New to MAC

[wings515]

I have been a Windoz user for over 30 years. Last week I used a MAC PRO and was blown away.. I use my PC mainly for email, Internet, Office, pictures and burning DVD/CD's. I am not a gamer and have a 3 Mb DSL internet line.

I am confused as to all the various versions of MAC laptops with respect to RAM, HD size and video.

I have about $1500 and don't know if I should wait for the newest thinner model, purchase a current model or a refurbished one of an older model.

Thanks,
wings515

 

[chscag]

Welcome to the Mac-Forums.

Do you live near an Apple Store? If you do, I suggest going on in and look at all the models first hand and ask questions of the sales people there. You can try them out and choose which is right for you. Afterward, you can decide whether you would want to buy a refurbished Mac or new one. There are other stores which sell Macs but generally their sales people are not knowledgeable which is why I recommend going to a genuine Apple Store if possible.

 

[Zurfyvision]

Welcome to the forum! Can you please answer a couple of questions to help us better understand what you will be using your new Mac for.

1. As far as pictures go, do you do any photo editing? Or, do you just store and view your pictures?
2. How much storage (hard drive) space will you need?
3. Do you play any intensive games?
4. Are you looking for a laptop or desktop?

As far as burning DVD/CD's, none of the new models come with a optical drive. You will need to purchase a separate drive for that. The Apple SuperDrive runs around $79.

Again, welcome to the forum!

 

[harryb2448]

Do you mean a Mac Pro as advised or actually a MacBook Pro which is a notebook? Mac Pro's are huge machine which come in about 44lbs. If it is a notebook keep your eye on Apple Refurbished. You get a completwly checked out model with the latest operating system, and a full twelve month warranty.

Any time duing that twelve months you can opt for AppleCare to extend the warranty for a another two years. You can get up to a 2014 model cheaper than your bbudget, which includes delivery:-


http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro

 

[wings515]

Thanks for the replies. First , pictures are just storage and printing, no games and I meant a laptop. As for an Apple store, the nearest one is an hour and a half away in King of Prussia PA. I thought about going but it is a bit of a drive.
As to HDD size, my Win machines I use about 50 Gb for everything so a 200-500 Gb should be fine.
I am really considering a refurbished machine.
Thanks again.
Regards

 

[chas_m]

wings515: welcome!

The fundamental question that needs to be answered is simple: desktop or notebook?

If desktop, I'd suggest the 27-inch iMac (doesn't have to be the 5K). If notebook, I'd suggest the MacBook Air 13-inch based on your stated needs, particularly if you are buying a new one. The just-updated MBA 13-inch is a heck of a good value compared to the 11-inch.

Likewise, the 27-inch iMac may seem big but its more expandable (RAM) than the 21-inch, plus you know BIG MONITOR.

Buying refurbished is an excellent idea. They are like new, and come with both a warranty and the opportunity to buy AppleCare for an additional two years of coverage.

Finally, if you need to burn CDs/DVDs, you don't have to get the Apple SuperDrive, nice as it is. You can use nearly any external burner under the sun these days.

 

[dtravis7]

Remember when you reply, he has around $1500 to spend.

 

[chas_m]

It seems apparent from later postings that he used the term "Mac Pro" when in fact he meant "MacBook Pro." Common error.

This is why I suggested either the 27-inch iMac (Refurbished 27-inch iMac 3.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 - Apple Store (U.S.)) <--under $1500 refurb, or the 13-inch MBA w/256GB (Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Air 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 - Apple Store (U.S.)) <-- refurb, though a brand new one retail would still be well under $1,500.

A brand new 27-inch would be a little out of the budget, but the 27s have been around for quite a while now.

 

[dtravis7]

He might have very well seen a true Mac Pro and was impressed.

For his budget Refurb might be the way to go.

 

[Zurfyvision]

Buying a refurbished machine is a great way to go. Apple tests them to make sure they are running great. Also, you get a 1 year warranty with it.

I just got a MacBook Pro with Retina display 13." It is the mid-tier in that size with the 256 SSD. I am a novice photographer and plan on using this machine to do some photo editing with it. As I have only had it a month, I haven't had the chance to work with too many pictures. The other things I do is basically what you said you would being doing with yours. The only thing is that if you want to continue burning dvd/cd's, you will need to purchase an optical drive, whether an Apple SuperDrive or any other compatible brand.

As chas_m mentions, the 13" MBA is a good way to go, as well. However, I would at lease order one in with an upgrade to 8gb of ram.

Also, you might want to take into consideration the purchase of an external hdd for making backups. The suggested size of the drive should be double what your internal storage is.

 

[wings515]

Thank you all for your replies. Sorry for the confusion, I am considering a laptop which I understand is a MacBook and the version should be a Pro.
Your suggestions for an external DVD/CD burner and.backup HDD are things I have to take into account when determining my total cost.
I did look at some of the refurbished units and there are many. Thank you the suggestions about the amount of RAM I need.

I will consider taking the hour or so trip to the nearest Apple store to educate myself since this is a big investment for me.

Best regards,
wings515

 

[cwa107]

Thank you all for your replies. Sorry for the confusion, I am considering a laptop which I understand is a MacBook and the version should be a Pro.
Your suggestions for an external DVD/CD burner and.backup HDD are things I have to take into account when determining my total cost.
I did look at some of the refurbished units and there are many. Thank you the suggestions about the amount of RAM I need.

I will consider taking the hour or so trip to the nearest Apple store to educate myself since this is a big investment for me.

Best regards,
wings515

Not sure precisely where you're from, but presumably somewhere in eastern PA. If that's true, do note that there is also an Apple Store (albeit a small one) in Park City Center in Lancaster. Not sure if that's any closer for you, however...