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Anybody has a headache in choosing Apple products?
- Thread starter hajime
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Not really. I know what I'd use it for. Where I'd use it for and how much money I'm willing to give Tim.
What I just disagree is that the models' memory & storage should be 2x what it is for the money being asked.
Like say the $6999 2023 Mac Pro M2 Ultra. For the money being asked it should be 128GB memory & 2TB storage
$599 2023 Mac mini M2 should be 16GB memory and 512GB storage.
The Mac chips are perfect as is.
What I just disagree is that the models' memory & storage should be 2x what it is for the money being asked.
Like say the $6999 2023 Mac Pro M2 Ultra. For the money being asked it should be 128GB memory & 2TB storage
$599 2023 Mac mini M2 should be 16GB memory and 512GB storage.
The Mac chips are perfect as is.
It'd hurt less if the upgrades were cheaper. $100 to double storage and memory would almost be tolerable. $200 hurts.
I dont mind 2x PC parts from NewEgg or Amazon. Anything more is excessively greedy.
Yes, base models may not be very useful. Upgrading the base Mini M2 to 16-512 makes one wants to pay a bit more to get M2 Pro Mini. Then, paying a bit more moves to the Studio territory. Similarly, for 15" Macbook Air, base model is not that useful and upgrading to 16-512 moves to MBP territory. Knowing that people would upgrade the ram more than ssd, Apple made the cheapest two configurations of these models 8GB only. Whatever we buy now, in 6 months or so M3 Mini and MBP M3 Pro 16" come out which can beat M2 Max Studio in some areas. The bad thing is evil Tim is selling M2 series base models with slower SSD on purpose. Not very happy to give Apple money especially these Mac cannot even remember multi-display settings. Some even have wifi and bluetooth issues.
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False, the M1/8GB/256GB is actually awesome.
It's called upselling and you shouldn't fall for it. Always buy the minimum configuration you can get away with.
That's why we have the Buyer's Guide. But one can always look into the second-hand market and find an offer which reflects the true value of slightly older hardware.
I wouldn't worry about that. There are always people who find software bugs and report wireless connection issues. These problems aren't real until you yourself run into them. WiFi could be super stable in all the locations you're going to use it. I regularly switch WiFi off and on again to reinitiate a connection. I'm not even thinking about it as a problem.
I don't think there is any trap that isn't simply part of any product you buy (just think of buying a car).
You just need to know what it is you need AND want. You can always get more for more money so If you have enough money to spend and want to best then you should simply buy the best and go all out. If you want to be more careful with spending then I think apple has pretty good options right now.
I needed to replace my iMac 27 5K and went with a pretty basic (not base) mini M2. Bought a good monitor to fit my specific needs and I love it. I have zero regrets not getting the M2pro or the studio or more memory and I definitely am not worried about more internal storage as I got external that is just as fast as internal for a fraction of the price.
I am actually really happy that apple forced me to look for a cheaper alternative to the 27 iMac and I doubt this will be my last mini.
I feel a bit confused, but then you realize you can get everything you want for less than the Vision Pro.... So..... doing good.
The base model will be more than adequate for 80% or more of users.
Your preferred configuration appears for those of the less than 20% of users who need more.
What I am not understanding is that you say that you don't want to spend more than you need but in your initial post you say that you want to spend a little more to get a little more?! Why not get a basic mac for the needs you have?
I keep changing my mind many times each day. Getting a basic mac for the needs I have is probably a good idea.
Why not buy the base model then return if you changed your mind, again?
I heard it doesn't cause e-waste.
Nope. Maybe in the past, but I will not let any company or product dictate my mood these days. Life is too short. Buy the computer you need when you need it. Nothing you buy is going to last forever or stay perfect forever. The world is an imperfect place. There are an awful lot of really bad companies out there that make an awful lot of really bad tech. I don't feel that Apple is one of them. You really can't go wrong no matter what you pick.
Give a $1299 iMac M1 + $119.99 external 2TB SSD a try. It will be faster than any MBP you've owned in 10+ years.
Be aware that the iMac M1 may be refreshed to a M2 within 4 months.
You're falling into the tech nerd, listening to the forums trap.
I've done it. You think about what computer you want and then you think well I can't get the base model because you know it's just not powerful enough to browse the web so I have to upgrade the RAM and get at least 1 TB SSD because faster write speeds make web pages load faster. Yes, I'm being a little funny but this is basically what happens. You look at the price of the computer, then you add tons of upgrades you don't need, then it becomes so expensive so you don't get anything. Don't walk to work because you can't afford a Ferrari to drive.
It's very simple if you ignore the tech nerd impulses and don't listen to the "you must get X minimum spec to do anything" posts
Portable, stationary on the desk or both?
What do you do with the computer? Browsing the web, posting stuff on here, checking your emails, typing up an Excel document for the boss, any other meaningful boring task, 8 GB RAM. Video editing, VM’s, have more than 50 browser tabs open at once then get 16 GB
How much storage is on your current Mac? If possible double that for your new purchase.
Then it's just form factor and screen size
Also, don't buy a computer for the “I might do” tasks. I understand you might have your own YouTube channel one day, but if you don't now, then don't buy a computer for that. I might lose 100 pounds one day but I'm not going to buy pants today for that possibility.
My main problem right now is Mac forgetting settings on multi-display system after restart. I heard that Apple has been collecting information from users but they don't seem to have an idea what is going on. From internet posts, all Mac (desktops and laptops) have this issue.
Before the pandemic, I just bought MacBook Pros the past 20 years. These days I just work at home. I have no idea when I will need a laptop again.
Ideally I would like a 17" MacBook Pro with 4K or near 4K resolutions but Apple no longer sells 17" laptops.
If I buy a MacBook Pro 16" now and Apple upgrade the chip to M3 Pro/Max in the Fall or coming January, I will be very unhappy as I have been waiting for it since last Fall. They keep postponing. Perhaps just get the Mini but I have tried four already and they all have bluetooth and/or wifi issues.
I don't do video editing nor photo editing. All the major work related programs only run on Windows PC. Parallels's performance is not good enough for my work. I need to buy something to run MacOS. Tried iPad Pro but its File app is driving me crazy. My MacBook Pro 17" 2010 cannot drive a 4K display nor connect to thunderbolt devices.
Before the pandemic, I just bought MacBook Pros the past 20 years. These days I just work at home. I have no idea when I will need a laptop again.
Ideally I would like a 17" MacBook Pro with 4K or near 4K resolutions but Apple no longer sells 17" laptops.
If I buy a MacBook Pro 16" now and Apple upgrade the chip to M3 Pro/Max in the Fall or coming January, I will be very unhappy as I have been waiting for it since last Fall. They keep postponing. Perhaps just get the Mini but I have tried four already and they all have bluetooth and/or wifi issues.
I don't do video editing nor photo editing. All the major work related programs only run on Windows PC. Parallels's performance is not good enough for my work. I need to buy something to run MacOS. Tried iPad Pro but its File app is driving me crazy. My MacBook Pro 17" 2010 cannot drive a 4K display nor connect to thunderbolt devices.
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I know the models may be daunting, because there are a lot of choices now, so I will simplify it to make the decision easier for you
- Laptops
- Consumer Models
- M1 Macbook Air. Essentially a Macbook SE at this point especially when you can find them for $800 brand new at pretty much every retailer)
- M2 Macbook Air. The consumer model for the general user. Comes in 13 inch or 15 inch for $200 more)
- Professional Model
- 14/16 inch Macbook Pro. For when you got work to do or want the best of the best to take wherever you go, the Macbook Pro has you covered. Comes in an easily portable 14 inch, or for more screen real estate and longer battery a 16 inch.
- Consumer Models
- Desktops
- Consumer Models
- M2 Mac Mini. The cheapest Mac ever, perfect for those who want a second Mac or are new to macOS or just need a really good and affordable computer. BYODKM (Bring your own Display Keyboard and Mouse)
- M1 iMac. The original all in one that saved Apple from death in the 90s, now powered by the M1 chip (which good god this thing needs a refresh.) An all in one easy to setup and get going immediately, and looks amazing to boot, and it's a gorgeous 4K display too. No muss no fuss. Great home or office computer
- Pro Models
- M2 Pro Mac Mini. For the prosumer, an affordable really amazing workstation
- Mac Studio. For the professional who needs the best of the best. Loaded with ports and supercharged with an M2 Max or for those who need serious work done an M2 Ultra.
- Mac Pro. It's just an oversized and overpriced Mac Studio at this point but with PCIE slots for audio professionals to put BlackMagic cards in. Just pretend this doesn't exist lmao
- Consumer Models
No.
I used to suffer from migraines, but choosing between Apple products has never been a source of a headache.
I used to suffer from migraines, but choosing between Apple products has never been a source of a headache.
It was worse a few years ago. In summer 2018 for a desktop Mac this is what you were choosing from:
- 2013 – Mac Pro
- 2014 – Mac mini
- 2017 – iMac 21.5"
- 2017 – iMac 21.5" 4K
- 2017 – iMac 27" 5K
- 2017 – iMac Pro
Why was it awful?
I have worked in war-zones. That is "awful". I have lived in worlds where colleagues of mine were killed. That, too, is beyond awful.
However, "Awful" is not the word I would choose if offered a selection from which to choose something to buy.
You choose what you want/need, and then, you decide whether you can afford this purchase.
Or, initially, you decide what you can afford to pay, and, your choice of computer (and specs) will be determined by that.
If Apple did not offer a choice of products, I am willing to wager that the howls of protest would sound even louder.
You decide you can only afford the least expensive Mac, the Mac mini, and you're getting a computer from 2014. Let me remind you, it's currently 2018. That's a 4-year-old computer.
You decide you can afford an iMac, great, that seems like a better choice. At least it's from 2017 which is more recent. You opt for the inexpensive model to save some money. Not only do you get a 1080p display instead of 4K, you also get a painfully slow experience thanks to the built-in 5400 RPM hard drive. You question your sanity when a brand new computer you payed over a grand for feels this slow to do basically anything.
Oh, but you're a professional or power user with money to spare. You want to get a standalone desktop to use with your existing monitor or you just want a separate monitor and computer, but you find out the desktop for you is from 2013. Once again, it's currently 2018. That's even older than the Mac mini.
This 2018 scenario was a mess, and all these problems have since been fixed thankfully!!! We have the M2 Mac mini in the first case, the 24" iMac in the second case (though that's falling behind now too, get on it Apple), and the Mac Studio in the third case.
Summer 2018 was arguably a low-point for the Mac, at least in recent history. Only the 27" iMac and Mac Pro were decent desktops, and tons of controversy around the laptop keyboards and cooling kept me away until they made some attempt to remedy that with the 16" Intel over a year later.
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This is a valid perspective. Ranting on a forum dedicated to Apple products is one thing but nothing can compare to the pain of losing someone close to you. I'm sorry for your loss.
I have no problem deciding which Mac or iPhone I want or need, but iPad is another issue. Too many options that are drastically different in specs yet too similar in size. I feel like they need to keep it to 3 sizes, and they all need to get on the same page as far as the processor and screen type.
I find the offerings to be much more simple after the transition... (someone did a good breakdown above)... It comes down to:
- Do you want a laptop or desktop?
- How many monitors do you want to connect?
- Are you using graphically intense applications other than occasionally?
- Then it comes to how much storage you need on the device (SSD) and whether you need 16 or 32GB (home users would be better off with 16, professional developers and users might want to up that to 32GB to 'future proof' it.