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What makes your best Apple combos?

D

drewjonn

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 15, 2016
139
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I'm running the 2015 rMBP 15", 2011 MBP 13", iPhone 6, and iPod Nano, thinking about getting myself the 12.9" iPP, maybe ditch my 2011 MBP and patiently wait for the iPhone 7.

What Apple combinations work/sound best for you? I'm thinking about the 15" rMBP, 12.9" iPP, and iPhone 7 combo this fall.

Overall, if I could choose all over from the beginning, it would just go this way (from the biggest)

- 5K iMac
- 13" rMBP / 12" rMB
- iPad Pro 12.9"
- iPhone (not plus)

Don't think TV is a good selling and Watch is a pure lame tad. Why not get yourself a Rolex?
 
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My current lineup is 2012 Mac Mini, 2014 13'' rMBP, iPhone 6s+, 9.7'' iPad Pro

iPads are sophisticated enough now that I rarely turn to my MacBook anymore. It is a great computer and I like it a lot but I have spent most of my money on my desktop. I've put some upgrades into my Mini and it is currently running dual 27'' displays. Basically if I am at home, I am either parked in front of my computer or using my iPad on the couch. If I am leaving the house, 99% of the time my iPad and Smart Keyboard have me covered. Very very rarely (multi-day vacation which I do maybe once a year) I will take my MacBook with me.
 
I'm mini all the way: Mac Mini, iPad Mini, iPhone SE, Apple TV 3, Airport Express.

My permanent installations are Airport Extreme and Apple TV 4 and a nice big TV.

Miniaturisation for portability is my philosophy for living. It just always seems that the trades-off are worth it.

My Bose Soundlink Mini portable speaker has had so much more use than I ever expected.
Philips Hue Go lamp likewise. Now I want their even smaller ones even though hey aren't networking versions.
I downsized my camera equipment to mirrorless but still prefer my little fixed-lens model where shallow depth-of-field or long telephone isn't going to matter.
My display cabinet has a tiny old calculator, Game & Watch, PS2 Slim, PSOne with LCD display, the world's smallest 35mm camera, etc.

Sorry for the rant. :D
 
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I have a 2014 rMBP 15", iPad Mini LTE, 12" rMB, iPad Air 2 WiFi, Mac Mini (which is basically a dedicated Windows machine via Bootcamp) and an iPhone 6S+

Truth is I mainly use the rMBP and the iPads - the mini for travel and the Air 2 for the bedside content consumption device and obviously the phone. The Mac Mini I have to keep for running some specific apps but I'm thinking of consolidating to just a 9.7 iPad Pro with LTE and the rMBP. I love the rMB but end up going with heavier iron with the 15" or one of the iPads if lighter use.
 
Macbook Pro Mid 2012 13 inch Non Retina, iPad 2, iPhone 5.

Works well except the iPhone 5 doesn't have enough storage for my music (damn you 16GB) and has hopeless battery life, thus the iPad 2 goes everywhere for music. The iPad 2 is also getting on. I think next year, or late next year I will move to Macbook Pro Mid 2012 13 inch Non Retina, iPad Pro 9.7 (if there is a new one with 4GB of ram) and a 64GB iPhone SE.
 
Pretty happy with my current setup:

- a big, comfy desktop (5K iMac) with lots of external storage. I use it for media editing (photos, video, graphic design), productivity, writing -- and it also streams audio and video to my Apple TV and a pair of AirPlay connected speakers in my kitchen.

- a recent-generation iPod Touch, to function solely as a music streaming device and remote for iTunes to stream things from that iMac. This isn't really a must-have, but it's very nice to just have it always sitting there as a dedicated remote control for whatever music is playing -- without tying up my iPhone.

- a third-gen Apple TV to play things through a video projector. It streams video from the iMac and also of course Netflix, Hulu, etc. I suppose I could upgrade to the new one, but honestly I don't use it for anything but streaming and it works just fine. I have a Playstation for games and Amazon Prime videos.

- a small iPhone (SE) because I like travelling light and find the larger phones awkward in the hand.

- a light laptop (11" MacBook Air) for just simple writing, web, etc. I don't need anything super powerful for this stuff, and lightness is key. I tried and sold the Retina Macbook because of the terrible keyboard and lame port situation -- mostly because of the keyboard though. The MBA is a great little machine and built like a tank.
 
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I am a "Casual User" that is Very Happy with Refurbished MM(Late 2012), 2.5GHz, 16GB Ram, 500GB HD; Refurbished MM(Late 2014),2.8GHz,8GB Ram,256SSD; iPad Mini2, Ipad2, IPod Touch(5th Generation), Apple TC(5th Gen.), Airport Express(2nd Generation), 2 Apple TV's(3rd Generation).
 
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I have a MacBook Pro that's usually connected to a 23" ACD at home. The iPad and iPhone 6s round out the items I use the most. All equipped with plenty of storage so I don't run out of space.
 
Mac Mini as mostly a media server, using a 32" TV as a monitor. Big iPad Pro and iPad Air 2 for pretty much everything else.
 
Currently I have the rMBP 13" base model, an iPad Pro 9.7", an iPhone 6s Plus, and an Apple TV 4th gen, mostly for AirPlaying these various devices when I want/need a larger screen.
 
Largest iPhone and MacBook; iPhone 6 Plus and MacBook Pro 15". Getting the most out of these categories.

No room for iPad, no need for a desktop Mac, Watch seems not useful enough, do people still use iPods?
 
sunapple said:
Largest iPhone and MacBook; iPhone 6 Plus and MacBook Pro 15". Getting the most out of these categories.

No room for iPad, no need for a desktop Mac, Watch seems not useful enough, do people still use iPods?
Click to expand...

Same. I own the largest Macbook and will get the large iPad Pro but maybe not the largest iPhone there is, the regular size is more portable. Would get an iMac but I've already got the 15" rMBP, would prefer 5K iMac + 13" rMBP stack though.

Lol I'd rather save up for a real watch, not that toy. iPod Touch is useless but I think Nano is still fine for workouts and running. Never use my Nano though.
 
drewjonn said:
Same. I own the largest Macbook and will get the large iPad Pro but maybe not the largest iPhone there is, the regular size is more portable. Would get an iMac but I've already got the 15" rMBP, would prefer 5K iMac + 13" rMBP stack though.

Lol I'd rather save up for a real watch, not that toy. iPod Touch is useless but I think Nano is still fine for workouts and running. Never use my Nano though.
Click to expand...

iPhone 6 Plus is plenty portable for me though, no problems whatsoever. The bigger 1080p screen is excellent for watching series in the train.

Why iMac + 13" rMBP? I mean, if I had the money and needed the extra power maybe, but having a high-end 15" MacBook Pro has its perks like always having all of your files and programs with you. Not sure if I could really use both the iMac and MacBook enough to justify the extra costs. The 13" is lighter, but 15" has so much more screen and is lots faster.

The ideal combo of course would be having every single product they currently sell and just picking up whatever you need, when you need it. Without infinite money, however, the smartest combo is the one with product you really need and can use to the fullest.
 
sunapple said:
iPhone 6 Plus is plenty portable for me though, no problems whatsoever. The bigger 1080p screen is excellent for watching series in the train.

Why iMac + 13" rMBP? I mean, if I had the money and needed the extra power maybe, but having a high-end 15" MacBook Pro has its perks like always having all of your files and programs with you. Not sure if I could really use both the iMac and MacBook enough to justify the extra costs. The 13" is lighter, but 15" has so much more screen and is lots faster.

The ideal combo of course would be having every single product they currently sell and just picking up whatever you need, when you need it. Without infinite money, however, the smartest combo is the one with product you really need and can use to the fullest.
Click to expand...

The extra speed and screen size can be found on the iMac, thus, even better screen to offer. When it comes to travels, you want something with the best portability, not to forget a decent-good performance of course. Fact, I'm having a hard time trying to travel with my 15", it spends time on my desk at home and therefore I'm considering the iPad.

Regardless, the 13" is way more than enough for a secondary device (if you use the iMac) Cost is the reason why I'm going for the 15" only after all. I also believe that it would appear very greedy to own 2 Macs at one time, unless I have unlimited cash as you mentioned though.
 
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drewjonn said:
The extra speed and screen size can be found on the iMac, thus, even better screen to offer. When it comes to travels, you want something with the best portability, not to forget a decent-good speed of course. Fact, I'm having a hard time trying to travel with my 15", it spends time on my desk at home and therefore I'm considering the iPad.

Regardless, the 13" is way more than enough for a secondary device (if you use the iMac) Cost is the reason why I'm going for the 15" only after all. I also believe that it would appear very greedy to own 2 Macs at one time, unless I have unlimited cash as you mentioned though.
Click to expand...

I do have 27" 4K monitor on my desk to which my MacBook is connected with a closed lid. Almost like a desktop.

I don't have problems traveling with my 15" MacBook. Sure, the 12" MacBook which I'm temporarly using is way more comfortable but compared to some 3.5kg Windows laptops... The 15" isn't that bad. I do hope the 2016 models will be lighter, but I'd still choose power and screen real estate over portability. I need that power in school with 3D modeling.
 
sunapple said:
I do have 27" 4K monitor on my desk to which my MacBook is connected with a closed lid. Almost like a desktop.

I don't have problems traveling with my 15" MacBook. Sure, the 12" MacBook which I'm temporarly using is way more comfortable but compared to some 3.5kg Windows laptops... The 15" isn't that bad. I do hope the 2016 models will be lighter, but I'd still choose power and screen real estate over portability. I need that power in school with 3D modeling.
Click to expand...

Well, anyways, best of use. I might not know of the struggles graphic design/art students should get through. As a finance student, it won't be any more than Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. Even the 12" rMB is very capable for those jobs, and offers not just portability, but aesthetic look. Bought the 15" rMBP for Logic Pro X though.

Btw, Macs are built to be different than Windows tank-ish notebooks. Can't imagine myself comparing them. Never thought of even buying one. But 15" is in fact kinda too big and slightly too heavy to carry to coffee shops daily, at least for me, maybe I'd love to switch if Apple releases a re-model of rMBP this year. Hope it would look similar to the 12" rMB. Not just godlike performance, but goddamn stunning as well. Might kill the sale of 12" rMB though.
 
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Late 2013 21.5 2.9 iMac ( bought this 2 weeks ago new from Micro Center ) along with a late 2012 Mac Mini 2.6 with 16gb of RAM, iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 2 for travel and iPhone 6S 64GB. Perfect for me.
 
My new minimalist setup:

-12" Retina MacBook (Early 2016 - 1.1 M3 8GB RAM 256 GB SDD - Space Grey)
-iPhone 7 (128 GB version - Matte Black)
-2 Apple TV's in our apartment

I'm loving this setup. Simple and sleek. I'm glad I opted for more space on the iPhone since it can hold my entire iTunes collection.
 
For my needs, it seems the iPad Pro 9.7 and the iPhone 6s work for everything. I own two Mac minis, but I'm contemplating selling them as they don't see as much use these days.
 
drewjonn said:
What Apple combinations work/sound best for you?
Click to expand...
I'm settled in on an iMac and iPhone SE. I have an iPad but its mostly unused, its not a bad product, but I find myself using the iPhone over the iPad, or just using my iMac.

drewjonn said:
Don't think TV is a good selling and Watch is a pure lame tad. Why not get yourself a Rolex?
Click to expand...
Because a Rolex costs thousands of dollars, and the Apple watch is much cheaper, plus the apple watch measures my work outs and the Rolex does not :)
 
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I used to use both a laptop and a desktop, but there was just too much overlap. Now I use a MBP with an external keyboard/monitor/touchpad when I'm at my desk at home.
 
iMac (fully loaded) / Macbook (lowest spec) combo.

If there was some computer rule that only allows a person to have only one machine. Then I would go with the MacBook Pro that is fully loaded.
 
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I use: iPhone 6S > iPad Pro 9.7" > 27inch iMac

Works great for me

I also have an old (mid 2009) MacBook Pro that I barely use

I bought the iPad Pro to replace it
 
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