Thanks Todd.

I currently have 3 MAC laptops.

The MacBook is the smallest and lightest. It has decent battery life an excellent retina screen but is limited in IO slots. With the MacBook you have to buy an adaptor to use external HDMI monitors, portable drives etc. I like this laptop for traveling when I want the smallest form factor with a good screen and am not too far from an outlet.

Macbook Air's are lightweight and have unmatched battery life for a laptop. The screen is good but definitely not as good as a retina screen. The processor is an I5 and apx the same speed as the MacBook. It does have a full USB slot so It's easier to connect directly to printers, external hard drives etc. It's biggest advantage is battery life. Full disclosure is that I gave mine to my fiancé who is in school and is maybe not so good at remembering to plug her laptop in. She LOVES it. ;-)

I also have a MacBook Pro. This thing has a GREAT retina screen, it is FAST with an I7 processor, has dual USB ports, and HDMI out, Thunderbolt ports out etc. If I could only have one MAC laptop this would be it. It has a GREAT screen, it's FAST and powerful, Plenty of ports and is Still a smaller sleeker form factor than most IBM's.

I see the MacBook and MacBook Air as excellent but more specialized laptops. The MacBook Pro is the best most powerful Mac Laptop and the best choice to start with.......

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c...LEAAYAiAAEgILzfD_BwE

Shop around for the best price but for 2k this one WILL work! :-)

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by Aquilon:
I needed a new computer recently but opted for an iMac (desktop) rather than another Apple laptop for a number of reasons; I've been very happy with my decision.

Which model did you choose? Are their desktop computers upgradable?

I chose a 2017 27" iMac with 5K Retina display with the following configuration: 3.4GHz quad-core 7th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD. Ordered the computer along with a Magic Trackpad 2 and a Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad directly from Apple. The total came to $2,179.00 at the time. I ordered an extra 8GM of RAM from a third party (OWC/macsales.com) and immediately upgraded from 8GB to 16GB of RAM. (The extra memory was about $90; it was cheaper to order the extra 8GB RAM from a third party than to get it from Apple). So obviously the RAM in my machine is upgradeable; I'm not sure if it remains so on the new models. I also don't know if the SSD can be upgraded, but that was a non-issue for me because I use plenty of external storage. IIRC, it could be upgraded, but the process is much harder than the RAM upgrade.

Be prepared to cuss.. and also if you are using a 12 year old computer you are way behind the curve. I change computers about every 5 years and that it seems is way too long.
MACs used to be the bee's knees, that's all I've ever used.. now they are just another tool that will drive you crazy at times. My only suggestion is buy the newest and most powerful you can because in a year it will be 'just average'

You get way more for your money with an iMac. I don't use laptops as I consider them fragile and expensive for what you really get. Many people love them.

I have the 2015 i5 21.5" with Nvida Gforce 1gb graphics.

It only has 8gb ram and is not upgradable, but it was on sale as the last year's model for under a grand, so I am happy. It is WAY faster than my Win7pro i7 ripstation with 32gb ram at work.

I prefer previous year models as they can be had for hundreds less with the same warranty.

Get a computer with an SSDD drive and a minimum 16gb of ram and processor speed in not that big of a deal. An i5 will do fine, an i7 processor will last a very long time in terms of obsolescence. Also see if any come with an upgraded graphics processor over then intel graphics. I see a HUGE difference with my Nvida GP.

Microcenter usually carries closeout models and factory refurbs and I have been shopping there for 30 years now, never been disappointed.

An Apple store will give great support and answer any question you have.

Just my humble 2¢. That and $6.48 will get you a cup of coffee.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mars_Attacks,

quote:

Originally posted by GWbiker:
What ever you buy, avoid Hard Drive and go with SSD chip.

This.

As you are probably aware I just recently went iMac it is a mid 2011 production 21.5" display 2.7 Ghz i5 processor 8 Gigs of memory and is upgradable to 16. I got it from mac of all trades for around $500 + tx and shipping. It is very fast and is probably all I will ever need.

I have been extremely happy with it. The graphics card is AMD HD6770M 512 MB.

Good luck on your hunting trip. As some of the rest have already said you can find some pretty good bargins out there if you just look around.

Para get a 15" MacBook Pro with 16GB of ram and a hard drive size that fits your needs. If you're still doing photography stuff, try to swing for larger; however, you can get a very nice 15" MacBook Pro from the Apple refurbished site for south of $2000. Something tells me that you're probably familiar with how to use an external hard drive, so in reality the disk space probably won't be an issue anyway.

Unless you're doing some pretty major graphics work, the Intel graphics should be more than enough.

Keep checking this site, as their stock is updated frequently:
https://www.apple.com/shop/bro...s/mac/macbook_pro/15

Otherwise WOOT (owned by Amazon) has had some decent deals on 15" MacBook Pro units:
https://computers.woot.com/off..._cnt_lnd_cat_pc_2_56

The above would last you for many years.

Finally, should you decide to get a smaller MacBook Pro, please do NOT purchase a "MacBook" version. They're 12" models and terribly under-powered. Start in at least the 13" MacBook Pro range if you're looking for smaller screen and overall size.

One final thing to note, is that the 2016/2017 MacBook Pro models include a fantastically large touchpad. I have a 13" 2017 MacBook Pro and the touchpad is excellent. It's much larger than the older models and still works as well as the rest of Apple's perfect touchpad. (If there's one thing I'd say Apple has perfected, it's the touchpad on their notebooks.)

Good luck. Enjoy the amazing battery life you're sure to get.

The group I went to work with last spring is all-Mac, all the time. I'd never used one in 30 years in work force.

My work now is almost exclusively in one place, and I wanted ability to have a large or dual monitor setup on desk. I also wanted the ability to pick up a laptop and have all my work and files with me at all times without having to rely on a software solution to access remotely.

I ended up with the big MacBook Pro which has worked just swimmingly. After purchasing MS Office for Mac package I also didn't have to waste time relearning Pages, Numbers and such. There are a few operational differences but with Google I've never been stumped more than 10 minutes. Battery life is excellent.

The challenge of external monitors was an issue since Apple doesn't make a docking station like I was used to with Dell, etc. While the MacBook has more than one USB-C plug I didn't want to have to plug up a ton of crap each morning/evening. After some research I chose a device from Plugable that I'm able to have CAT6 cable plugged in to along with two printers, an Apple Time Machine backup device, scanner and with ports to spare for phone charger, etc. If I'd gone with a standard monitor I should have been able to use that for it too. Device link is here: Plugable - they make other models too.

The monitor solution was even easier after my gaming son chimed and and mocked me for getting dual monitors. "That's so 2005 dad." Instead I went with an LG ultra wide which has the ability to configure as split monitors in 2, 3, 4 or more windows all on the same screen with each functioning as a separate monitor. The lack of bezels and overall smaller footprint is a bonus. The curved options help keep distance consistent for me, which helps with sorting out glasses for best focus.

Very easy to tweak sizes on the fly as needed, and cheaper than two decent monitors to boot. This monitor software did only work properly when hooked directly to MacBook via USB-C (with HDMI adapter) rather than through the Plugable. So I have two cables I plug in each day and resume from sleep, ready to roll. Monitor link is here.

Happy to answer any questions, email in profile. It's been a good setup.

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
I have the 2015 i5 21.5" with Nvida Gforce 1gb graphics.

It only has 8gb ram and is not upgradable...

iMac RAM is upgradable, and easily. I did it to my 27” iMac. Directions here.

A harder question than it seems. I've helped two people with migration. One choose a 27" iMac desktop and the other ditched the desktop and went with a 13" MacBook Air. Both were in their 70s with hoards of "treasured" images and multiple xls spread sheets, etc.

After a design certification course in '01, I went the desktop route. Within a few years, I realized a laptop would have been far far easier, and do everything I wanted.

If I had the space and slighter greater computing needs, I'd have the iMac desktop and a small laptop. They'd be synced via iCloud or Dropbox. The laptop would have "normal" USB ports on it.

Currently I do everything on a MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012). Either this one or a 13" 'Air my ex- has was purchased thru this forum.

A wiped used computer, especially an Apple, is perfectly "safe". For a new computer, I'd only purchase thru Apple (not BestBuy).

As far as migration, I had the last person keep all of the Pre-Mac files in a Pre-Mac folder. When she opens a pre-mac file, the Mac opens a version file in Mac software. It is important to save the new file in a different place. Rename it, etc. I recommend saving everything to the desktop until an organizational plan is decided.

The mantra: what is in Pre-Mac STAYS in Pre-Mac. Never drag the files out unless their format is also native to the Mac, like jpegs. All of the word files stay in Pre-Mac. The Mac opens a version of the word file in a different application, and you save the new version in a new folder. Never the two shall mix.

And if you forget, and open the old file again, and save the new version again, and forgot where the mac saved the new version, you'll end up with Tribbles of files across multiple folders. As the Mac has a tendency to save a file in the last opened folder.

quote:

Originally posted by Aquilon:
If had to buy an Apple laptop today at $2K, I'd get this one right here. Comes in at $1,999.00.

That is a very good choice. It is a couple of generations older (mid-2015), so it does not add the complication of finding USB-C adapters for everything. No "wonder bar" either, which a lot of people do not like. Thunderbolt 2 is plenty fast for home desktop use, if you even use it.

The RAM and processor are not upgradeable, but the SSD is. This model comes with a 256GB SSD internally, on a PCIe bus, but let me tell you an SSD in an external case is darn near as fast as the internal, when you connect it to USB-3. Keep your system files and apps on the internal, and all data on an external drive. Oyen Digital makes high quality and inexpensive external cases for SSD's.

I would not buy from Apple, however, because it costs more, and they collect sales tax, which could be $100 or more. B&H Photo is an Apple authorized seller, and they have the same model for $40 less, with free shipping. B&H does not collect sales tax, leaving it up to the purchaser to declare a "use tax" on the state tax return.
 
Link to B&H page for the same machine.
 

quote:

Originally posted by Copefree:

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
I have the 2015 i5 21.5" with Nvida Gforce 1gb graphics.

It only has 8gb ram and is not upgradable...

iMac RAM is upgradable, and easily. I did it to my 27” iMac. Directions here.

Mine is the soldered ram version.

21.5" iMacs have soldered RAM & 27" iMacs have user accessible slots to upgrade.