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Making the switch to Apple products

Megagoodfeeling

Megagoodfeeling

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 9, 2015
5
2
Philadelphia, PA
I have tried doing a ton of google-fu and research in general about this particular topic and have yielded very few results surprisingly. The results that I come up with are normally for the opposite (apple to android) and even they are far and few between. Most are just reposts of the same blog post/article.

So I am slowly getting away from PC gaming in general and the need for a full blown custom rig. I work so much now that it's annoying to keep up to date with my custom windows rig (updating parts/fixing parts or troubleshooting ect). Everything I have is windows/android for the most part, however I do have an iphone 5s sitting beside me but I am not currently using it as I have a OnePlus One as my daily driver. Android has been giving me the worst impression since I have switched and Windows has always been iffy for the most part on normal-heavy days of use. Apple and their line of products seems to be a pretty easy route to take for the simple fact that you don't hear about as many hiccups as windows/android and the UI and general style of apple products are leaps and bounds more attractive.

I have been looking at replacing everything I have and going straight to apple products. That's how bad the windows/android taste is that has been left in my mouth. This isn't an impulse thing either. I didn't just get really angry today at windows and decide i'm tossing everything. I really only use my computer for general forum browsing/posting and just killing time with some light emailing/market checking/news stuff most of that I do on my phone though.

So I have kind of a list of questions (sorry if these have been answered already and I didn't see them)​
  • -What would be the best route to take to replace my desktop/phone ect at the best price. I hear there are some 3rd party sellers on Amazon that sell well below the MSRP that Apple gives them (products brand new supposedly) but I can't find any that have them in stock at the low
  • -Would just purchasing a macbook be sufficient even if I don't travel often? I would only do light light light pc gaming (World of Warcraft at most, and even that is rare).
  • -Iphone 6s is coming out but I am hearing mixed opinions about the price point and if it is worth it for the minor upgrades (besides force touch). Would force touch really be that big over non force touch for moderate to heavy daily use?
  • -What are some "must have" (I know this is subjective but just give me the general must-haves) accessories for the recommended products? Keep in mind I have never used a mac computer before.
  • Should I just buy the newest of each and "future proof" myself for a little while at least? or would it be a better choice to just buy a year older model
  • When/if I purchase a new computer where is a good place to sell old parts at from a custom rig? I honestly have always just kept parts in a box and let them collect dust. I really don't need to get my money back but it would be nice to get my money back for some parts at least.
Not really concerned too much with a tablet yet as I am sure i'll get one later down the road after I play with the new ipad pro in the apple store/best buy for a little bit at least.
 
Hi,

First off let me start by saying that we've all been where you are in regards to windows frustration.

I'm afraid you're stuck between a rock and hard place (I'll speak more on that later). I'll answer your questions in the order you asked them.

  • A very known 3rd party seller on this website that is known for selling iMacs & MacBooks below MSRP is B&H Photo (See:http://www.bhphotovideo.com)
  • A macbook (and I would recommend a MacBook Pro) would definitely be sufficient for your use case. While a Mac is known for not being a gaming device it will run WoW (although I have no idea how well it would run). A MacBook Pro would definitely be a better choice than an iMac because the iMacs still come with HDD instead of SSD which is just a blatant ripoff in this day and age. You'll definitely want an SSD because it noticeably improves performance over an HDD. This years MBP's have some insanely fast SSD's.
  • I would suggest watching a video on force touch to see if it's worth it to you. I think the iPhone 6 still offers good value especially since it's cheaper now but seeing as the price difference between the 6 & 6S is only $100 you might as well go for the 6S and get all the latest features.
  • I don't really know about must have accessories. The only thing I would say is an extra (backup) charger for your mac? You could leave one at home and have one always in your back so that you never forget it. If you need a NAS or just a router you could look at the Apple Timecapsule (also serves as a backup solution) or the Apple Airport Express respectively.
  • I would suggest buying the newest MBP available but I wouldn't recommend future proving as in maxing it out. Just buy the mid range model and you should be fine. Of course this advice is dependent on your needs but I would avoid the base model which has only 128GB of storage (that tends to get a little tight but for your use, which was only light browsing and WOW, it could suffice). I would advice against buying the high end MBP as it difference in price and performance between it and the midrange model are not favorable. My advice regarding storage is based on long term thinking and you never know when needs may change. Macs tend to awaken the creative side in people because of the great creativity apps so it's definitely something to keep in mind. For comparison, I myself have a 128GB MacBook Air (of which 119,97GB is available for storage), I currently have over 75GB free storage space but I have to note that I have very few media on my device. Almost no music (only 1,6GB. I just use the free spotify Mac app), no photos at all (I store everything in Flickr) and just 1 movie file. Hardly any documents (everything is in Pages iCloud). I have about 20GB worth of programs and 20GB in "Other" which is probably my backups.
  • I'm sorry to say that I have no answer for your last question as I have know knowledge whatsoever about that.

Now for your rock and hard place..

I suggested you buy a MacBook Pro (and I'm assuming 13" because 15" is quite pricey and also I would advise against buying the 15" because the processor is old: haswell not broadwell) but there is significant signs that Apple is working on a redesign of the MacBook Pro.

The redesign is thought to be a significant change (especially since now the iPad Pro has a higher resolution screen than any current retina MBP and it's also cheaper than the current MBP's).

So you're dilemma becomes do you wait for the redesign or do you just jump in. Judging from your use case and your current frustrations you'll be more than delighted with the current generation MBP's (again 13"). So if you really can't hold out any longer you'll be perfectly happy with the current generation.

And to be honest, there's always going to be something better coming so it's not that much of a problem.

However... it has been a very long time since the MacBook Pro saw a redesign (not just an upgrade/update) and there are more than enough reasons to expect the redesign to be significant. The expectation is that the new MBP's will come in Q1 2016 (around March).


I hope I have been of help.
 
Welcome to the world of Apple Eco System and Apple TAX.

Just another opinion here -

For the phone - given a new phone has come out, the price will drop on the present models soon so they are decent deals to be had. I still use an iPhone 5s and it serves me very very well.

Computer - really depends on what you need. Apple's market model seems to suggest they want us to buy every 2-3 years more hardware and thus there really isn't a future proofing to be had other than making sure what you do buy is at least what you need and ideally a bit more. As example, drive space and RAM are both items that should not be over looked and I think in this day and age of media files and more, a 1/2 gig SSD is not out of the question nor is getting more than 8 gigs of RAM (assuming you might need it). If you know your apps, you can investigate how well they take advantage of multi-core vs single and if they exploit the GPU (video chipset).

Accessories - way too may items out there to truly list other than the conventional -
1) Decent protection for the electrical which can be a quality power strip or UPS (battery back up unit).
2) If a laptop, get a decent case that can protect and hold your other items while also being comfortable to carry.
3) iPhone case to protect the iPhone
4) Extra charger set up for iPhone (nice items out there for car charging as well). Just be sure it meets real specs.
5) Home WiFI router (see SmallNetBuilder Site for reviews and tests).
6) If you get an iPad, consider perhaps a stylus (and of course a case)
7) Earphones - whatever type you prefer ... over ear, on ear, ear buds/in ear etc.
8) If you like to plug your computer into the TV for media play - the correct cables (HDMI etc)
9) External speakers - from super cheap up into the 100's of dollars.
10) Mouse, trackball or similar
11) External drive space (either for added files or backups and preferably enough for both
12) "Thumbdrive" USB3 such as by Sandisk and Lexar (read reviews on speed first for best model)
13) Either Ethernet to USB3 or Thunderbolt connector if you require it (my rMBP as example) along with Cat5e cable.


I would not heavily invest in an Apple Eco set up. I would get the key items such as the computer and iPhone and slowly get the rest after a bit of research and perhaps hands on at a local seller store. Items like WiFi Routers can be researched on SmallNetBuilder as well as NAS offerings. Apple's router line is rather pedestrian in functionality and over priced. I make these statements fully based on personal and professional experience. I still install Apple products for friends and clients by their request and they do work well enough in most cases (sometimes with addition of extender either WiFI or powerline).


My present set up includes 2x Mac Mini, rMBP, iPhone 5s, various external drives, thumbdrives, 20tb NAS (Raid 5), 2x external blu ray burners, couple of pairs of desktop speakers, 3 pairs of different headphones....more. I also have 3 routers which I rotate through when I demonstrate for friends/clients the functionality.
 
Megagoodfeeling said:
I really only use my computer for general forum browsing/posting and just killing time with some light emailing/market checking/news stuff most of that I do on my phone though.
Click to expand...

Why do you even need a computer? It seems like the cheapest iPad and an Apple bluetooth keyboard would be plenty of hardware for those tasks.
 
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macsmurf said:
Why do you even need a computer? It seems like the cheapest iPad and an Apple bluetooth keyboard would be plenty of hardware for those tasks.
Click to expand...

He plays World of Warcraft. An iPad won't suffice. He needs a desktop OS.
 
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To me, he doesn't sound like he is sure he wants to switch. It sounds like he is bored with Android and Windows and maybe he wants to try something different but is not sure if he should.
 
riviera74 said:
There are a lot of games for iOS. Indeed, he is more likely to find the games he wants for an iPad than a MBP.
Click to expand...

He said he is moving away from gaming and gaming less and less. The only game he still plays is World of Warcraft. You're not really listening to his needs.

iPad doesn't run World of Warcraft end of story. It's excluded from purchase for that very reason.
 
Gildarts said:
He plays World of Warcraft. An iPad won't suffice. He needs a desktop OS.
Click to expand...

He already has a PC capable of running WoW. Reinstall a fresh Windows, install WoW, don't mess with it, done.

I use Windows exclusively as a game loader and I have never had a problem.
 
macsmurf said:
He already has a PC capable of running WoW. Reinstall a fresh Windows, install WoW, don't mess with it, done.

I use Windows exclusively as a game loader and I have never had a problem.
Click to expand...

He seems pretty set on replacing his current desktop:

Megagoodfeeling said:
-What would be the best route to take to replace my desktop/phone ect at the best price. I hear there are some 3rd party sellers on Amazon that sell well below the MSRP that Apple gives them (products brand new supposedly) but I can't find any that have them in stock at the low
Click to expand...

I have been looking at replacing everything I have and going straight to apple products. That's how bad the windows/android taste is that has been left in my mouth.
Click to expand...
 
Gildarts said:
First off let me start by saying that we've all been where you are in regards to windows frustration.
Click to expand...
Speak for yourself, always been mac!:)
Megagoodfeeling said:
-What are some "must have" (I know this is subjective but just give me the general must-haves) accessories for the recommended products? Keep in mind I have never used a mac computer before.
Click to expand...
If getting a laptop, always purchase a case/protector - I use Speck (http://www.speckproducts.com), keeps everything shiny as it's meant to be!
 
Gildarts said:
He seems pretty set on replacing his current desktop:
Click to expand...

Well, sometimes people are not as set as they seem. Your suggestion of a mid-range macbook will cost a 1000$ more than the cheapest current generation iPad and the only benefit is that it might be able to run a game of WoW reasonably well.

It doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to spend a 1000 bucks extra for something you can already do.
 
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