaper places you can get a surface - but comparing MSRP to MSRP for the new models is a much plainer comparison, particularly as it's often difficult to see if you are looking at an older model with Windows PCs.
Neo is a robbery for a 8 GB device, especially in Europe.
Besides you missed the part of carrying multiple devices.
Just looking at 8gb doesn't tell you the whole picture - that's like just looking at how many litres a cars engine is as the only part of determining if a car is good or not.
And if I want to go with 256 SSD, which is a ridiculous SSD size also in 2026, my Thinkpad had it back in 2014, it is still 700 euros.
As for the Apple distortion field regarding its high quality, unfortunately many people do tend to discover why paying, even extra on top of those 800 euros, for Apple Care matters.
For me it’s not about the numbers It’s 800€ for a laptop that’s not total junk. I could probably get the same 8 or 16 and 512 numbers in cheaper laptops, but they would be [what I would consider] sad annoying plastic junk.
800 euros plus Apple Care, for 8 GB, 512 SSD, a phone SOC and Tahoe bugs, no thanks.