Thinking of a Mac laptop, but which one?

A long time ago (mid 90's through mid 2000's), Apple computers used a different kind of processor than IBM-Compatible PCs. This different kind of processor (Power PC processor) was much better at some sorts of math than what was in IBM-Compatible PCs at the time. One of those things was multi-media processing. Things like video rendering, sound file compression, image processing, etc were much faster on a Mac than they were on a PC. This advantage drew people to use Macs for multimedia processing, and more time was spent writing software that catered to that crowd.

Eventually, "Everybody Knows" that to do sound or video or image work, you just use a Mac, because it's faster and better and all the software is written to work best on a Mac. Great branding, great for Apple profits.

Since that time, Apple has changed the sort of processor that it uses to be just like what you'll find in a Dell, or HP, or any other commodity computer. Apple has changed the operating system on the Mac from the O/S that everyone used to use for multimedia to a new O/S that's built on a Unix foundation. After the O/S change, all the software that was written for MacOS had to be ported over to the new OS/X and a lot of vendors ported it to windows as well.

So now, a Mac is a computer that has the same underlying hardware as a windows machine, and runs largely the same software as what you'll find in the Windows ecosystem. Some folks love the OS/X experience and how user-friendly it is. Some folks remember when the Macbook Pro was built better than any other laptop at the time, or the Macbook Air was slimmer than any other. But the rest of the industry has caught up, and you can now get Macbook Pro build quality from other vendors, or Macbook Air slimness. And you end up with more choices if you open your options up, more opportunities for bargains.

A used Macbook Pro with some upgrades might not be a terrible choice. If it's in good shape, you're good to go. A used Dell XPS 15 would be another great option, or a used Thinkpad T460. When used computer shopping, you'll want:

1. FHD or 1920 x 1080 screen (or better)
2. 16GB of memory, or budget for an upgrade to 16GB
3. 256GB SSD hard drive
4. Fast processor (search for the processor model number on here: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/ and compare the scores. Higher is better. The old Macbook Pro from 2012 could have either a score of 7369 or 8123, both still BIG numbers even by today's standards)

If you're doing serious *video* work (4k+), you need all the horsepower you can get and then some.  More cores, more GPU, and serious SSDs.  The editing rigs that people paid to do that kind of work tend to have a large SSD scratch drive, anywhere from 8 - 32 *physical* CPU cores, gobs of RAM, and beefy $1k+ GPUs.  And a professional, color-calibrated monitor. 

Sound work isn't as demanding, but you should at least have an external audio interface and a good set of headphones and/or monitors for mixing.

Also keep in mind that Apple will soon be going to it's own processor so things should work even better.

The only issue, other than this migration issue, over the years is a dead mouse.  That's the kind of reliability that keeps me on a Mac.  I have one PC and many Macs and I spend so much more time keeping the PC up and running, free of bugs, and here's the big one, working with other people's computers. So many PCs simply will not exchange data or files unless you've got the proper versions of software.

Come to find out the computer I'm upgrading from is a 2009 model and there are some hardware issues.  Apple is taking care of it!  They have both computers and they will migrating it even if they have to remove the hard drive on the old computer.  They've given us a discount, free AppleCare, a free mouse and a free hard cover for the computer.  All in all about $700 worth of discount and stuff.  That's what keeps people using Macs, they just work (all the time) or else Apple makes it work.   Computer tinkering time takes away from car tinkering time.

If you want something serious, may I recommend a Boxx laptop?   We run them at work and they perform very well for a laptop.  Very heavy Solidworks usage, renders, etc.  All done with ease.  I am typing this on a loaner Dell Precision since my Boxx is at work (long story) and I miss it dearly.  

Also, for mobile, you want an SSD - so many benefits I can't bother that many electrons to display them all, but there is basically no reason to not use an SSD on a laptop.

Here is what I have.  Right now its SLOW.  Something is going on with it.  Needs a cleanup and all the googles don't seem to have an easy answer for Win10.

So how do I get it cleaned up to at least operate like "new"ish?

I already disabled a bunch of startup junk.  As I recall there was some way on XP that you navigated to a system cache and deleted a file that was a big string of numbers but I don't think that works for Win10.  Do I pay for one of the softwares that does a cleanup?  Is there an easier/free-er way?

At least if I can get this one back in shape I can do some editing and see if its adequate.  I may do some 4k video, but for the most part I'll be doing 1080p.  It will be youtube and facebook video, not something I need to pitch to NBC.

To get your existing laptop to operate like new, you should consider a wipe and fresh install. If you're going to do a fresh install, swap the HDD for an SSD. You have enough RAM. The CPU is an older model (4th gen, we're now on 8th gen) i5 with a pretty low clock speed, but there's probably not much you can do about that without replacing the whole laptop. With a fresh install and an SSD the machine will be faster than it ever was when it was brand new though.

SSDs on old laptops are magic.

In reply to Armitage :

Fresh wipe and install sounds great, but I don't have the software.  I bought it with XP on it, then did the upgrade to Win10.  I have no idea how to do a fresh install on a new SSD without the software.  I have done thing where you delete a profile/account from a computer and more or less reset it back to factory, but that was on the existing HD.

I read up on cloning, but that doesn't sound like a fresh install.  It would just drag over all the slowness that I've made to the existing HD.

Might need pro help on this one.  I know a guy :)

Yea, cloning will keep the years of cruft you already have. It'll work, but you'll get better performance from a clean install.

You can get the Windows 10 install image for free from Microsoft. You can either burn it to a DVD or make a USB thumb drive bootable with the image. You will need to save the product key from your current install so you can activate Windows 10 again after the fresh install. You'll also want to backup and important data (but not your applications) somewhere safe so you can restore it later.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO

So, let's say that part of your Master's program funding gives you $500 toward a new laptop.

Which new PC laptop would you choose?  It doesn't have to be a $500 laptop... I can chip in the rest.  Bonus for no bloatware.

In the $500-$700 range, I would skip buying new and buy the newest, best equipped Lenovo business laptop I can find.

IME $500 laptops aren't worth buyîng new. Keep in mind that I develop software for a living so I need a good keyboard (for the times when I can't use my external keyboard), and as much CPU power and SSD capacity as I can get. Plus a good screen. Your requirements might be different.

See above... I'm not talking about a $500 laptop.  I'm just getting $500 toward a new laptop.  If I was going to drop $500 on an SSD and ram for my old machine, instead I could shoot for the $1000 range on a new one.

Sorry, I guess I should've asked what your total max budget is then.

The one thing that I encountered with cheaper laptops is that they're a PITA to upgrade (if that's possible at all). Between that and my personal requirements, it's an easier case for getting a used business laptop instead of a new consumer laptop.

The killer requirement for you is the video editing as that requires a lot of fast storage and a lot of CPU power. Or more patience than I have .  You might get enough performance from a more gaming oriented laptop, but those aren't that cheap either.

I was looking at Lenovo thinkpads today.  Pricey, but they look lovely.  Some of them up to 32gb memory

I think I'm looking in the neighborhood of 8th gen core i7, 16gb (with room for more), 1TB SSD, but I'm dizzied by the array of hardware combinations.  Hard to find what would be best for me.

I'd still recommend a better Lenovo ThinkPad.

I have no idea what the current model numbers are, but mine has definitely proven it's up to most tasks. Had about an $800 buy in when I got it new, but that was at best buy probably would have been cheaper elsewhere. 

I got mine in 2014, almost exclusively because of the 2gb video card. Double the ram to 16GB, I still haven't even bothered with an SSD. I had one problem with it under warranty, it was about 2 weeks to send it in, full repair, and back to me. I use it for gaming, but also some video editing(sub 5 minute videos), and it performs very adequately. 

The other reason I chose Lenovo was because I hate Dell with a passion, and Lenovo seems to be the other big name for "fleet deployments". I ran with the assumption of "if it's good enough for massive corporations it's good enough for me"and I've not been disappointed. It's also only running Windows 8.1, but that's because I refuse to "upgrade" to 10. 

Ok.  I have started research on ThinkPads.  If any of you have ideas on what type of audio/video cards that will do well, I'd appreciate it.  Most of these laptops have multiple card options and I have no idea what is adequate/good/stellar.

To recap: 

- Music composing with the ability to play from what I write as well as write what I play
- Audio recording/editing with Audacity or similar
- HD video editing with occasional 4K video editing.

In short, I will be producing videos in which I will be shooting at least 1080p raw footage, mixing it with voice over audio, and composing original music for behind it all.  I need something that will kick ass at that task.

See my previous post about Ebay Lenovo Thinkpad W540s for $400.  Used Lenovos off business lease are the way to fly.  

I just made the jump from a 2012 MacBook Pro to the new one--like last week. 

I agree, the 2012 Pro is awesome: SD slot, CAT-5 port, expandable RAM. Mine had a 1TB SSD, too. But it was getting flakey, and we need to keep production on time, hence the change. 

The new machine is light and thin. Like, it might float away. USB-C is neat but, yeah, I'm now dealing with adaptors and I'd like to find a CD drive that doesn't have crap reviews. 

A used Business class machine will beat a new consumer one every time.

What about this one?

It isn't a Lenovo, but it seems to trip the right boxes.  Just HD display, not UHD, but I have a 55" 4k TV at home that I could connect to for previewing.

Looks pretty good for the money.  Do you want a dock?  Thats why I got a workstation style laptop.

Armitage said:

Yea, cloning will keep the years of cruft you already have. It'll work, but you'll get better performance from a clean install.

You can get the Windows 10 install image for free from Microsoft. You can either burn it to a DVD or make a USB thumb drive bootable with the image. You will need to save the product key from your current install so you can activate Windows 10 again after the fresh install. You'll also want to backup and important data (but not your applications) somewhere safe so you can restore it later.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO

 

 

Yep, this is how to do the Windows 10 install. Get a 16GB or bigger USB thumb drive and follow the instructions on the site to make yourself a bootable USB stick. Boot from the USB stick, follow the instructions, sign in with your Microsoft account and you'll be good to go.  The license will automatically re-establish itself once you login.

... assuming I remember my Microsoft login