So you’ve finally decided to come to your senses and buy an Apple computer?
Apple computers are powerful machines that work well for a multitude of tasks. Whether you’re a student, freelance writer, programmer, filmmaker, etc., there’s a Mac out there that can help you with your work.
You’ll get a machine that has great performance, speed, storage, and allows you to create almost anything!
But before you head to the Apple store, you want to know which Apple computer is right for you.
Here’s our guide on how to choose the right Apple computer for your needs:
Table of Contents
Desktop or Laptop?
The first decision you have to make when buying a Mac is whether you need a desktop or laptop.
Many creative professionals prefer a desktop Mac computer such as an iMac or even a Mac Mini. These Macs will come with large screens that make it easier to view images, videos, or audio tracks.
If you plan on building a creative studio, then you might prefer a desktop Mac computer.
But what if you’re always on the go? Then, of course, you’ll want to look at the various Macbooks for sale. Macbooks are lightweight laptops that come close to the performance of larger Mac computers.
Used or New?
The next step is to decide whether you should buy a used Mac or a new one. As a general rule, it’s always better to buy a new Mac.
With a new Mac, you’ll guarantee faster performance and a longer lifespan. With a used Mac, you run the risk of buying a computer that won’t last more than one or two years.
If you do buy a used Mac, you want to make sure that it’s refurbished. This means that it’s a used Mac that still runs well.
This type of Mac will get assessed by experts before it gets sold. You should also invest in a warranty plan if you buy refurbished. You should learn more about whether the Applecare protection plan worth it.
Choose Your Model
You also want to decide whether you should buy an older model or the latest model of a Mac.
If you’re willing to splurge, you should always buy the latest version of a Mac computer. You should also buy the most powerful version.
For example, a MacBook Pro is often a much better option than a MacBook Air. An iMac is far more robust than a Mac Mini.
You can choose an older model for two reasons. The first is if you’re on a budget and need to buy a cheaper Mac. The second is if you don’t need the features that the latest model has.
For example, if you work as a freelance writer you’ll prefer a MacBook Air. With this laptop, you won’t have the same robustness needed for video editing or graphic design.
You can perform these tasks on a MacBook Air, but it’s not as good as doing it on a MacBook Pro.
What Are the Important Features?
So what are the important features that you should consider when you buy an Apple computer?
The first feature is performance. One of the reasons why consumers prefer Macs is because of their reputation for speed and stability. When you buy your Mac, you’ll see different models with different processors.
You should always try to buy the Mac with the best processor. As a general rule, it might be an additional $200 to upgrade to a better processor.
At a bare minimum, you should try to have an Intel i7 processor. It’s impossible to upgrade your processor once you buy your Mac. As such, think ahead of how long you want your Mac to last.
You also want to look into the RAM of your Mac. This is also very difficult to upgrade, so you want to have as much high RAM as possible. At a bare minimum, never go below 16 GB RAM.
Next, you want to look at how much storage space your Mac has. The great thing about Macs is that they prioritize high storage space. Even if you buy a Mac laptop, you can get close to 1 TB of storage space.
As a general rule, you shouldn’t go below 256 GB of storage space. Anything lower than this will get filled up before you know it.
You’ll likely have to invest in external storage no matter what. But you want to make sure that you never have to depend on external storage. Also, you should stick to Solid State Drives rather than internal hard disks.
Accessories for Your Mac
As a final step, you want to look at Mac accessories to see which ones work best for the Mac computer you wish to buy.
For example, if you buy a MacBook you’ll likely need to buy a USB port hub. This is an external device that lets you connect additional USB drives to your MacBook. Most new MacBooks don’t have any in-built USB ports.
If you buy a MacBook you might also want to consider buying an external keyboard and mouse for greater productivity.
With an iMac, you’ll have a keyboard and mouse included in your package. While the Apple mouse is convenient, you might still want to consider a multi-functional mouse made by another brand.
If you work in video or audio production, you need to make sure you have excellent speakers. You can buy external Apple speakers or buy speakers from another brand.
Make sure you check if any accessory is compatible with your Mac of choice before you buy the computer.
Choose Your Apple Computer
Now you can choose the right Apple computer for your needs. Make sure you assess whether you’ll need a desktop or laptop computer.
Then you want to look at what features are most important to you. If you’re on a budget, you can find a great used Mac that’ll do the job. If you’re willing to splurge, make sure you get the latest Mac model!
Please share this guide with anyone else looking to buy their first Mac. You can find more great tech content on our website.
