Or technical people who obsess over details that most people don't actually care about?

In reality, most people can use pretty old PCs these days but laptops in particular do get beat up over time and eventually they get outdated enough that it may be time for something newer. I could use my 6 1/2 year old MacBook but I definitely prefer my 2 year old one.

> Or technical people who obsess over details that most people don't actually care about?

But most people care about money, so when a consumer needs to overspend on a piece of hardware that is less competitive than previous generations it matters. So the geeks need to inform the people that don't know enough to know they might be wasting their money.

If it works for what they need it for and, comparatively, has better reviews, then how is that a waste of money?

> You mean technical people who generally know the topic they are speaking about?

Technical people have a tendency to say stuff like "No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame." when the iPod is announced.