Before you buy a Mac read this…

It’s all about making the right choice

Let’s face it. The Apple ecosystem isn’t the same today as it used to be a few years back. And one of the most groundbreaking changes responsible for that is the Apple Silicon chip. As Steve Jobs would have called it, it is a “revolutionary product” for the 21st century.

Because of the great power and industry-leading performance that comes with the M1 (and now the M2) chips, Macs have become a trendy choice for several different types of users. In this blog, let’s talk about how (and if) you should choose a Mac based on your needs. Additionally, I’ll walk you through all the options (god, there are way too many) and tell you about the target users for that group.

Do you need a Mac?

This is the first question you need to ask yourself. Here are a couple of reasons — why you might be willing to buy a Mac. They are sorted in the decreasing order of probability.

• You have a bunch of cash lying around, and you want to buy a new computer with brand value and a great UX.
• Your work needs you to make use of a Mac. This might be relevant if you are a designer or an iOS developer.
• You are buying a Mac to just explore and learn more about Apple and its products, including Swift.

Here are some potential red flags that are screaming NO’s at the top of their voice, and you might be ignoring them.

• You cannot afford a Mac. You just need the brand value of Apple for social validation.
• You have fundamental needs like browsing, watching movies, and writing emails and blogs, but you barely need a Mac.

See, the idea is simple. There is nothing magical that would happen when you own a Mac. That’s not your ticket to heaven, and certainly don’t buy it for just showing off the Apple logo to your friends.
If your use cases are such that a Mac is the only solution, proceed further. This is not valid, however, if you are super-rich, in which case you can buy anything, of course.

Starting light — The MacBook Air

Now, I know not everyone will like to hear this, but the new MacBook Air (M1) has put the older MacBook Pros to shame with its performance. Need a basic laptop for all your needs — get that base model for just $999. Think you might be doing some heavy work like development or video editing? Just put in a 16 GB RAM.

To give you an idea of how powerful one of these can be... I use a MacBook Air M1 (with 16 GB RAM), and I am writing this blog on that device at the current moment. Simultaneously, I am running Apple Music, Android Studio, Xcode, Slack, iMessage, a Simulator, and an Android emulator in the background. 🤯

With M2, I am sure you can do even more. And you also have the 1080p camera there now, along with the Pro-like design — which honestly I find less convenient.

Target audience — Well almost everybody, unless you are thinking about making movies on your laptop!

Going Pro — The MacBook Pro

I also use a MacBook Pro 14" (with 32 GB RAM), and I am in a perfect position to talk about this. Ideally, even if you are a developer with high computing needs, you would hardly notice any difference working on an Air or a Pro with Silicon chips.

So, where’s the difference? Well, for one, there is screen size. And bigger is better right? For another, there is performance. While the 13" one runs an M2 chip, the 14" and 16" rely on M1 Pro and M1 Max chips for their superpowers.

Besides performance, everything else, from screen brightness, and sound quality, to cooling fans and a better camera (except for the 13" one), has been kept better for MacBook Pros.

If you have $2000 lying around, I highly recommend you to go for a 14 or 16-inch one over the 13". That 700-dollar investment is worth every penny.

Target audience — People looking for better performance than Air and have the money to pay for it.

Vibrant desktop — The iMac

If you are looking for a desktop computer to sit on your table all day long, then you need the iMac 24". Apple used to have a 27" iMac too, but it has been discontinued (although it is expected to come back anytime soon).

With a starting price of just $1299 — you can get this for the cost of a MacBook Air with 16 GB memory. Now, this is where you have to make a careful choice. If you work in an office, travel around a lot, meet clients, etc., then you know a MacBook is what you need. However, if you need a desktop back home for your work or family’s needs, then the iMac is a perfect choice.

Target audience — People with desktop needs such as freelancing and content creation professionals or for family needs such as for your children!

Cute little CPU — The Mac mini

Need a MacOS desktop but don’t wish to buy the iMac? This, here, might be the cheapest way to get supercharged with Apple at just $699.

A Mac mini is basically just a CPU with the same computing power as MacBooks and with a lot more ports to connect stuff to it! For starters, you will need a monitor. And if you are thinking about the $5000 Pro Display XDR — why are you even buying a Mac mini? 😂

You can hook this up to an affordable and compatible monitor, and bam! You have a great desktop setup at your home office. You can also carry this around (although it’s hard to think why) in case you need to and take all your data along with you.

Apple now has the not-so-little but ever-so-cute Mac Studio as an alternative to people who need higher computing power than the Mac mini.

Target audience — People looking for a cheaper alternative to the iMac.

Oh so Pro — The Mac Pro

Now we are only left with Professional users. Honestly speaking, if you are reading this article and are confused about your decision to buy a Mac, then a Mac Pro is almost certainly not for you!

Going up to 28 core Intel Xeon Processors, 1.5 TB of DDR4 RAM, and 8 TB of storage, this machine is actually for people who work on substantial AV projects. For an average user, it is just a piece of $6000 junk, no more powerful than a MacBook Air!

Target audience — People who seriously make movies!

Conclusion

What should I purchase then? See what category you fit into, and that too only if you fit into one of these. Here is a specific piece of advice to programmers and developers —

A Windows/Linux machine with 16 GB RAM and an Intel i7 (12th gen or lower) processor is more than enough for all kinds of development needs. Don’t run after a Mac unless you need to do iOS work or can easily afford one.

The second common confusion is between Pro and Air. I personally recommend Air if your wants are not very extreme. And if you need a desktop, go for an iMac over a Mac mini unless you have a very tight budget.

Once you have bought your Mac, then you might wanna look at 5 must have tools on macOS for developers in 2022.

That’s all from my end. Adios!

Feel free to reach out to me for any questions or suggestions that you might have. You can follow me on these social media platforms — LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram for more updated content!

As always! Happy Hacking! 😇

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