Before buying a Mac, first understand your needs

Whether you are buying a MacBook or Mac desktop, make sure you decide on a model based on your purpose and needs. Ask yourself: whether you want a laptop or desktop? Investing in a MacBook makes a lot of sense as you can take it anywhere and work wherever you want. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with M1 are excellent notebooks for anyone. But if you are a professional user and want more powerful machines, the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are the best notebooks to buy. This is why it is recommended to review your options carefully to avoid “costly” mistakes.

Apple also sells desktops but it’s a little more confusing than buying MacBooks. You can choose between three desktop form factors: the iMac, the Mac mini, and Mac Pro. While the iMac and Mac Mini are aimed at mainstream users, the Mac Pro is squarely pitched at professional users. However, don’t buy the Mac Pro right now as Apple is expected to update the system next year with a more powerful custom “Apple Silicon.”

https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1x1.pngAlso read|As Apple launches more M1 silicon, Intel’s chips are certainly down The 13-inch MacBook Air with Apple’s M1 processor is the best Mac laptop for most people. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

The MacBook Air is the best notebook for most people. The Air is designed for basic tasks such as browsing the web, sending email, streaming music, perhaps working on assignments, or attending online classes. It is powered by the new M1 processor and is much faster than Intel processors available in the previous-generation MacBook Air.

The M1 version of the MacBook Air is fanless and does not require cooling. It also includes Apple’s much-improved keyboard but omits a Touch Bar seen on the 13-inch MacBook Pro. It comes with a 13-inch 2560×1600 IPS screen, 8GB RAM, and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. The latter model with 512GB of storage has an extra graphics core in the M1 processor. The MacBook Air’s battery will last more than a full workday, which you won’t get even on a high-end Windows notebook.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is designed for video editing and coding. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020)

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 sits between the MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro. In many ways, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is identical to the MacBook Air but has a fan, improved speakers and microphones, a slightly brighter 13-inch screen, longer battery life, and a Touch Bar at the top of the keyboard. Yes, this is the only MacBook Apple sells currently that includes a Touch Bar. Because there is a cooling fan in this notebook, it performs slightly better than the MacBook Air with the same M1 chip. If you are someone who likes to do intense tasks such as video editing, go for the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Also read|A guide to buying iPad in India: Every model, explained

Things to keep in mind when buying a MacBook in India

*If you are a student, teacher, or lecturer, take advantage of an Apple student discount. You can actually save a lot on a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, or Mac mini from the India Educational store.

*Avoid buying old-generation MacBook Air, launched between 2015 and 2019. We recommend getting the new MacBook Air which has the much-improved Magic keyboard and fast M1 processor.

*Skip the 16-inch MacBook Pro with an Intel processor. It makes no sense to buy the old model, given the M1 Pro or M1 Max-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro is so much better.

Apple has two versions in its Mac laptop lineup: the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Air comes in a 13-inch model, and the MacBook Pro is available in 13-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch screen sizes.

Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-Inch, 2021)

The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are the crème de la crème in Apple’s Mac lineup. They are expensive and cater to graphic designers, video editors, or musicians. Basically, they are designed to meet the needs of professional users who are ready to shell thousands of dollars on high-end notebooks. The new MacBook Pros are clearly focused on design and function.

They have more ports, an HDMI port, an SD Card, a 1080p webcam, offer MagSafe charging, and improved displays with the Mini-LED technology and a 120Hz refresh rate. There’s no Touch Bar touchscreen on the new Macs. Instead, it is being replaced by traditional function keys that can control media playback, screen brightness, and a big escape key, which is important for programmers. Perhaps the biggest talking point of the new MacBook Pros is the processor inside. They use Apple’s more advanced M1 chips, either in “Pro” or “Max” configurations, instead of Intel chips. Both 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros address user complaints, especially from professional users who want powerful machines with more ports, instance power inside, and let you add storage and memory to your Mac.