Love OSX, hate the new Macbooks. What's the best way to still make Mac my main platform?

[TomOSeven]

Hi all,

I recently "upgraded" my 2013 Macbook Air to a 2017 Macbook Pro. I say "upgraded", because it feels more like a sidegrade. The screen is wonderful and the speakers even more so, but I can't for the life of me understand why they had to change the keyboard and get rid of the USB ports just for the sake of a couple of mm of thickness.

Anyway, that's not the point.

I'm now considering how I could still make a Mac my main machine, and as I see it, I have three options:

• The cheapest (Mac Mini, 2014, 700 Euro with 1 TB Fusion Drive and 8 GB)
  
  
• The performance oriented (iMac 5k, 2100 Euro, with 1 TB Fusion Drive, upgradable 8 GB RAM and RX575)
  
  
• The mobile one (Macbook Pro 2015, 15", 1900 Euro)
  

If it weren't for the price, I'd prefer the latter option, but those 2015 macbook pros are really hard to find. The cheapest one would be a UK import, and even then, it's quite expensive.

It feels weird getting a computer that's already a couple of years old, so that's a point in favour of the iMac. But I can't ever use that one out of the house and I don't like the idea of being tied to my desk all the time...

At least the Mac Mini, I could take with me when I visit my parents etc.

What would you guys go with?

 

[Glmnet1]

What kind of work, or activities, do you do use your Mac for?

Did you consider getting the iMac and an iPad for when you visit your parents?

I wouldn't buy the Mini, it's outrageous that they are still selling that machine at that price almost 4 years after the last update. Also, on some aspects, the 2014 is less powerful than the 2012.

 

[ZapNZs]

Which MacBook Pro do you have? Even if it is the base model nTB, the processor and video performance is going to be far superior to the Mac Mini, and the fast SSD in the MacBook Pro means many activities on the nTB could be faster than on a 5k iMac with a Fusion drive (depending on usage). Especially compared to the Mac Mini, a practical option may be a dock, nice external keyboard (Das Keyboard is good), and external display, and just running the MBP in clamshell mode to more or less do the same thing you would do with the Mini, while still affording you greater portability?

 

[TomOSeven]

Which MacBook Pro do you have? Even if it is the base model nTB

It is the base model.

You guys are right, the Mac Mini is a stupid idea. I already have a USB-C monitor I can use as a dock. With an external HDD, mouse and keyboard, that's still better than the Mini.

Now it's just down to the iMac...

 

[ZapNZs]

You guys are right, the Mac Mini is a stupid idea. I already have a USB-C monitor I can use as a dock. With an external HDD, mouse and keyboard, that's still better than the Mini.

Now it's just down to the iMac...

Check out:
https://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-professional-for-mac/

Get a mechanical keyboard and you will think all laptop keyboards suck after you start using it (because they all do.)

 

[TomOSeven]

Oh I still have my mechanical Cherry keyboard from my SC2 days. That's what I'm using.

 

[utgjon]

Now it's just down to the iMac...

Why?

What will the iMac offer that the docked macbook pro won't? It's not like you're using the keyboard you don't like, or having the port limitations?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Hi all,

I recently "upgraded" my 2013 Macbook Air to a 2017 Macbook Pro. I say "upgraded", because it feels more like a sidegrade. The screen is wonderful and the speakers even more so, but I can't for the life of me understand why they had to change the keyboard and get rid of the USB ports just for the sake of a couple of mm of thickness.

Anyway, that's not the point.

I'm now considering how I could still make a Mac my main machine, and as I see it, I have three options:

• The cheapest (Mac Mini, 2014, 700 Euro with 1 TB Fusion Drive and 8 GB)
  
  
• The performance oriented (iMac 5k, 2100 Euro, with 1 TB Fusion Drive, upgradable 8 GB RAM and RX575)
  
  
• The mobile one (Macbook Pro 2015, 15", 1900 Euro)

If it weren't for the price, I'd prefer the latter option, but those 2015 macbook pros are really hard to find. The cheapest one would be a UK import, and even then, it's quite expensive.

It feels weird getting a computer that's already a couple of years old, so that's a point in favour of the iMac. But I can't ever use that one out of the house and I don't like the idea of being tied to my desk all the time...

At least the Mac Mini, I could take with me when I visit my parents etc.

What would you guys go with?

You still give no indication as to what your problem is with your new MBP. The keyboard? If you don’t like the keyboard then you are bang out of luck as it is in all their new machines get used to it or give up on Apple laptops and mobile OS X or use older machines, those are your choices whether you like them or not.

The ports are a non issue just buy some cables that connect to what you need to connect to. Or get a portable hub like this.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HooToo-Shuttle-100W-Charging-Resolution-Space-Gray/dp/B073WW6H9H
It’ll still be a smaller lighter machine even carrying this as well.

I would get used to the keyboard on my new much faster machine, and buy the cables I need myself.

 

[TomOSeven]

The ports are a non issue just buy some cables

How can people say that with a straight face?
[doublepost=1513262177][/doublepost]

Why?

What will the iMac offer that the docked macbook pro won't? It's not like you're using the keyboard you don't like, or having the port limitations?

I mean the only alternative to a Macbook. I might just leave it as it is and see if I can slowly transition to Ubuntu.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

How can people say that with a straight face?
[doublepost=1513262177][/doublepost]
QUOTE]

Because it is a non issue 99% of peripherals use a removable cable that can be replaced for a few dollars, you just spent thousands on a new computer to get the fastest, latest and best tech around including those amazing TB 3 ports with USB c reversible connectors and the ability to carry any sort of power information or video from any port making them the most versatile computers about, but then you balk at paying $20 - $30 to replace the cables on said peripherals.

 

[eddjedi]

If you don't like it, that's fine, just buy something else. But there is nothing "wrong" with it. Many people including myself like the firm feel of the new keyboard. Many people including myself like the TB3 ports, I can have one cable for everything. You can't do that without TB3, no amount of USB A ports will give you a single cable setup.

So your options are move with the times, or buy a computer with 1997's USB A ports.

 

[utgjon]

I mean the only alternative to a Macbook. I might just leave it as it is and see if I can slowly transition to Ubuntu.

But why do you even need an alternative to the Macbook?

The two issues you've raised are ports and keyboard. You have an acceptable solution for both ... why spend more money?


Or are you just another OP starting a thread for the sake of it?

 

[TomOSeven]

What kind of work, or activities, do you do use your Mac for?

Sorry, didn't see your post.

My most used apps are VS Code, Xcode, Android Studio, Unity 3d, Guitar Pro.
[doublepost=1513265967][/doublepost]

Or are you just another OP starting a thread for the sake of it?

No, I'm just a Mac fan who isn't happy with this computer. It's lighter and prettier than before, but everything else suffers from it.

We're not a parents to our computers, we don't have to love them unconditionally.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"What would you guys go with?"

If you have a 2017 MBPro right now, DON'T BUY ANYTHING YET.

Wait until mid 2018.

There will be revised iMacs (with better 4k capabilities).
There -might be- a new Mini (again, with better 4k).
The MacBook Pro line -might- get a redesign that incorporates a better keyboard (just my speculation).

I wouldn't buy a 2014 Mini now. Just too old.
The iMacs are actually pretty nice, but again, 2018 revision will bring big improvement in 4k.

 

[whg]

I'm now considering how I could still make a Mac my main machine, and as I see it, I have three options:

• The cheapest (Mac Mini, 2014, 700 Euro with 1 TB Fusion Drive and 8 GB)
  
  
• The performance oriented (iMac 5k, 2100 Euro, with 1 TB Fusion Drive, upgradable 8 GB RAM and RX575)
  
  
• The mobile one (Macbook Pro 2015, 15", 1900 Euro)

If it weren't for the price, I'd prefer the latter option, but those 2015 macbook pros are really hard to find. The cheapest one would be a UK import, and even then, it's quite expensive.

Last year I needed a new Macbook Pro 15" after my excursion to Windows 10 didn't work out well for me. I refused to buy a 2016 model and bought a 2015 model. I was very happy with it, until suddenly it refused to boot into macOS. Bootcamp still worked and allowed me to back up data that I had excluded from Time Machine.

Repairing the macOS failed and resulted in complete chaos, such as space filled up with recovery files. Surprisingly, a restore from Time Machine worked. The restore process didn't do any harm to the Windows Bootcamp partition, so that now everything is back to what it was before the boot failure.

Because I don't know the reason for the boot failure, I suspect that it is an issue with the SSD, and I'm afraid that it can happen again. So I decided to buy a Macbook Pro 15" 2017 model to have a backup. My second motivation was my fear that next year's model will be stuck with High Sierra and the new APFS file system.

The 2017 model came with High Sierra preinstalled, but I downgraded to Sierra. I have the new model now for about a week, and to my surprise I discovered that I actually like it. I already knew the keyboard from a Macbook 12" that I had in 2015. The big trackpad is also no problem for me. Everything else is as good as expected: screen, sound, finger print reader, performance.

So I suggest that you give your new Macbook a second chance!

 

[Brammy]

How can people say that with a straight face?

My general rule with adapters is this: if it's got a cable, an adapter hanging off it isn't going to bother me.
So, USB cables to my external drives and printers, and HDMI cables and the like don't bother me.

I did buy a couple of combo USB-C/USB-A flash drives for the rare moment I need to sneakernet something.