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MacBook Air or Pro?

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Ant

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Dec 15, 2020, 8:53:18 PM12/15/20
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Hello.

My elder client wants to replace his 13.3" mid-2012 (9,2; MD102ll/A) and 15" 2008 (A1260 model) MacBook Pros with a new MacBook before this crazy year ends since they are very old, slow, etc.

His new MacBook's requirements:

* 1 TB of internal SSD space (biggest is better)

* 13" size for easy light traveling around the world when it's safe again. 16" is way too big he says since he complains his old 15" is too big and heavy.

* Many old external USB(2-3) hardwares like hubs, printers, disc burner, mouses, iDevices, HDDs, etc. Adapters and hubs are needed since the new MacBooks don't have any old USB ports. Any recommendations on this.

* Display out with VGA, DVI, & HDMI with mostly HDTVs (4K too when needed) and computer monitors. Is there a combined SINGLE cable adapter with splitters instead of having to use separate cables and adapters which is annoying?

* Educational prices (USC.edu) if possible since the regular prices are already expensive enough.

It will be mainly be used for work, home, and entertainment: Office (will have to replace his 32-bit Mac Office 2011), internet, meetings, presentations, videos, audios, photographs, gaming (e.g., Steam), virtual machines (VMs), etc.

Would https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/buy-mac/macbook-air/space-gray-apple-m1-chip-with-8-core-cpu-and-8-core-gpu-512gb (2 TB of SSD + 16 GB of RAM) be OK for his needs at $1,869? Or does he need to go with Pro like https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro/13-inch-space-gray-apple-m1-chip-with-8-core-cpu-and-8-core-gpu-512gb?part=MYD92LL/A (2 TB SSD + 16 GB of RAM) for $2,119? Apple doesn't seem to have many options like in previous years?

Also, where's the best place to buy/order it? Apple's web site, retail stores (are Apple stores open to go in to look, try, etc. these days? Costco? Best Buy?), etc.? I see none of the retail stores have bigger sizes of RAM and SSD sizes so customizations are required.

Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)
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Lewis

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Dec 15, 2020, 9:15:23 PM12/15/20
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In message <mdmdnVFZRbEV9UTC...@earthlink.com> Ant <a...@zimage.comANT> wrote:
> * Display out with VGA, DVI, & HDMI with mostly HDTVs (4K too when
> needed) and computer monitors. Is there a combined SINGLE cable
> adapter with splitters instead of having to use separate cables and
> adapters which is annoying?

You are not going to find VGA out without stringing dongles together.
Your best options are USB-C -> Display Port (or USB-C if you can find
monitors with it). Get rid of any VGA crap.

> * Educational prices (USC.edu) if possible since the regular prices
> are already expensive enough.

The MBA is absurdly cheap for what it is.

> It will be mainly be used for work, home, and entertainment: Office
> (will have to replace his 32-bit Mac Office 2011), internet, meetings,
> presentations, videos, audios, photographs, gaming (e.g., Steam),
> virtual machines (VMs), etc.

> Would
> https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/buy-mac/macbook-air/space-gray-apple-m1-chip-with-8-core-cpu-and-8-core-gpu-512gb
> (2 TB of SSD + 16 GB of RAM) be OK for his needs at $1,869? Or does he

2TB is a lot more expensive than 1TB. I would buy the 1TB (oh wait, I
did). Save the money and buy a good TB3 Dock (or USB4 one if they are
available) for $200-250 and if you need more USB-A ports, a decent USB
dock ($40).

> https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro/13-inch-space-gray-apple-m1-chip-with-8-core-cpu-and-8-core-gpu-512gb?part=MYD92LL/A

There is very little difference between the machines. The MBP has a
*very* slightly better screen, a touchbar, and a fan so it gets slightly
better performance on long tasks. Like editing multiple 4K streams. The
SoCs in the machines are identical. Doesn't sound like he will notice
any performance difference between the two.

> Also, where's the best place to buy/order it? Apple's web site, retail

Apple site. Most anyone else will only carry one or two configs and no
one is likely to carry 1 TB model, much less a 2TB one.

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Pinky's Reflection: Why, yes,
Pinky! Yes, I am! But where would you get a chicken, 20 yards of
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Ant

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Dec 16, 2020, 3:55:39 PM12/16/20
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In comp.sys.mac.system Lewis <g.k...@kreme.dont-email.me> wrote:
> > * Educational prices (USC.edu) if possible since the regular prices
> > are already expensive enough.

> The MBA is absurdly cheap for what it is.

It looks like no MBAs since it uses ARM. My elder client uses VMs and
that is going to be a problem according to Redditors since ARM is very
new for now. Also, they have less USB-C ports compared to Intel ones.


> > It will be mainly be used for work, home, and entertainment: Office
> > (will have to replace his 32-bit Mac Office 2011), internet, meetings,
> > presentations, videos, audios, photographs, gaming (e.g., Steam),
> > virtual machines (VMs), etc.

> > Would
> > https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/buy-mac/macbook-air/space-gray-apple-m1-chip-with-8-core-cpu-and-8-core-gpu-512gb
> > (2 TB of SSD + 16 GB of RAM) be OK for his needs at $1,869? Or does he

> 2TB is a lot more expensive than 1TB. I would buy the 1TB (oh wait, I
> did). Save the money and buy a good TB3 Dock (or USB4 one if they are
> available) for $200-250 and if you need more USB-A ports, a decent USB
> dock ($40).

He doesn't want to carry the extra storage with him everywhere.


> > https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro/13-inch-space-gray-apple-m1-chip-with-8-core-cpu-and-8-core-gpu-512gb?part=MYD92LL/A

> There is very little difference between the machines. The MBP has a
> *very* slightly better screen, a touchbar, and a fan so it gets slightly
> better performance on long tasks. Like editing multiple 4K streams. The
> SoCs in the machines are identical. Doesn't sound like he will notice
> any performance difference between the two.

Currently, we're aiming for the older Intel CPU (i5 or i7) with 1 TB, 16
GB of RAM, & Intel Iris Plus
(https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro/13-inch-space-gray-2.0ghz-intel-core-i5-quad-core-processor-with-intel-iris-plus-graphics-1tb)
instead of the brand new ARM due him using VMs.


> > Also, where's the best place to buy/order it? Apple's web site, retail

> Apple site. Most anyone else will only carry one or two configs and no
> one is likely to carry 1 TB model, much less a 2TB one.

It looks like custom orders won't arrive until 2021. I even saw far as
February. Wow!

Lewis

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Dec 16, 2020, 5:53:47 PM12/16/20
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In message <EPedncyyGPHY6UfC...@earthlink.com> Ant <a...@zimage.comANT> wrote:
> In comp.sys.mac.system Lewis <g.k...@kreme.dont-email.me> wrote:
>> > * Educational prices (USC.edu) if possible since the regular prices
>> > are already expensive enough.

>> The MBA is absurdly cheap for what it is.

> It looks like no MBAs since it uses ARM. My elder client uses VMs and
> that is going to be a problem according to Redditors since ARM is very
> new for now. Also, they have less USB-C ports compared to Intel ones.

You should have mentioned that a lot more explicitly. And also not
SPECIFICALLY linked to an M1 Macs.

I have no advice for you then other than strongly reconsider buying dead
technology.

>> > https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro/13-inch-space-gray-apple-m1-chip-with-8-core-cpu-and-8-core-gpu-512gb?part=MYD92LL/A

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born subject to time, it was a sensation not unakin to falling.
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