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Apple 'Computer' buying advice/recommendations?



1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
Here's hoping the font of all wisdom that is NSC can be of assistance.

Having never personally owned an Apple device of any description, and having no intention of ever doing so, we now need to buy one for our eldest. She needs to work with some programs that only Apple do, so her PC will need replacing. I'm totally confused by all their products, 'i' this and 'mac' that :rolleyes: and all I know is that they appear to me to be vastly over priced and low on spec for what you have to pay. Unfortunately, because of the programs required our hands are tied.

The music composition programs she needs to run are : Logic, Pro Tools, Soundtrack Pro. Anyone any recommendations or suggestions for the following please?

1) What is the best value tower/monitor, not laptop, model to go for in terms of good usability for the above programs?

2) Where's best to buy from in terms of deals and warranty etc?

3) Is it worth considering refurbs?, if so where best to buy one from?
 




Bozza

Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
55,721
Back in Sussex
1. If you don't want a laptop, then you only have 3 choices: Mac Mini, iMac and Mac Pro. You won't need the Pro - it's a wonderful thing which is why it costs a LOT.

So that leaves you with two very different choices:

- Mac Mini - small stand alone box. Benefits: you can use any monitor, mouse and keyboard you like with it. So if your daughter has a PC already, as seems to be the case, she should have everything required to plug into it. It's not the prettiest solution, but it's the best value. The monitor can be updated whenever she/you wants/needs to and you're not tied into Apple for that if you don't want to. It also means she can pick up the Mini and take it with her somewhere else if she needs to.

Details here: http://store.apple.com/uk/buy-mac/mac-mini

- iMac - the 'all in one'. A thing of outstanding beauty, but you pay for it.

Details here: http://store.apple.com/uk/buy-mac/imac

2. You can buy from anywhere - prices don't tend to change. Places like John Lewis will give you the longest warranty.

3. The Apple Refurb store is always worth checking out - http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac - products new/as new with full Apple warranty.
 




RexCathedra

RexCathedra

Aurea Mediocritas
Jan 14, 2005
3,499
Vacationland


1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
Nice one Bozza, was hoping you'd be first on the case seeing as you're the known Apple man here :thumbsup:

Actually, she has a laptop now but a tower would be fine as she'll only need it for working from home/Uni really. I also, mistakenly it seems, thought I'd get better value there, but it seems all their products are outrageous money :eek: Mind you, if I could work out how that mac mini thing works in practice then I can see some value there I think. I've only had a brief look at those links but just from those alone I now have something to go on whereas before I was completely clueless, so thanks for that, much appreciated.

If we did go down the laptop route what would be sensible options there do you think?
 




1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185


Mr Smggles

Mr Smggles

Well-known member
May 11, 2009
2,656
Winchester
1066familyman said:
Nice one Bozza, was hoping you'd be first on the case seeing as you're the known Apple man here :thumbsup:

Actually, she has a laptop now but a tower would be fine as she'll only need it for working from home/Uni really. I also, mistakenly it seems, thought I'd get better value there, but it seems all their products are outrageous money :eek: Mind you, if I could work out how that mac mini thing works in practice then I can see some value there I think. I've only had a brief look at those links but just from those alone I now have something to go on whereas before I was completely clueless, so thanks for that, much appreciated.

If we did go down the laptop route what would be sensible options there do you think?
Click to expand...

If you wanted to look at having both sides he desktop setup (keyboard, mouse and large monitor) as well as the portability of the laptop, I would recommend a lower end MacBook Pro and have a look at a USB 3.0 port replicator. Plugs straight into the sub slot and will display into the large screen.
 


Bold Seagull

Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
29,789
Hove
1066familyman said:
Nice one Bozza, was hoping you'd be first on the case seeing as you're the known Apple man here :thumbsup:

Actually, she has a laptop now but a tower would be fine as she'll only need it for working from home/Uni really. I also, mistakenly it seems, thought I'd get better value there, but it seems all their products are outrageous money :eek: Mind you, if I could work out how that mac mini thing works in practice then I can see some value there I think. I've only had a brief look at those links but just from those alone I now have something to go on whereas before I was completely clueless, so thanks for that, much appreciated.

If we did go down the laptop route what would be sensible options there do you think?
Click to expand...

I've got a mac mini that is about 10 years old now. Still works really well, but now plugged into the living telly as a sort of media server. Great bit of kit, but you need the monitor etc.

For the applications you are listing, I'd say the sensible choice is a MacBookPro for a laptop. I have 2 of these! One that is 7 years old and still doing well (which my wife now uses) and I have a MacBookPro that is about 3 years old now. Very powerful machines. I've also always had 15" screens, I use a lot of CAD and graphics software.

I've tended to always buy refurbs or used Macs to be honest. On the refurb at the moment, you're not getting much change out of £1200 though. http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro/15
 




1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
Having had a brief look at these 'imac' thnigs, I'm still a bit confused.

I see just a screen in the adverts, but a description of 'all in one'.

So stupid questions of the day:

1) Does this include a keyboard and mouse?

2) What about the tower part of the set up?

3) What about a disc drive for installing programs etc?

As you can tell, I really really have no clue about Apple computers.
 


1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
Mr Smggles said:
If you wanted to look at having both sides he desktop setup (keyboard, mouse and large monitor) as well as the portability of the laptop, I would recommend a lower end MacBook Pro and have a look at a USB 3.0 port replicator. Plugs straight into the sub slot and will display into the large screen.
Click to expand...

Loving this post :lol: By the time you got to "plugs straight into the sub slot" I was completely lost :dunce:

Thanks anyway, again, I will be looking right into all advice given here and trying to make some sense of it, so it's all very much appreciated.
 


Bozza

Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
55,721
Back in Sussex
1066familyman said:
Having had a brief look at these 'imac' thnigs, I'm still a bit confused.

I see just a screen in the adverts, but a description of 'all in one'.

So stupid questions of the day:

1) Does this include a keyboard and mouse?

2) What about the tower part of the set up?

3) What about a disc drive for installing programs etc?

As you can tell, I really really have no clue about Apple computers.
Click to expand...

1. Yes

2. It's built in behind the screen.

3. You do it over t'net.
 




Superphil

Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,419
In a pile of football shirts
If you don't fancy the prices, you don't have to have a Mac, Pro Tools is available for PC and Soundtrack Pro is now obsolete, apparently there are both Mac and PC equivalents. After all, Kraftwerk use Sony Vaios and PC software.
 


beorhthelm

beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,303
1066familyman said:
...
I see just a screen in the adverts, but a description of 'all in one'.
Click to expand...

its what it says on the tin. the computer gubbins are in the monitor unit.

always wondered why this style hasnt taken off more with the rest of the IT world, im sure its more cost effective.
 






Bold Seagull

Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
29,789
Hove
1066familyman said:
Having had a brief look at these 'imac' thnigs, I'm still a bit confused.

I see just a screen in the adverts, but a description of 'all in one'.

So stupid questions of the day:

1) Does this include a keyboard and mouse?

2) What about the tower part of the set up?

3) What about a disc drive for installing programs etc?

As you can tell, I really really have no clue about Apple computers.
Click to expand...

1) Yes, you get the choice of a wireless magic mouse or a wireless magic trackpad and then a wireless keyboard.

2) It's all in the screen body! I know, who knew!?

3) Apple figured no one is using drives anymore and they're big bulky hot and noisy, so they ditched them. I have one but haven't used it in 2 years! I think it's safe to say most software is downloaded now, both from software sites, or through the App Store. You can pick up an external USB super disk drive for about £25 if it's really needed for say a vast DVD collection.
 


1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
Bold Seagull said:
I've got a mac mini that is about 10 years old now. Still works really well, but now plugged into the living telly as a sort of media server. Great bit of kit, but you need the monitor etc.

For the applications you are listing, I'd say the sensible choice is a MacBookPro for a laptop. I have 2 of these! One that is 7 years old and still doing well (which my wife now uses) and I have a MacBookPro that is about 3 years old now. Very powerful machines. I've also always had 15" screens, I use a lot of CAD and graphics software.

I've tended to always buy refurbs or used Macs to be honest. On the refurb at the moment, you're not getting much change out of £1200 though. http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro/15
Click to expand...

Thanks, Bold :thumbsup: It's the £1200 that has me going Ouch! I could get a lovely bike for that :lol:
 


1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
Superphil said:
If you don't fancy the prices, you don't have to have a Mac, Pro Tools is available for PC and Soundtrack Pro is now obsolete, apparently there are both Mac and PC equivalents. After all, Kraftwerk use Sony Vaios and PC software.
Click to expand...

Yeah, realise that Pro Tools would also work on PC. Didn't realise about Soundtrack Pro though. She currently does everything on Sibelius, but it's a bit limiting in terms of sound although great for writing scores. Logic is the deal breaker that means an Apple is definitely required.
 


Superphil

Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,419
In a pile of football shirts
1066familyman said:
Yeah, realise that Pro Tools would also work on PC. Didn't realise about Soundtrack Pro though. She currently does everything on Sibelius, but it's a bit limiting in terms of sound although great for writing scores. Logic is the deal breaker that means an Apple is definitely required.
Click to expand...

Worth researching everything first, Mac software will probably cost you more than the Mac, there are alternatives:

http://www.garagebandforwindows.org/logic-for-windows-going-pro/

http://www.quora.com/Music-Production/What-is-the-best-PC-alternative-to-Logic-Studio
 






Bold Seagull

Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
29,789
Hove
1066familyman said:
Thanks, Bold :thumbsup: It's the £1200 that has me going Ouch! I could get a lovely bike for that :lol:
Click to expand...

Yeah, but like a good bike, rather than coming back to you in 2 years time saying she needs a better one, she'll be good for at least 5 or 6 years and beyond. My old MacBookPro is a 2006 model and is still handling some big graphics work my wife does. Still a great machine.
 


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