Best Mac Value for Bloggers: Apple Specialist Explains Options

Yes, this post is a little off topic for my blog.  OK….it’s way off topic because we all know I don’t write about Apple products, especially Mac.

But here’s the deal.   Earlier this week, a blogger friend of mine messaged me about her newly crashed computer.

As fate would have it, I was parked right next to an Apple Specialist.  The conversation that ensued was so helpful to my blogger friend, I thought it might be helpful to others, too.

Let me know what you think…… 

MAC OR PC?

Blogger:  We are considering buying both a Mac and a PC.

Specialist:  If you buy a Mac, you can also run Windows on it.  You would purchase the Mac and the Windows operating system, then install Windows on the Mac.  From there, you would boot up in Mac when you need the Mac and Windows when you need Windows. There is also software designed to run both operating systems simultaneously if you need to move quickly between them.

WHICH MAC IS BEST?

Blogger:  Which Mac should I buy?

Specialist:  The computer you should buy comes down to budget.  But for bloggers, especially bloggers who post lots of pictures, there are two options to consider:

1. The first and best option is a Mac with a dedicated graphics card.  This will allow the power to distribute through different areas of the computer properly when you are pushing it with tasks like image editing.
2. The second option is cheaper, but should work just fine for most bloggers. It is a Mac upgraded with an i7 processor.  Since it won’t have a dedicated graphics card to distribute the power requirement, this processor is powerful enough to handle tasks that really push the computer.

BEST MAC VALUE REVEALED:

Blogger:  OK.  So based on this, which Mac is which?

Specialist:  The laptop with a dedicated graphics card is the 15-inch MacBook Pro 2.5ghz with AMD Radeon R9, or any tier of this model above it.  This is the only option in Apple’s Macbook line if you want a dedicated card.  But, because of the expense, other options, like the base model 15-inch, the 13-inch, and the Air can all be upgraded to the i7 processor.  This upgrade can be done from Apple’s website.  At this point, the choice is just preference, but the Macbook Pro 13-inch with retina upgraded with an i7 is the best overall value.

Blogger:  Would I be able to use the programs currently on my PC by transferring them to the Mac?

Specialist:  Short answer, yes.  Long answer, it depends on the programs and how you want to run them.  Most programs nowadays have a Mac counterpart that you can buy.  But if you prefer to still run the old programs in Windows and not buy the program a second time for Mac, then the old programs could be booted up through the Windows operating system that was purchased and installed.

Blogger:  I am just trying to save software that I already have.

Specialist:  Then installing Windows on the laptop would be your best option.  Bootcamp is the feature in a Mac that allows you to run Windows.

The blogger who had the computer crash went computer shopping today armed with the information from the session with the Apple Specialist.  She just messaged me that the Specialist’s value configuration would save approximately $500 on a new laptop.

And that’s good news.  🙂

 

Please let me know if this this helpful or if you have questions. I’d love to hear from you.