Everything Apple (the Mac heads thread)

Im in the market for a phone upgrade so looking for an xr 128gb unlocked.
Anyone see any deals or know of someone selling let me know..

I am blessed with the task of choosing and setting up a new laptop for an elderly person.
Pushing them get a MacBook Air.
They've been using Windows for 30 years and are reluctant to spend the €€€€ - but I know they will love it after a few days (all they are doing is browsing, using calendar, emailing and stuff) and frankly they do have the money.
Still would be hard to push them beyond the very base model with 128GB storage up to 256 or even 512, even though it would make sense.

Or would it?
I read that Catalina itself just takes up 25GB - given the fact that not much software will be installed is a 128GB SSD just fine for light use, even in the long run, as everything is in the cloud now anyways?
I get that there's a lot of pro users in this thread that say max out specs or go home, but maybe somebody can give some advice for the scenario detailled above?
Ta!

Get them a dell/lenovo whatever. Run elementary OS (mac clone). Happy days

iPad?

Yea, thought about it - they do want a proper keyboard¹ though and are not impressed with the foldable cover / stand things at all..

¹lol butterfly lol

I think you can pair any Bt keyboard with an iPad. I bought iPads for my folks and in laws and they all love them.

A Chromebook seems the obvious answer. Easy to use and a pretty bulletproof OS.

Or stick with Windows that they know how to use and can get a laptop for their purposes for about half the price or less.

Thank you both for your input, long story short: they do not want an iPad, they do want a laptop.
I want them to get a Mac, as this means there will be a lot less calls / TeamViewer problem solving sessions in the future
: ]

If you could adress my original question whether 128GB is enough for the given scenario I'd appreciate your time, thank you.

When my older relatives asked for advice on what to get I’ve told them to get a Mac so I can help them, that’s usually enough of an argument. I’ve had enough of “cheap” laptops that lasts for 2-3 years running windows full of adware.

I’ve converted 2 to macs, both very happy. My dad sticks to his windows guns though and pays for IT-support as I’m at a loss to why it never works properly.

I switched both my parents to MacBooks at the same time. My dad refused to adapt so I bootcamped it, but my mum made the effort. Only one of them needs any IT help these days, you'll never guess which one.

128GB sounds like plenty to me for that use case.

Have had 128 on my main laptop for the last 3 years as I had to replace mine at an inopportune moment! All non everyday media (photos/music) is stored on a transcend SD drive, but could just as easily be in the cloud and to be honest I rarely if ever access it - more just peace of mind and housekeeping. I've downloaded games/steam on it and occasion have to clear out, but as long as you're not digital hoarder it's absolutely workable.

iPad no?

Yes, iPad is a no.

Thanks @giles337 and @JonD for your feedback!

Gosh I'm looking at way too many youTube videos on mac stuff (planning on going back to apple myself this year as well after a long hiatus)

This might be some interesting thoughts for some on here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1hnTKrbq2I

If they really do bring out a 14" in the next couple of months I'm gonna fucking buy it.

I’d just get an iPad instead.

You know what that's a splendid idea, cheers mate.

@chrisbmx116 how complicated is mac mini + external gpu + bootcamp for windows gaming? know you've posted about it (and we might have spoken about it..) before. if I was speccing a new mac mini - where do I need to maximise performance? am I better off with hackintosh?

I don't think switching them to a Mac when they're old and have been using Windows for 30 years because it's more convenient for you makes much sense, they'll have to learn a whole new OS.

A Chromebook won't need any maintenance and everything is switching to thin client anyway. And there are some nice Chromebooks around hardware wise these days if that's the issue.

I agree that 128Gb is enough.

Have you considered an iPad?

Wellllllll depends on use case.

ATM Windows updates have been playing silly buggers causing a shit load of problems with AMD cards. If you stick with Nvidia you'll be fine.

I'm kinda eyeing up a Mac mini and a Nvidia eGPU in the future as I don't need GPU power in macOS. I could waffle for ages about this, so let me just try and fire out some bullet points.

CPU choice: Stick with i5 as thermals on the mini cause throttling on the i7 and gaming performance (if you care) will see minimal gains.

AMD cards are harder to set up and Navi drivers are a bit shit still, as well as there being issues with hardware failures.

The latest builds of Windows cause issues, stick with pre 1903 if you want an easy life, some people stress updates due to security patches but if you are only using W10 for games who cares? My Macbook is running 1809 and its solid.

I've just built a SFFPC because I dont fancy buying any of the current Mac models (Mac mini may be updated in March) and I kinda like it, for now, I'm starting to try and hack it but its AMD so a whole new world, my last Hackintosh was an intel machine (8th gen maybe?) and it was super quick and easy to set up and rock solid. I had to go AMD this time as it was the only way to get a DP in to TB3 out mobo so I could power my first gen 5K ultra fine, which is does grandly (Oh hello PUBG in 4K).

If you are The London based and not a dickhead slide into my DM's as my eGPU is going spare for a few months and I'd be happy to set it up for you to check you can get things working as you hope. Also egpu.io

Of course, you could always just buy an iPad.

So no to learning a new os unless it’s chrome? Or can you run Windows on a chromebook?

Have you considered Linux?

Joking aside my 2p is they'll need 256GB because old people are awful at file mgmt and cloud.

Also can't help but agree with Fox on making old people spend a fortune switching off MS after 30yrs is a bit odd. But whatever works for you. Maybe see if you can sell them some equity release while you're at it, they usually pay good comish.

thanks for the offer, a little soon for try-outs am very much in the considering in which direction to swing.

Current situ is an old 21.5 iMac (so no vesa), plus second monitor - used mostly for work. I'd like to get the monitor (plus another if replacing imac) off the desk and on arm mounts, so SFF/Mac mini are where I'm leaning. 2 x of us both 'work' on OSX and why there is no real reason why we couldn't switch to Windows, there is a lot of inertia the other way.

aside from that I want to play games!

Also can't help but agree with Fox on making old people spend a fortune switching off MS after 30yrs is a bit odd.

A fortune is a bit of an exaggeration, and besides, the olds have all the bloody money.

I'm deeply uncomfortable with the existence of a cheap, shit windows laptop at my parents place, to the point where I banned them from doing any IB on it - for that they have to use an iPad Pro. It's an email and internet mule now, which is good, because when it goes wrong, and it does because it's cheap and shit and old people do weird things to computers, they get some random one man band IT guy to fix it for them and he could be doing anything to it.