Microsoft ‘Laptop Hunters’ Up the Budget to $2,000

Microsoft’s  laptop ‘Laptop Hunters’ commercial follows Sheila as she searches for an upscale notebook for video editing. I generally like Microsoft’s current ad campaign, but this installment really misses the mark.

During a trip to Fry’s Electronics, Sheila says she’s searching for a notebook with a big screen, fast processor and something that can cut video. She disregards a $2,000 MacBook Pro because it only has 2GB of RAM. She ends up getting an HP HDX 16t after evaluating several PC notebooks. Not a bad computer, but I don’t think this ad accurately reflects how a “filmmaker” should shop for a notebook.

I think it’s pretty lame that Apple stocks its $2,000 MacBook Pro with only 2GB of RAM, but there are a lot bigger fish to fry than worrying about upgrading RAM when you’re going to use a notebook for video editing. Creative professionals typically run very expensive creative suites and invest years of their professional lives perfecting their techniques on their chosen platform. If someone needs to run Final Cut Studio ($1,299), for example, they’re sure as heck not going to mind paying $50 for a 4GB memory upgrade. If they’re tied into PC specific applications, a MacBook is a non-starter.

If you’re going to spend $2,000 on a notebook, Fry’s is probably one of the last places to do your research. While the store does stock some powerful notebooks, the store emphasizes value, not high-end systems.

If you’re a video editor, you probably already know if you need a PC or a Mac. If you have $2,000 to spend on a PC notebook and want to edit video, you should consider buying a professional-grade workstation notebook such as an HP Elitebook, Lenovo Thinkpad or Dell Precision.

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