> storage premium

  DDR5 RAM (Single Stick)
  Memory  Apple  Desktop Laptop  Server
    16      -     ~$40    ~$40     ~$60
    24    +$200   ~$200   ~$50    ~$100
    32    +$400   ~$80    ~$80   ~$100-$200
  2 Sticks
    64      -     ~$200   ~$170  ~$150
   128      -     ~$115   ~$310  ~$250

  Storage  Apple  NVME (Gen 5)  NVME (Gen 4) SSD     HDD
  256GB     -         -           ~$50       ~$20   ~$20
  512GB   +$200       -           ~$60       ~$30   ~$40
   1T     +$400     ~$150         ~$80       ~$60   ~$50
   2T     +$800     ~$200         ~$150      ~$100  ~$60
   4T       -       ~$400         ~$280      ~$200  ~$80

You can AT WORST buy the storage OUTRIGHT for cheaper than it is to UPGRADE. But in most cases you can buy more than double what Apple is offering for cheaper than it is to UPGRADE.

I boycotted Apple for years because of these issues, but unfortunately I think this battle is lost. I gave up. I have a macbook Air. It is nice, but it is a glorified SSH machine. They must know this, because I'd prefer to get an iPad pro with a keyboard but run an actual fucking desktop OS. But then again, the fucking iPad isn't even good at the one thing it is supposed to be good at: writing... The 3rd party apps are leagues ahead of Apple Notes.

What I can't figure out is:

  - Why are there no good competitors? 
  - Why are there no good linux laptops with good battery life?