Should i switch to Apple?

[4769372]

I will start with a big overview...what lead me to my current situation.

I am currently a student and will enter the work-force pretty soon. I always liked the design of Apple-Products but i always found them overpriced. But this perspective changed over time. I never was a cheap-skate but i always wanted to get the best product for my money. So when i decided to buy my first notebook it was a close call between a T450s and Macbook Pro 13" (both were almost the same price (150€ difference)) when it was released.

At the time i had an iPhone 6 Plus. Before that i used a Samsung S2, Blackberry Z10. Now i i will be blunt. I got the new iPhone 7 Plus and i only got it over the Pixel XL, because of the Apple Care Plus Package.

Now i am considering to buy other Apple Products. I love their design and support. But there is a catch. There always is to me. I was a silent reader for a couple of days weeks now. And my impression is that most of you agree, that the current line-up isn't worth buying and that Apple is heavly neglecting their Pro-Users. This scared me off quite a lot.

Now the main reason i would wanna get a Mac. Design and Support. But if Apple doesn't value their Pro-Users i cant buy their products. How do you see this?

Sry for my bad english. I am no native speaker and have some troubles with the spelling at times.

 

[AllergyDoc]

Hopefully you've spent some time reading through the threads with many users who love their new MBPs. I paid $2,040 US for my 3-year-old 13" MBP. The new model (with normal function keys) with those specs can be had for $1,609 refurbished (if they're available where you live). Brand new is $1,809. Costs less but has faster and SSD and has a better screen. My MBP will likely last another 2-3 years before I'll look to replace it, but if I was in the market today I wouldn't hesitate in picking up on of the new 13" models.

 

[4769372]

The Price isn't an issue for me anymore. Similar Windows Notebook cost almost the same. But i loathe the feeling of beeing ripped off or if a company doesnt value me as a customer after i have given them my money. Apple is kinda giving off that vibe currently. At least i feel that way. And i am reluctant to get locked-in into their ecosystem if that is the case. And the readings here have shown me that Apple actually is neglecting their Pro-Users.

I am not that sure about that. I just wanted to get a fresh perspective while spreading this thread. I read quite a lot but it is always different when you yourself are engaged in that conversation. I hope to get a better view on things.

 

[Hieveryone]

I will start with a big overview...what lead me to my current situation.

I am currently a student and will enter the work-force pretty soon. I always liked the design of Apple-Products but i always found them overpriced. But this perspective changed over time. I never was a cheap-skate but i always wanted to get the best product for my money. So when i decided to buy my first notebook it was a close call between a T450s and Macbook Pro 13" (both were almost the same price (150€ difference)) when it was released.

At the time i had an iPhone 6 Plus. Before that i used a Samsung S2, Blackberry Z10. Now i i will be blunt. I got the new iPhone 7 Plus and i only got it over the Pixel XL, because of the Apple Care Plus Package.

Now i am considering to buy other Apple Products. I love their design and support. But there is a catch. There always is to me. I was a silent reader for a couple of days weeks now. And my impression is that most of you agree, that the current line-up isn't worth buying and that Apple is heavly neglecting their Pro-Users. This scared me off quite a lot.

Now the main reason i would wanna get a Mac. Design and Support. But if Apple doesn't value their Pro-Users i cant buy their products. How do you see this?

Sry for my bad english. I am no native speaker and have some troubles with the spelling at times.

Lol bro I love my new MacBook. I don't feel neglected. I'm about to get a Satechi or something from Amazon and I'll be straight regarding ports.

It's a fine machine and I have no regrets switching from PC.
[doublepost=1489447278][/doublepost]Regarding price, it's expensive but for me it's been worth it.

 

[Sanpete]

And my impression is that most of you agree, that the current line-up isn't worth buying and that Apple is heavly neglecting their Pro-Users.

Keep reading, then. Most people, including pros, who have tried the new MBP are quite happy with it. What issues concern you as a pro user?

 

[4769372]

I wasn't just going to get a MacBook Pro. I also want to get an iMac 27". The iMac sadly is well not buyable atm. At least not for me. I need a Desktop. That is my concern as a pro user. A Notebook alone just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Sanpete]

Please explain more about why the iMac isn't buyable for you. Have you looked at a Mac Pro?

A lot of people who have money concerns buy a MBP and a Windows desktop, since the design elements are less important for the desktop.

 

[4769372]

The MacPro and iMac didnt receive an update. Even MacRumors Buyers-Guide says: Don't Buy.

 

[Sanpete]

Yes, but what about them is insufficient for your needs?

 

[4769372]

I won't buy a product that is 2-3 years old for the release price. Furthermore why would i buy a product that is out of date when i purchase it?

 

[Sanpete]

How is it out of date for your professional needs? If your standard is simply what has been updated in the last few months, your decision is simple, but it's not a standard based on any practical issue.

 

[4769372]

I don't think you fully understand what i am trying to say. When i buy a product that isn't up to date anymore but pay the full price, i will give that company the signal: Keep ripping me off, i am cool with it. But i am not cool with it. That's also what i meant with:"They don't value their pro-users".

That is why i wanted to know if my point of view is justified or if Apple is simply taking their time for an update.

 

[Sanpete]

My question remains, in what practical way are the current Mac Pro and iMac not up to date for your professional needs, let alone a rip-off? Has it occurred to you that they haven't been updated because there have been no advances in computer technology that call for them to be upgraded? The iMac has a screen that's still better than 95% of computer monitors. The Mac Pro is still plenty powerful to do the professional tasks it was designed for. What upgrades are required to meet your professional needs? It appears you have no particular professional complaint about them at all.

 

[4769372]

Well i will be very blunt now. There has been tons of advances in computer-technology. If you aren't aware of them it is because you don't follow this topic very much. The GPU-Power has risen by at least 100% since 2013. The CPU's are more efficient and drain less energy. So yeah there is huge improvement. The Ryzen does the job of an i7 for half the price. The list is long. The iMac screen is good, but there are Screens that are just as beautifull for half the price, period. I don't mind paying Apple-Prices. I mind paying those prices, when they are absolutly not justified!

If they upgrade the iMac i wouldn't even think twice about switching to Apple

 

[Sanpete]

Again, what practical professional task do the current machines fail to adequately accomplish? Be as blunt as you like, but so far, you haven't even attempted an answer. The dual GPUs offered on the Mac Pro are still very capable. (I don't think power consumption is a major issue for most pros with desktops.)

 

[CoastalOR]

Now i am considering to buy other Apple Products. I love their design and support. But there is a catch. There always is to me. I was a silent reader for a couple of days weeks now. And my impression is that most of you agree, that the current line-up isn't worth buying and that Apple is heavly neglecting their Pro-Users. This scared me off quite a lot.

Now the main reason i would wanna get a Mac. Design and Support. But if Apple doesn't value their Pro-Users i cant buy their products.

It seems like you already have your answers and have made up your mind.

 

[ZapNZs]

I can't say I am quite as confident today as I was a decade ago regarding Apple's commitment to the Mac environment. However, I am confident in saying that the MacBook Pro is an outstanding computer, as is the iMac. iPhone and iPad will probably continue to take precedence over Mac in the future - but from a business perspective, not giving iPhone and iPad precedence would be financially stupid, as IIRC Macs comprise like 10% of Apple's income where as iPhones and iPads account for more than 70%.

In regards to the 2016 MacBook Pro, it's a good computer that most owners are very satisfied with. Earlier in the release cycle, Apple had some QA issues with some individual specimens, but you will notice that the frequency of this happening has sharply declined in more recent months (suggesting they are doing things behind the scenes.) Most of the quirks/frustrations with the 2016s are software-related, instead of being related to any severe design deficiency, and a huge portion of the biggest annoyances have been addressed with software updates (and this does show commitment here.)

The 5k iMac is also an outstanding computer. You can get a lot of computer with a refurbished 5k iMac. This is a really nice computer for a reasonable price.

At this point in time, if you are not attached to OS X and need something on the level of a Mac Pro, then a Windows workstation is the better way to go IMO. The Mac Pro's future is uncertain, and there are alternatives with far more power for a lot less price, with superior expandability (something pretty darned important if investing $5,000-25,000,) from makers that have made their position on the future of their workstations more clear than Apple. I'm currently considering a ThinkStation 710. Using Mac and Windows devices side-by-side is an easy and painless process, IMO.

 

[Sanpete]

The Mac Pro's future is uncertain

How is it less certain than that of other Apple products? Apple continues to manufacture and sell them, and haven't given any indication they don't intend to continue to do that.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I will start with a big overview...what lead me to my current situation.

I am currently a student and will enter the work-force pretty soon. I always liked the design of Apple-Products but i always found them overpriced. But this perspective changed over time. I never was a cheap-skate but i always wanted to get the best product for my money. So when i decided to buy my first notebook it was a close call between a T450s and Macbook Pro 13" (both were almost the same price (150€ difference)) when it was released.

At the time i had an iPhone 6 Plus. Before that i used a Samsung S2, Blackberry Z10. Now i i will be blunt. I got the new iPhone 7 Plus and i only got it over the Pixel XL, because of the Apple Care Plus Package.

Now i am considering to buy other Apple Products. I love their design and support. But there is a catch. There always is to me. I was a silent reader for a couple of days weeks now. And my impression is that most of you agree, that the current line-up isn't worth buying and that Apple is heavly neglecting their Pro-Users. This scared me off quite a lot.

Now the main reason i would wanna get a Mac. Design and Support. But if Apple doesn't value their Pro-Users i cant buy their products. How do you see this?

Sry for my bad english. I am no native speaker and have some troubles with the spelling at times.

OP I simply ask before offering my opinion is what are you expecting to do on your new laptop and how does it relate to your future employment ?

Then we can get in to some useful discussions

 

[leman]

And my impression is that most of you agree, that the current line-up isn't worth buying and that Apple is heavly neglecting their Pro-Users.

Sigh... this is how unhealthy sensations are born

Look, the statement of "Apple is neglecting the pro-users" mostly bases on the single argument: lack of upgradeability. Thats all. Some people also like to say that the current line is underperforming, which is utter nonsense, as they use exactly the same class of components as any MacBook Pro before them. On, and there of course is the "MBP is not pro, because it doesn't have a fast GPU" — which again is a very weird argument, as no Apple laptop ever had a fast GPU (except some early PowerBook models, but that was in the beginning of the GPU era, where top-of-the line GPUs were still very small and cool by today's standards).

A current MBP offers you top-tier consumer CPUs, decent very energy-efficient GPUs (in the 15" model), fastest connectivity on the market (there is simply no competition here), very fast SSDs, one of the best laptop displays on the market, best in-class battery life on the market and best in-class mobility on the market. You can connect four high-res displays to the things if you need and you can run multiple high-speed external storage enclosures (again, if you need). The performance of the MBP rivals that of larger workstation laptops , while offering better mobility, battery and connectivity. If that is not suitable for professional usage, I honestly don't know what is. You just need to be aware of the fact that a) you can't upgrade it down the road and b) you need a service center somewhere close, as repairability of these models is pretty much zero.

And last but not least — you have a free return period. So you can always try the computer for a week or so and if you decide that it doesn't suit your needs — return it.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

I think you will have an updated iMac by WWDC, so I would wait a bit. As for the MacBook Pro, love mine. Actually have an iMac also, but waiting for the refresh for a new one as well.

 

[SarcasticJoe]

Apple may not have Ryzen-based machines in their lineup right now, but we're talking about something so new no OEM does. The only companies who do have Ryzen based machines in their lineup are not OEMs, they're companies who take off-the-shelf parts, slap them together using no tools beyond a Phillips head screwdriver and put their name on it as if they did any more than the average hobbyist who assembles computers from the exact same components.

As for seriously out-of-date Pro machines the only one this actually applies to is the Mac Pro, which is a rather niche machine and not something the regular consumer would be buying anyway. As for the Macbook Pro, while it may be a year out of date using a Skylake rather than a Kaby Lake CPU, Kaby Lake is probably Intel's most disappointing update ever with tech sites concluding that Kaby Lake has the exact same clock-for-clock performance as Skylake.

When it comes to the array of ports available, it's not really an issue with the versatility of USB Type C. The only time you're going to need Ethernet, HDMI/DVI/DisplayPort, a bunch of USB ports, an SD card reader and god knows what is going to be when you're going to be at a desk anyway and can use a USB Type C dock with all of these ports in one box if you're one of those neat freaks who dreads the dongle mess. I will admit that the extra cost may be a pain in the backside and that it's annoying you're going to have to carry a dongle if you want to use USB thumb drives on the go, but the problem is way overblown by the sort of people I imagine wear cargo pants without it being an ironic anti-fashion or conformity statement.

 

[leman]

If they upgrade the iMac i wouldn't even think twice about switching to Apple

I am fairly sure that we will see an updated iMac with Polaris 10 XT2 once the GPU gets released. Mid-summer?

The Ryzen does the job of an i7 for half the price.

Well, no, it doesn't. Benchmarks are very clear that Ryzen, while very much improved, is not really much better (or cheaper) than the same-tier Intel CPUs in the 65W bracket (what iMac is using). It is faster in massively parallel scenarios (its an oct-core after all), but slower in single-threaded and burst workflows. Maybe this will change with quad-core Ryzen is released. Once Ryzen becomes top-tier in its bracket, we might see it, but not earlier. I just don't see Apple sacrificing performance here. I could see AMD providing them with custom-configured chips though.

 

[vddobrev]

Well i will be very blunt now. There has been tons of advances in computer-technology. If you aren't aware of them it is because you don't follow this topic very much. The GPU-Power has risen by at least 100% since 2013. The CPU's are more efficient and drain less energy. So yeah there is huge improvement. The Ryzen does the job of an i7 for half the price. The list is long. The iMac screen is good, but there are Screens that are just as beautifull for half the price, period. I don't mind paying Apple-Prices. I mind paying those prices, when they are absolutly not justified!

If they upgrade the iMac i wouldn't even think twice about switching to Apple

Late 2015 iMac 27" has SkyLake, blazing fast SSD (or up to 3TB fusion drive), up to 32GB RAM (unofficially up to 64GB), 5K screen, TB2 ports, A/C WiFi, and adequate GPU. Which of the above is insufficient for your tasks, you have not shared that yet with us?
If you need an iMac NOW, you buy what is available and use it, and honestly it is pretty good and far from rip-off. If you don't need an iMac NOW, then you wait for future update, and be without a computer or use what you have.
Also, price a similar spec PC and add a 5K screen with the same specs to it, and you will find that price is about the same.

 

[Queen6]

OP I simply ask before offering my opinion is what are you expecting to do on your new laptop and how does it relate to your future employment ?

Then we can get in to some useful discussions

I agree without an outline of usage an informed response is not possible, equally as a longterm user of the Mac. Personally I am moving to Windows for my professional needs, as after over two decades Apple is no longer well positioned.

Q-6