iMac, MBPr, Mac Mini - What do you think?

[Trubore]

Hi guys,

I'm considering going the OSX route for my next upgrade. Currently I'm running a i5 laptop on a 27" screen. Unfortunately 1920x1080 doesn't seem to be high enough for me. I spend more than 8 hours on a computer every day, sometimes up to 20. Usage ranges from scientific research, engineering simulations to music recording. Some times I actually game as well.

Areas where windows is starting to irritate me is stability. I'm really looking for something that just works. I have an increasingly difficult schedule, and spending time to make things work is unnecessary. Should I need windows for some or other reason, I can still dual boot.

I'm asking for your input as my experience has been limited to windows and Linux. I saw a friend 27" iMac and the display is miles ahead of mine.

So which mac product do you think would work for me? My budget is approximately 30k for the upgrade, any extras you would recommend?nBTW I do have a iPad and plan on getting a iPhone too.

TIA

 

[ithacapellin]

The iMac displays are very much in their own league, and the specs on the 27 Inch ones are good enough to cover what you listed.

We run macs at work and have never had any issues with them. We have multiple issues on our windows machines though. From a stability / maintenance point of view they are far ahead of your windows PC, and as you said if you need windows you can either dual boot , or even run things in a VM session.

 

[[)roi(]]

Hi guys,

I'm considering going the OSX route for my next upgrade. Currently I'm running a i5 laptop on a 27" screen. Unfortunately 1920x1080 doesn't seem to be high enough for me. I spend more than 8 hours on a computer every day, sometimes up to 20. Usage ranges from scientific research, engineering simulations to music recording. Some times I actually game as well.

Areas where windows is starting to irritate me is stability. I'm really looking for something that just works. I have an increasingly difficult schedule, and spending time to make things work is unnecessary. Should I need windows for some or other reason, I can still dual boot.

I'm asking for your input as my experience has been limited to windows and Linux. I saw a friend 27" iMac and the display is miles ahead of mine.

So which mac product do you think would work for me? My budget is approximately 30k for the upgrade, any extras you would recommend?nBTW I do have a iPad and plan on getting a iPhone too.

TIA

Look at the best Macbook (Pro Retina or Air) you can afford, and attach your current 27" display; best balance between portability and power.

Alternatively get one of the Apple Displays (sadly very expensive atm), or find an equivalent but hopefully cheaper IPS display from another manufacturer (e.g. Dell)

Btw read up on OS X and spaces; spaces essentially allow you to use multiple desktops; 16 per physical display (this alone will simplify your workflow). Spaces are a good way to overcome the screen size limitation, alternatively add a second display.

On the Windows bit, you'll find that Windows / Linux, ... runs perfectly fine in a Virtual Machine, for example: Parallels; so there won't be any need to dual boot.

 

[ponder]

Usage ranges from scientific research, engineering simulations to music recording. Some times I actually game as well.

Are those apps available on OS X?

 

[Trubore]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Portability isn't a major concern, I do PC work mostly at home. At this stage stability, decent processing power and a great display are what I need.

Are those apps available on OS X?

The heavy engineering simulations are definitely not. But nothing a dual boot can't fix. They are extremely processor intensive. When simulating a large petrochemical plant even a very decent pc suffers.

Is the Haswell i7 processor available in the new iMac 27" in South Africa? Can't seem to find it on their site. I would also like a fusion drive, the concept seems quite nice. Is the GTX 780 available as a option? The SA online store seems very vague to me regarding additional options.

When I spend 30k on a computer, I want it to last me quite a while. So what are your opinions on the changes I want to make to the stock configuration?

 

[[)roi(]]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Portability isn't a major concern, I do PC work mostly at home. At this stage stability, decent processing power and a great display are what I need.



The heavy engineering simulations are definitely not. But nothing a dual boot can't fix. They are extremely processor intensive. When simulating a large petrochemical plant even a very decent pc suffers.

Is the Haswell i7 processor available in the new iMac 27" in South Africa? Can't seem to find it on their site. I would also like a fusion drive, the concept seems quite nice. Is the GTX 780 available as a option? The SA online store seems very vague to me regarding additional options.

When I spend 30k on a computer, I want it to last me quite a while. So what are your opinions on the changes I want to make to the stock configuration?

Ok in that case, your power house desktop options are either iMac or Mac Pro.

Yes the i7 Haswell processor is available, as is a 4Gb GPU, fusion drives, SSDs, more RAM, ...

The iMac (in SA) is btw not limited to what you can find at an iStore or on zastore.co.za -- to get another configuration you just have to ask the IStores to order a custom configuration for you. Look at Apple's iMac custom configuration to pick one: http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/imac?product=ME089LL/A&step=config

The Mac Pro is of course the ultimate Apple powerhouse: http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/mac-pro -- but that's a whole different price range.

Bootcamp for Windows works really well, but don't sell Parallels short, many GPU / CPU intensive apps / games perform well enough; it's at least worth a try to avoid unnecessary dual booting. The other benefit is that Parallels is able run your bootcamp partition; essentially allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds http://kb.parallels.com/en/112941

 

[SauRoNZA]

I've been working on a 13-inch Retina for the past week or so, since my 15-inch non-Retina has been in for repairs.

I can honestly say that I would rather have the smaller screen with retina than the larger one without retina, it's just that good.


It's so good that I'm considering the 13-inch with larger hard drive rather than the top end 15-inch for my upgrade next year, simply because of the portability factor.

 

[[)roi(]]

I've been working on a 13-inch Retina for the past week or so, since my 15-inch non-Retina has been in for repairs.

I can honestly say that I would rather have the smaller screen with retina than the larger one without retina, it's just that good.


It's so good that I'm considering the 13-inch with larger hard drive rather than the top end 15-inch for my upgrade next year, simply because of the portability factor.

I'd certainly miss the workable space of a 15", too many apps: Xcode, Photoshop, Illustrator, Blender, ... are just not workable on a 13"; I found it far too inconvenient: continual need to open / close panels to balance access to functions and sufficient work area.

A point resolution of 1440 x 900 (15") is the bare minimum to not appear cramped, and even though a 13" retina could accommodate this using a scaled resolution, doing so negates any benefit of owning one.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I'd certainly miss the workable space of a 15", too many apps: Xcode, Photoshop, Illustrator, Blender, ... are just not workable on a 13"; I found it far too inconvenient: continual need to open / close panels to balance access to functions and sufficient work area.

A point resolution of 1440 x 900 (15") is the bare minimum to not appear cramped, and even though a 13" retina could accommodate this using a scaled resolution, doing so negates any benefit of owning one.

You would be wrong though.

Even the scaled resolution is still crystal clear compared to my regular MacBook non-retina of larger screen size right next to it....and fits in more.

I couldn't believe it myself.

Maybe when I have both of them back this week I can take some screenshots for comparison.

That being said, if your need is workable space then let's be honest a laptop in general won't do and you'll want a secondary screen regardless. Something still easily achievable with the 13-inch.

I do find myself at a bit of a crossroads though because in my mind the 13-inch retina stands toe to toe with the 15-inch non-retina for usable space. So I then ask myself wouldn't a 15-inch retina then feel like a 17-inch...and in the process negate my need for an external screen all together.

Weight wise I was surprised to find the new 13-inch a whole kilogram lighter than my old 15-inch but only half a kilo lighter than the new one.

Decisions decisions.

 

[[)roi(]]

You would be wrong though.

Even the scaled resolution is still crystal clear compared to my regular MacBook non-retina of larger screen size right next to it....and fits in more.

I couldn't believe it myself.

Maybe when I have both of them back this week I can take some screenshots for comparison.

That being said, if your need is workable space then let's be honest a laptop in general won't do and you'll want a secondary screen regardless. Something still easily achievable with the 13-inch.

I do find myself at a bit of a crossroads though because in my mind the 13-inch retina stands toe to toe with the 15-inch non-retina for usable space. So I then ask myself wouldn't a 15-inch retina then feel like a 17-inch...and in the process negate my need for an external screen all together.

Weight wise I was surprised to find the new 13-inch a whole kilogram lighter than my old 15-inch but only half a kilo lighter than the new one.

Decisions decisions.

Secondary screen...., of course!
I have a 27" Apple Thunderbolt Display and a 22" Wacom Cintiq; but that still doesn't help when I'm on the road or visiting a client.

Ito Retina, it's still much a wait and see game for me; Retina prices I still feel doesn't justify -- especially the latest models, which with only a single Intel GPU are now priced even higher than the previous models (only in SA).

My next upgrade will most likely be in 2014/15, hopefully by then Retina is more realistically priced + their's some improvement made re post sales RAM and SSD upgrades.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Last week I couldn't justify the price difference either, this week having spent a bit of time with it I can't live without it.

Nice one on the 27-inch Thunderbolt would love one of those but I guess now I'll wait it out until they become Retina as well.

I have a comparatively ****ty Samsung 24-inch on which I can't even get the colour to match properly, never mind the quality.

Pricing doesn't seem so bad to me, but them I'm comparing 2011 pricing of my current machine with the latest offerings and not going year to year.

 

[[)roi(]]

Last week I couldn't justify the price difference either, this week having spent a bit of time with it I can't live without it.

Nice one on the 27-inch Thunderbolt would love one of those but I guess now I'll wait it out until they become Retina as well.

I have a comparatively ****ty Samsung 24-inch on which I can't even get the colour to match properly, never mind the quality.

Pricing doesn't seem so bad to me, but them I'm comparing 2011 pricing of my current machine with the latest offerings and not going year to year.

I'll let you take the plunge then and maybe I'll join you if: jealously finally overcomes me , or the price improves, or the next upgrade is far too irresistible.

 

[Trubore]

Ok in that case, your power house desktop options are either iMac or Mac Pro.

Yes the i7 Haswell processor is available, as is a 4Gb GPU, fusion drives, SSDs, more RAM, ...

The iMac (in SA) is btw not limited to what you can find at an iStore or on zastore.co.za -- to get another configuration you just have to ask the IStores to order a custom configuration for you. Look at Apple's iMac custom configuration to pick one: http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/imac?product=ME089LL/A&step=config

The Mac Pro is of course the ultimate Apple powerhouse: http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/mac-pro -- but that's a whole different price range.

Bootcamp for Windows works really well, but don't sell Parallels short, many GPU / CPU intensive apps / games perform well enough; it's at least worth a try to avoid unnecessary dual booting. The other benefit is that Parallels is able run your bootcamp partition; essentially allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds http://kb.parallels.com/en/112941

Thanks, this really helps. I've been reading up and it seems like I will be going with the 27" i7/1Tb fusion/780m option. It's going to make a serious dent in my pocket, but hopefully it lasts a year or two.

By comparing the prices between South Africa and the US for the base models, I estimate that it will cost me approximately R35k just for the machine.. Then I still want software... Would be nice if I could get it through FNB. Would help with the initial costs.


What are your opinions on the extended warrantee? And how long does it take for a custom built mac to arrive?

 

[[)roi(]]

Thanks, this really helps. I've been reading up and it seems like I will be going with the 27" i7/1Tb fusion/780m option. It's going to make a serious dent in my pocket, but hopefully it lasts a year or two.

By comparing the prices between South Africa and the US for the base models, I estimate that it will cost me approximately R35k just for the machine.. Then I still want software... Would be nice if I could get it through FNB. Would help with the initial costs.


What are your opinions on the extended warrantee? And how long does it take for a custom built mac to arrive?

Re the extended warranty or Applecare; You can delay the purchase of Applecare, it can be bought anytime during the 1st year warranty.

There are many varying opinions about Applecare; I personally have never had to rely on it (touch wood), but as with any insurance you only regret not having it after an incident.

The actual build (construction) time from Apple is quite quick (~1 week), the biggest delay will be in Core shipping the product to SA. They'll most likely want to include it as part of an existing shipping schedule to keep their costs down; overall shipping times to SA depend on the shipping method and custom clearance. I think you could safely assume it's somewhere around 6 to 8 weeks.

Contact an iStore (or online via http://zastore.co.za) and ask them to provide you with both a quote and estimated delivery date.

 

[Beavcoon]

Thanks, this really helps. I've been reading up and it seems like I will be going with the 27" i7/1Tb fusion/780m option. It's going to make a serious dent in my pocket, but hopefully it lasts a year or two.

By comparing the prices between South Africa and the US for the base models, I estimate that it will cost me approximately R35k just for the machine.. Then I still want software... Would be nice if I could get it through FNB. Would help with the initial costs.


What are your opinions on the extended warrantee? And how long does it take for a custom built mac to arrive?

I ordered a custom MacBook Air recently and was told that they take 6-8 weeks to configure and arrive here. I've got another month left I was also told that you can't get any discounts on CTO machines, since I tried for the student discount. It's because of not having the serial number to process the discount on since it's not in the istore's possession. So I highly doubt that it will be available through FNB. Also note that a 50% discount is required for them to proceed with your purchase.

If you need help with the order process, let me know..

 

[[)roi(]]

I was also told that you can't get any discounts on CTO machines, since I tried for the student discount. It's because of not having the serial number to process the discount on since it's not in the istore's possession.

That's crap, Apple has a specific education store from which you can order CTO machines with discounts. If was you I'd argue this point, and insist on the discount, or at least confirmation from Apple (not the local thieves on why it's not possible for SA)
http://store.apple.com/us-hed/mac

 

[SauRoNZA]

Well my 2011 MacBook just cost R8000 to replace the logic board. (Would probably have sourced one myself if it was a private job, but the company paid for it)

That makes the R3500 (what i remember it was at least) extended warranty option seem like a pretty good deal, but then again only this particular model is prone to these failures so in general it seems like quite a waste.

If you can afford it, do it. But don't break the bank to make it happen. Also look at your own insurance options with regards to these things, might be cheaper on a monthly premium basis.

 

[Trubore]

Once again thank you guys, this is making the whole process much easier.

Beavcoon, that's a raw deal man. Try to speak to somebody higher up in the food chain, maybe they can give you discount by means of store credit. Where are you studying?

I will be getting quotes in a week or two. They better give me discount, as I'll be spending 40k or more(wife wants an iPad air). I'm busy with postgrad studies hopefully that counts.

So is MS Office for mac any good? Is the excel package on the same standard as the PC version? What software would you guys recommend I get? Parallels seems like a must after I read up on it - thanks roi.

 

[[)roi(]]

Once again thank you guys, this is making the whole process much easier.

Beavcoon, that's a raw deal man. Try to speak to somebody higher up in the food chain, maybe they can give you discount by means of store credit. Where are you studying?

I will be getting quotes in a week or two. They better give me discount, as I'll be spending 40k or more(wife wants an iPad air). I'm busy with postgrad studies hopefully that counts.

So is MS Office for mac any good? Is the excel package on the same standard as the PC version? What software would you guys recommend I get? Parallels seems like a must after I read up on it - thanks roi.

Microsoft put in a lot of effort to ensure that files from both are 100% interchangeable with no variations in the printouts. Plus the interface is very similar to Windows.

Remember with Parallels you could always decide to continue to use your Windows Office license (to save a penny)

Also Apple will be providing you free with:
iLife which covers: iPhoto (photo management), iMovie (makes your own home videos), Garageband (Software for the music enthusiast or musicians), Calendar, Mail, Notes, Reminders, Contacts all synchronize with iCloud and your other Apple devices.

Also free is Apple's equivalent of MS Office called iWork which includes Numbers (Excel equivalent), Pages (Word equivalent), and Keynote (Powerpoint equivalent) -- they're not bad as an alternative; files are interchangeable with MS Office.

For the remainder of "utility" software (most being also free) you can search the forum; there have been quite a few threads on what a new Mac user should download.

If you have a specific application(s) you need to find alternatives for, then I suggest starting a nee thread for this; this forum is great place to find these; much has already been answered in other threads.

Btw just to be completely transparent: with Virtual Machine software (re Parallels) there are another 2 alternative solutions available; VMWare Fusion (Paid app like Parallels), and Oracle's Virtualbox (free), but even with that I'd still recommend Parallels as it provides substantial performance benefits over the other 2, and is generally considered (reviews) the better option.

 

[Trubore]

Microsoft put in a lot of effort to ensure that files from both are 100% interchangeable with no variations in the printouts. Plus the interface is very similar to Windows.

Remember with Parallels you could always decide to continue to use your Windows Office license (to save a penny)

Also Apple will be providing you free with:
iLife which covers: iPhoto (photo management), iMovie (makes your own home videos), Garageband (Software for the music enthusiast or musicians), Calendar, Mail, Notes, Reminders, Contacts all synchronize with iCloud and your other Apple devices.

Also free is Apple's equivalent of MS Office called iWork which includes Numbers (Excel equivalent), Pages (Word equivalent), and Keynote (Powerpoint equivalent) -- they're not bad as an alternative; files are interchangeable with MS Office.

For the remainder of "utility" software (most being also free) you can search the forum; there have been quite a few threads on what a new Mac user should download.

If you have a specific application(s) you need to find alternatives for, then I suggest starting a nee thread for this; this forum is great place to find these; much has already been answered in other threads.

Btw just to be completely transparent: with Virtual Machine software (re Parallels) there are another 2 alternative solutions available; VMWare Fusion (Paid app like Parallels), and Oracle's Virtualbox (free), but even with that I'd still recommend Parallels as it provides substantial performance benefits over the other 2, and is generally considered (reviews) the better option.

Thanks I will do that. I'll keep you guys updated. I appreciate your trouble.