Apple Launches 'Help Me Choose' Website for Finding the Right Mac

[curnalpanic]

This should be useful judging from the daily what-should-I-buy-threads.

 

[lkrupp]

This should be useful judging from the daily what-should-I-buy-threads.

The reason those threads exist is because users want someone to blame if things don’t work out. “Well, YOU told me to buy this model and now I don’t like it. It's your fault I’m unhappy."

 

[dannyyankou]

Once upon a time, Steve Jobs went to a whiteboard and drew up a chart which was a simple cross. At the top it had consumer and pro. On the sides it had desktop and portable. And those were the four products to reboot Apple. I think I remember he said that at this time there was some kind of guide for people to choose what was the right Mac for them.

I mean they've kinda simplified it the past couple years. MBA for consumers, MBP for professionals. iMac and Mac Mini for consumers, Mac Pro for professionals. Maybe you can argue the Mac Studio complicates it kinda, but a think a third "creatives" category makes sense.

 

[boss.king]

Genuinely kinda surprised by this. I picked the lightest possible workload and set the largest possible budget and Apple didn't try to upsell me on RAM or storage, they just recommended the base Air (as they should).

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Will it factor in how soon Apple will stop sending it updates, the way MacRumor's Buyer Guide does?

 

[ThomasJL]

Once upon a time, Steve Jobs went to a whiteboard and drew up a chart which was a simple cross. At the top it had consumer and pro. On the sides it had desktop and portable. And those were the four products to reboot Apple. I think I remember he said that at this time there was some kind of guide for people to choose what was the right Mac for them.

Great point.

In that same chart, Steve Jobs said devices with "i" in the name were consumer, and devices with "Pro" in the name were professional. Tim Cook is so clueless that he ruined that logical nomenclature. Clueless Cook allows illogical names like "iMac Pro," "iPhone Pro," and "iPad Pro."

 

[t0rqx]

I answered honestly for myself, and gave it a budget of up to $2,000 (which is a little more than I spent on my last Mac, a 14" MBP M1 Pro), and it suggested either a 13" or 15" MacBook Air.

Which I assume is because I listed lighter weight activities, like browsing the web and watching video.

But I prefer the better display (it's a truly gorgeous display) on this machine along with the great speakers. And the 14" MBP upgrade isn't that much, often on sale. I got this for $1500.

Plus in terms of considering browsing a lighter activity, browsers are absolute memory hogs. I wish I could upgrade the RAM on this computer. And yet it suggested a machine to me with half the RAM than I have now.

It also asked if I planned to connect acessories, and I clicked yes for external storage.

I assumed it would then ask what type of external storage, but it did not. And I frequently use the SD card reader on my MBP, not present on the MBA.

I know what I like, and this tool did not. Should have asked more probing questions.

As time goes on the Apple Intelligence will become smarter. They forgot the BETA label on this.

 

[tYNS]

The fact they are doing this literally means Steve Jobs four quadrant simplification model is destroyed. The model that revived and simplified apple. This is the type of website Microsoft would have done in the mid 2000's.

 

[DavidSchaub]

The budget question is pretty funny, you could eliminate most of the questions with that one. Really the only questions you need are:

1. laptop?
2. budget?

Exactly.

Given that Apple has targeted every single price point ant BTO option to optimize their profits, and the end result of this is just "here are the 2-3 options that fit your budget"... this seems kinda pointless...

... but I do give it some points:

If you put in minimal educational requirements and set your budget at >$3500, it does give you a reasonable result:

 

[t0rqx]

Quite the opposite when I tried it. It suggested the 18GB/1TB 14" MBP or the 36GB/1TB 16" MBP for me. I'm surprised it doesn't suggest more RAM, because I told it I edit photos as part of my work and as a hobby...

ETA: It seems this tool refuses to upgrade more than one thing or by more than one tier, as I tried it again for my wife's use case and it suggested a weaker Mac Studio config than the one we got her, with the base RAM and SSD despite me selecting $3500 and up as a budget. It also didn't suggest purchasing a Studio Display, even though we also bought one of those and I told the tool I was planning on plugging in all sorts of peripherals...perhaps it assumes I already have a display?

Works as intended, recommending products that obsolete faster to keep the upgrade cycle going.

 

[GMShadow]

The fact they are doing this literally means Steve Jobs four quadrant simplification model is destroyed. The model that revived and simplified apple. This is the type of website Microsoft would have done in the mid 2000's.

Steve Jobs Would Never!

 

[DavidSchaub]

The fact they are doing this literally means Steve Jobs four quadrant simplification model is destroyed. The model that revived and simplified apple. This is the type of website Microsoft would have done in the mid 2000's.

Lucky Steve Jobs' quadrant presentation was beautiful marketing BS about how reducing consumer choice was better for consumers, when what it primarily did was save Apple a huge amount of money by simplifying and reducing their production costs so that they didn't go out of business.

Amazing job at selling "we don't have enough money to have a wide product portfolio" as a somehow a good for consumers

 

[avro707]

I just want a Mac Pro with a pair of W7900 Radeon Pros, how am I supposed to order that Mr Apple?

Apparently, I really do need a fully loaded Mac Studio and two XDR Pro displays?

Welcome to the cashed up hobbyist group, what we are called on this forum those of us with very high spec machines (well, if the machine is Intel powered anyway).

 

[jz0309]

Apple today debuted a new Mac website that's designed to help potential customers find the ideal Mac. The "Help Me Choose" site asks users a few questions and then suggests the Mac that will best meet the user's needs.

Questions include what the Mac will be used for, necessary day-to-day essentials, info on the user's creative pursuits, the need for portability, which peripherals will be used, and budget.

Apple's algorithm for suggesting a Mac takes all of these factors into account, and it doesn't just present buyers with base configurations. It suggests upgrades to memory and storage that would be useful, and it will also present options if your selected budget is a little flexible.

The Help Me Choose website can be found under the Mac section of Apple's website when selecting the "Compare" option or the "Shop Mac" and then "Shopping Guides" option.

Article Link: Apple Launches 'Help Me Choose' Website for Finding the Right Mac

please MR, please, put this story/link as a sticky in the Mac Basics subforum to help with the daily new threads "Help me pick the right Mac for me" ...

 

[swingerofbirch]

As time goes on the Apple Intelligence will become smarter. They forgot the BETA label on this.

Hehe.

I actually had this job as a real human doing sales for Apple so long ago I can't remember the year, working at the department you reached when you called Apple Store Online. This was so long ago we were supposed to upsell MobileMe (which was a really tricky product to sell; it did a lot of things but none of them with big impact that were easy to describe in a sales pitch).

But I know we had better probing than this!

 

[tb2me]

I answered honestly and then said my budget was unlimited. It suggested only 13 inch macbooks air which will handle my workload but I want a big screen. (When I buy a new mac, it will be a 15 inch macbook air.) Seems like an oversight But for those who say they'll just tell you to buy the most expensive option, I said $3500+ and it told me to buy a $1300 laptop.

 

[Darajavahus]

"Help me choose?" All I want is for Apple to sell an iMac with an M4 Pro processor, 64 GB of RAM, and 4 TB of SSD storage.

Though at this point, I think crossing my fingers and wishing to win the lottery is more realistic. 😩

and 27" coz no way I'm downgrading 🙄😞

 

[anshuvorty]

Good, now make one for the iPads.....

 

[Fuzzball84]

This is what happens when the lineup is somewhat bloated and overlapping. I remember when I bought my first Mac. A Mac mini… and I spent zero time deciding which one to buy. That was 2006 and the lineup was so clear.

 

[Ameer_1]

They all basically do the same crap.

 

[tYNS]

Lucky Steve Jobs' quadrant presentation was beautiful marketing BS about how reducing consumer choice was better for consumers, when what it primarily did was save Apple a huge amount of money by simplifying and reducing their production costs so that they didn't go out of business.

Amazing job at selling "we don't have enough money to have a wide product portfolio" as a somehow a good for consumers

I believe that is completely wrong. He simplified peoples choice making. People could go into a store and not have to think about specs and models. It made the entire purchasing experience simple. Having a wide gamut of products just irritates people. That and the fact that they made upgrading any component impossible now. You have to upfront sell all your potential future upgrade expectations. They eliminated 3rd party involvement. Anyhow... It was all done to maximize profits which now makes it a confusing ball of nonsense to buy a Mac product. It is for the rich elite.

 

[Harry Haller]

"Help me choose?" All I want is for Apple to sell an iMac with an M4 Pro processor, 64 GB of RAM, and 4 TB of SSD storage.

Though at this point, I think crossing my fingers and wishing to win the lottery is more realistic. 😩

And a 32" 6K display.
iMac Profound.

 

[klasma]

If you select "Designing, sketching", and nothing else, it still doesn't propose an iPad...

 

[klasma]

Will it factor in how soon Apple will stop sending it updates, the way MacRumor's Buyer Guide does?

I didn't manage to trigger a "wait for the next version" result.

 

[Realityck]

"Help me choose?" All I want is for Apple to sell an iMac with an M4 Pro processor, 64 GB of RAM, and 4 TB of SSD storage.

Though at this point, I think crossing my fingers and wishing to win the lottery is more realistic. 😩

Add that the iMac can drive two 6K displays. That compels Apple to change the USB4/Firewire port to works as a true Firewire 4 port.