I am struggling with which Mac to purchase and was hoping to get input from the community. I've been a long-time Mac user and have a decent level of tech experience, but I am certainly not an expert I would only consider Macs, no interest in Windows whatsoever. I was set to upgrade to the 16" MBP i9 16gb 1TB model. But the discussions about heat/fans/noise has me concerned. Some background:
Overall, the i5 MBP is fine speed-wise. But it does get awfully hot in both Zoom and Meet (particularly Meet w/Chrome). And the other day while presenting in Meet using the external monitor and having the MBP set to the "more space" resolution, I suddenly was bumped off the meeting. Of course that could have been a result of other things, but the combination of Meet + resolution + heat + fan lead me to believe that I simply over used the computer.
I really would prefer a laptop, but if I need to will consider an iMac or Mac mini. I just have always worked on laptops and much prefer the ergonomics (I wear bifocals).
I could use more screen space (hence my initial leaning to the 16" MBP) as I do have a lot of juggling to do when running the workshops (the meeting space itself, the chat box, the PPT, other docs I might need to share, etc.). I have never liked using a 2nd monitor (again, I know some people will completely disagree with me on that, but when presenting to 50-75 people having everything right in front of me and not scattered is very important.)
I am not overly cost-conscious, although a $5,000 iMac Pro is likely overkill. I cannot have a machine that drops me out of meetings. And this is my career, and the way I will be working for a long time before getting back to in-person events.
Would the 16" MBP be the choice? i7 or i9?
Should I spec a 13" MBP with a faster processor and more RAM?
Am I going to have the same heat/fan issues regardless (ie - Zoom and Meet just cause heat)?
iMac or mini?
Side note: I know waiting for the Apple Silicon is an option, but I can't chance my existing machine failing me in future workshops so need something sooner.
Thanks in advance, John
1) I facilitate workshops, which I used to do in person all over the world, but now do from my home thanks to the pandemic. (Yes, I miss the travel!)
2) I currently have a 2019 13" MBP i5 8gb 256gb. Because I used to travel weekly, the 13" served me well as it is highly portable. And my facilitation/delivery needs are very limited, basically my Mac connected to a projector with a PPT displaying. For the most part I could teach a class using any PC/tablet.
3) My work now involves some VERY long web sessions using Zoom, Google Meet, WebEx, etc. When I say long, I am often on a web meeting from 8am-5pm non stop, even through breaks and lunch without exiting the meeting. I do close unused apps, but generally will have at least Safari, Quicktime or VLC, Word, Excel, and PPT running. If using Zoom or WebEx then add those apps to the mix. If using Google Meet then I close Safari and have to use Chrome (and suffer the resulting heat issues).
4) Attached to the MBP via a USB-C hub: A Logitech C922 webcam, a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface with a XLR microphone and monitor speakers, and occasionally an external 22" monitor via HDMI. I will also generally attach an iPad via a lightning cable and use the iPad as a sharing source for drawing while presenting.
5) I normally leave the MBP screen set to the default scaling, but I have also used the "more space" option in the past.
Overall, the i5 MBP is fine speed-wise. But it does get awfully hot in both Zoom and Meet (particularly Meet w/Chrome). And the other day while presenting in Meet using the external monitor and having the MBP set to the "more space" resolution, I suddenly was bumped off the meeting. Of course that could have been a result of other things, but the combination of Meet + resolution + heat + fan lead me to believe that I simply over used the computer.
I really would prefer a laptop, but if I need to will consider an iMac or Mac mini. I just have always worked on laptops and much prefer the ergonomics (I wear bifocals).
I could use more screen space (hence my initial leaning to the 16" MBP) as I do have a lot of juggling to do when running the workshops (the meeting space itself, the chat box, the PPT, other docs I might need to share, etc.). I have never liked using a 2nd monitor (again, I know some people will completely disagree with me on that, but when presenting to 50-75 people having everything right in front of me and not scattered is very important.)
I am not overly cost-conscious, although a $5,000 iMac Pro is likely overkill. I cannot have a machine that drops me out of meetings. And this is my career, and the way I will be working for a long time before getting back to in-person events.
Would the 16" MBP be the choice? i7 or i9?
Should I spec a 13" MBP with a faster processor and more RAM?
Am I going to have the same heat/fan issues regardless (ie - Zoom and Meet just cause heat)?
iMac or mini?
Side note: I know waiting for the Apple Silicon is an option, but I can't chance my existing machine failing me in future workshops so need something sooner.
Thanks in advance, John