PanamaTimes

Thursday, Apr 25, 2024

The real cost of being the ultimate Apple fan: Nearly $80,000

The real cost of being the ultimate Apple fan: Nearly $80,000

Picture this: You are the ultimate Apple fan. You've got an unlimited budget. And you want all of the things: top-of-the-line devices, fancy accessories and services.

You may not need that high-end graphics chip or added storage, but they're there, right?

Times are tough, and Apple (AAPL) has been trying to position itself a more financially accessible brand, releasing the budget iPhone SE earlier this year.

But Apple has always been a premium brand. And for people with cash to spend, Apple offers some mind-boggling ways for people to pay it huge sums of money.

So CNN Business dug into just how much it would cost to go all-out on Apple products. Here's what we found.

iPhone


You'll likely want to start off by upgrading to the new iPhone 12, which comes with perks, such as 5G connectivity and a telephoto zoom lens. The highest-end option is the iPhone 12 Pro Max with a 6.7-inch display ($1,099) and 512 GB of storage ($300). Adding AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage will add $269 to your purchase.

To go with it, a silicone case with MagSafe ($49) will protect your phone and enable wireless charging with a MagSafe charger ($39).

Total: $1,756.00 (Excluding additional carrier costs/discounts)

Apple Watch

Customers shopping at the Apple Store in George Street on September 18, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. Customers to the Apple stores in Australia are among some of the first in the world to be able to view Apple's newest products. The new Apple Watch Series 6 features a blood oxygen sensor and app, while a new iPad (8th generation) has also been released.


The priciest Apple Watch available on the Apple store (assuming you don't want to research a third-party vendor to make you a diamond encrusted one) rings in at $1,499. Add AppleCare+ for $149. It has a 44mm silver, stainless steel case with a black leather band and "Single Tour Deployment Buckle" from the Apple Watch Hermès collection. So you can match your Apple Watch with your Birkin.

Total: $1,648.00 (Excluding additional carrier costs)

Mac


To really beef up your home office, you can get a Mac Pro ($5,999) with all the add-ons for $54,447.98. That includes a 2.5 GHz 28-core Intel Xeon W processor with Turbo Boost up to 4.4 GHz ($7,000); 1.5 TB of memory ($25,000); two Radeon Pro Vega II Duo graphics chips with 2X32 GB of HBM2 memory each ($10,800); 8 TB of storage ($2,600); an Apple Afterburner card for better video performance ($2,000); wheels ($400); a Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 ($149); and pre-installed Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro software ($499.98).

And of course you'll also need a monitor. Apple sells the 32-inch Pro Display XDR with Retina 6K and nano-texture glass for $5,999, and a Pro Stand for $999. If you want to mount your monitor, you'll need a $199 adapter.

And to add AppleCare+ and a cable: $798 and $129.

Total: $62,571.98

MacBook


If you also want a MacBook for when you're on the go, a top-of-the-line MacBook with all the added features would look like this: 16-inch MacBook Pro in
Space Gray ($2,799) with a 2.4 GHz 8-core, 9th generation Intel Core i9 processor with Turbo Boost up to 5.0 GHz ($200); 64 gigabytes of memory ($800); the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M graphics chip with 8 GB of HBM2 memory ($700); 8 TB of storage ($2,200); and both pre-installed software options (Final Cut Pro for $299.99 and Logic Pro for $199.99). All that adds up to $7,198.98. Adding AppleCare+ to protect that pricey purchase will put you back another $379.

You'll probably need some accessories, too. You can add a USB-C to Lighting port adapter cable to connect your iPhone to your MacBook and another cable to your USB for good measure, all for $36. A leather case ($199) will go well with your Hermès watch band. A keyboard with a numeric keypad will cost you $129 and you could shell out for a hands-free mouse for $994.95. And an adjustable stand for your MacBook Pro rings in at $79.95.

Total: $9,016.88

iPad


Apple touts the iPad as the device that can be both PC and tablet. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is the most costly of iPads at $1649, when you shell out for all the bells and whistles. That's 1TB of storage and cell service (additional costs will vary by carrier). AppleCare+ adds another $129. With a keyboard attachment ($349) for the latest generation, you'll get some of the PC-ness going and with an Apple Pencil ($129) you can still scribble your notes and draw in inDesign.
Before you exit the store, you'll need to get your delicate iPad some protection from falls and daily wear and tear. A case costs $99 and you can match that with a backpack (nothing worse than a bag that's just a little too small for your iPad!) for another $99. Soon you'll look like any other tech maven heading to a big conference.

Total: $2,583 (Excluding additional carrier costs)

iPod


Don't forget about nostalgia! Apple brought back its classic iPod touch in 2019 and it retails for $399 with 256 GB of storage. Add AppleCare+ for $59.

A huge fan — or someone who wants to ignore texts occasionally by only carrying their iPod, say, when they work out — might own the iPod and the iPhone, even if both play Apple Music. A case for the iPod touch? $30.
Total: $488

AirPods Pro


These $249 wireless headphones have been a crowd favorite, despite initial comments circulating on social media that they look weird. (They said the same about AirPods when they were introduced in 2016.) For the price, you get earbuds that sound slightly better than the original AirPods. Add damage protection for $29.

Total: $278

AirPods Max


Because Beats headphones and AirPods Pro just won't cut it for someone who is always looking for the latest and greatest in wireless audio, Apple has a new product called AirPods Max. They cost a whopping $549, pricier than Apple's most affordable iPhones, and look like a cross-between AirPods and Beats.

If you're looking to upgrade your audio experience or are just curious about the latest drop, it might make sense to get these. From the look of them, they probably have more bass than the typical AirPods or AirPods Pro can offer. To protect them, be prepared to cough up another $59.

Total: $608

HomePod


If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, when picking out a smart speaker for your home, there's only one kind that will easily sync with the rest of your devices and automatically default to Apple Music: HomePod. While Siri still lags behind Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa in its voice capabilities, Apple charges a premium $299 for the gourd-like speaker and $39 more for AppleCare+. To its credit, it does blend in pretty well with modern furniture.

Total: $338

Apple TV


No home setup would be complete without a TV (and, you know, a couch but we've yet to see Apple, Google or Samsung come out with a branded sofa).

That's where Apple TV comes in.

To be clear, you'll still need to buy the actual TV hardware separately, like a Sony or a Samsung 4K TV. For $199, Apple sells the Apple TV box, which connects to a multitude of apps that some TVs don't support on their own, like Peloton or MasterClass, and a remote control. If you've shelled out anywhere from a few hundred to tens of thousands for your TV, the Apple TV box with a $29 protection plan is just icing on the cake.

Total: $228

Services


Finally, Apple is also in the business of selling subscription-based services.

While iPhone sales have slowed in recent years, what's on those devices is still taking off. Apple has so many services on offer that it created a bundle called
Apple One to provide access to all of them. After a one month free trial, Apple One costs $29.95 per month for the premier subscription, which gets you Apple TV+, gaming service Apple Arcade, Apple News+, 2 TB of iCloud storage and Apple Fitness+, which launches on December 14.

Total: $359.40/year

Total


Now, let's add it all up. If you really decked out your wrist, your pockets and your home with Apple gadgets, how much would that put you in the red?

The total rings in at a whopping $79,875.26, excluding shipping costs, taxes and carrier fees.

Assuming you're a huge Apple fan, you probably have the branded credit card, too, netting you 3% cash back on your purchases. You'll earn $2,396.25 back — totally worth it, right?

Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
The President of Argentina Javier Mile does not fly private, he flies commercial, with the citizens he represents. And they LOVE him for it.
Bitcoin Reaches $50,000 for First Time in Over Two Years
Belo Horizonte: Brazil's Rising Carnival Hotspot for 2024
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Tucker’s interview with Putin is over 50M views on X within the first 5 hours.
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
President Nayib Bukele has proudly announced El Salvador's remarkable achievement of becoming the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Piñera Dies in Helicopter Crash
This farmer seems to understand science a bit more than the event organizer, Klaus Schwab.
Facebook turns 20: From Mark Zuckerberg's dormitory to a $1trn company
The Coolest Dictator in the World" on the Path to Victory in El Salvador
Macron, France and fake news
Indian-Origin Man 'King' Arrested For Smuggling $16 Million Drugs Into US
Can someone teach Americans that not every person with slanted eyes is Chinese?
Europe's Farmers Feeding the People, Protesting Against Politicians Who Do Nothing for Their Country and Serve Only Themselves at Taxpayers' Expense
Paris Restaurant That Inspired 'Ratatouille' Loses $1.6 Million Worth Of Wine
Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro's Son for Alleged Illegal Spying
Police in Brazil Raid Residence of Bolsonaro Associate Over Allegations of Illegal Spying
Border Dispute Escalates as Texas Governor Vows Increased Razor Wire
OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT-4 Model, Potentially Addressing AI "Laziness" Issue
The NSA finally acknowledges spying on Americans by acquiring sensitive data
Report Reveals Toxic Telegram Group Generating X-Rated AI-Generated Fake Images of Taylor Swift
US Border Patrol States 'No Plans' to Remove Razor Wire Installed in Texas
Bitcoin Experiences Approximately 20% Decline in Value
Klaus Schwab recently appointed himself as the Earth's "trustee of the future."
DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump.
Nikki Haley said former President Trump is "just not at the same level" of mental fitness as he was while president in 2016.
Residents of a southern Mexican town set the government palace on fire in response to the police killing of a young man
Samsung Launches AI-Driven Galaxy S24, Ushering in New Smartphone Era
Judge Questions SEC's Regulatory Overreach in Coinbase Lawsuit
The Ecuador prosecutor who was investigating the television studio attack, has been assassinated.
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends his US election campaign and endorses Trump.
Viral Satire: A Staged Satirical Clip Mistaken as Real Footage from the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Ecuador Reports 178 Hostages in Prison Gang Standoff
The Startling Cuban Espionage Case That Has Rattled the US Government
Two Armed Men in Ecuador, Dressed as Batman and The Joker Storm the Streets.
Armed Gang Raids Ecuadorian TV Station Following State of Emergency Declaration
Anti-Democratic Canada: Journalist Arrested for Questioning Canadian Finance Minister on Support of Terrorist Group
Ecuador's 'Most-Wanted' Criminal Vanishes from Prison
Mexican Cartel Supplied Wi-Fi to Locals Under Threat of Fatal Consequences for Non-Compliance
Border Surge Leads to Over 11,000 Migrants Waiting in Northern Mexico
Outsider Candidates Triumph in Latin American Elections
As Argentina Goes to the Polls, Will the Proposal to Replace the Peso with the Dollar Secure Votes?
Fatal Shark Attack Claims Life of Boston Woman Paddleboarding Near Bahamas Resort, According to Police
×