Thinking of Getting a Mac!

[Creativemind]

Hi All!

I'm thinking of getting a Mac and was wanting advice here on specs and the cheapest place to get one etc. I live in the Midlands, UK.

I want a MacBook Pro Ideally but was thinking (due to it being a cheaper option) that a Mac Mini would be the best way. I would like at least 8GB RAM and wanted 3 point something Ghz Processor. I suppose 500GB HD would be fine for me but obviously the more the merrier.

I saw this one on Amazon for £618 and it's Intel i5. Only 2.6ghz Processor though, that's quite low. My DELL desktop computer at home from 2007 is 2.4ghz. Does the ghz affect the speed a great deal? (as obviously I want it for music production. I want it to run Reason as a rewire to Logic Pro X).

So any advice on specs or the cheapest options here in the UK?

Also, does a Mac Mini link to any monitor. I hear that Macs come with DVA to VGA adapter but not sure if that is with a Mac Mini, if that's what I get.

Thanks!

[EdGrip]

VGA!?

[normen]

With the current MacMinis I doubt you can run a VGA output, they only have HDMI and even the ones with DVI don't have the analog part anymore since a while. I'd wait with getting a MacMini though as they haven't been updated in quite a while. If you only look at the hardware as most haters do then the Mini is definitely the worst investment - then again if you only want the hardware getting a Mac is stupid anyway. I wouldn't worry TOO much about all this as Macs can easily be resold without losing too much money. If you find out that the one you got really misses something you didn't think about just sell it and get another one.

[stratatonic]

Also, does a Mac Mini link to any monitor. I hear that Macs come with DVA to VGA adapter but not sure if that is with a Mac Mini, if that's what I get.

I just looked in a mac mini box I had lying around and there is an HDMI to DVI - the mac minis have an HDMI out on them.

I have a 2012 quad i7 8gb and it's never let me down yet with some large track counts, but I don't go too crazy anyways. Seems that every Song Challenge I'd throw a zillion synths and have to bounce a few things though. Bought it at discount the day the new improved 2014 mac minis came out (no they were not really improved)

I also bought a used 2012 macbook pro i5 2.5 last year at a respectable pawnshop here for under 500 dollars. It also has served me well. When it's at home, I usually have it hooked up to a 23" monitor.

I did a lot of stuff on a 2011 2.3 i5 refurbished mini from Apple* and had no real issues either - other than noticing glitches as Reason got bigger around the RE era. It still works, although I now use it for streaming duties since I picked up the laptop last year.

All three macs are still running well - spent under 2 grand including 23 and 27" monitors on sale. For audio work, they work fine.


* In the UK, you could check out Apple refurbished:
https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/browse/ho ... ldeals/mac

.

[Creativemind]

With the current MacMinis I doubt you can run a VGA output, they only have HDMI and even the ones with DVI don't have the analog part anymore since a while. I'd wait with getting a MacMini though as they haven't been updated in quite a while. If you only look at the hardware as most haters do then the Mini is definitely the worst investment - then again if you only want the hardware getting a Mac is stupid anyway. I wouldn't worry TOO much about all this as Macs can easily be resold without losing too much money. If you find out that the one you got really misses something you didn't think about just sell it and get another one.

What would you suggest then, a MacBook Pro?

[QVprod]

It's very well worth looking at the used mac market as well. A Mac Pro from 2009 or later is still a fairly powerful machine and still compatible with the latest operating system should you want it. You can fin Macs with quad and 8 core Xeon processors for less than $1000.

[yamguitar]

I'm a very Mac guy... are you specifically looking for a laptop or desktop?

[Creativemind]

I'm a very Mac guy... are you specifically looking for a laptop or desktop?

I don't mind either. I'd prefer a lappy but was thinking of a mac mini for it being cheaper.

[QVprod]

Forgot to post a link in my last post. Prices are in USD but I'm sure there should be stores closer to the UK with something similar. https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/Apple-S ... ed/Mac-Pro

For the price of both the current lowest and highest powered Mac mini (which is only dual core) you can actually get more power for your money along with more expandability since its a desktop.

[Steedus]

Don't get a Mac mini. It just recently passed 3 years without an update. Think about it, you'd be buying (at premium Apple prices btw) a 3+ year old computer. In that last update, they also nerfed it a bit. Only dual-core CPU options, no more user replaceable RAM (it's soldered on to the motherboard now) etc. And Tim Cook has recently confirmed they intend to keep it as a major part of their line up so at any point it could get an update finally.

[Pralijah]

Think I read you were interested in buying Logic (as a student)? If so, then take a look at their student offer to pay €200 for both Logic Pro X and Final Cut Pro, it´s almost 2 for the price of 1. Maybe one got something else in the package too (MainStage, dont remember exactly). I think it is a standing offer. I had not heard of it until I saw a video on youtube, so looked after it and there it was in their online shop. Just a tip, if you get hands of a Mac.

[dana]

I have 6 macs with i5 and i7 processors, don't get one. The performance is not great for reason on osx - every newer version of osx seems to be worse performance for audio.

Build a low-end x99 or threadripper system. You can, if you want, spend time installing "hackintosh" although i've not done it, windows 10 is fine for me. I'm going to try windows 10 on my macs soon to see if that runs reason better or its a throttling issue with macbook pros.

[theshoemaker]

It's very well worth looking at the used mac market as well. A Mac Pro from 2009 or later is still a fairly powerful machine and still compatible with the latest operating system should you want it. You can fin Macs with quad and 8 core Xeon processors for less than $1000.

I justed got a used one for my girlfriend. Macbook Pro 15'' late 2011.Performance is very reasonable for the age of the macbook. As for performance. I'm not so concerned about performance. Albeit the windows machine might be better in audio performance. I'd rather take the penalty instead of overall experience with hardware and os. Because Reason is just one application on the Mac I'm using. And not very often

[normen]

What would you suggest then, a MacBook Pro?

For Reason the only relevant thing is the processor and memory, really.

[Eprom]

If you're going to use it mainly in a studio, get an iMac. Buy a used one and add an SSD drive.
I have a Macbook Pro (2011) and an iMac (2011), both with SSD's and the iMac is running Reason without problems, but the Macbook struggles with the CPU load.

[stratatonic]

I also bought a used 2012 macbook pro i5 2.5 last year at a respectable pawnshop here for under 500 dollars. It also has served me well. When it's at home, I usually have it hooked up to a 23" monitor.

I should add that the laptop only has 2 USB ports vs. the mac mini with 4, so you should factor in a USB hub for all your stuff.

Here's a link to the performance of all macs that have been sold in the last decade. At the top of the list is a Single Core Tab as well as the Multi-Core benchmarks.
You should probably check out the latter chart for audio production.

https://browser.geekbench.com/mac-benchmarks

[O1B]

iMacs locks you to a Desk.' Something for OP to consider.

'sides... OP wants a MBP... just... not a 6 year old one.

Im now on a MB Air i7 mid-2013.
Right now.. 6 light Reason files, 8 Safaris, Traktor, iTunes, and Audio Highjack Pro.
One bar in Reason. ... What's a 2015-17 Air like much less a MBP??

Performance of iMacs is up there... if, one wants a desktop.
(Disclosure: I've never owned a desktop.)

If you're going to use it mainly in a studio, get an iMac. Buy a used one and add an SSD drive.
I have a Macbook Pro (2011) and an iMac (2011), both with SSD's and the iMac is running Reason without problems, but the Macbook struggles with the CPU load.

[selig]

With the current MacMinis I doubt you can run a VGA output, they only have HDMI and even the ones with DVI don't have the analog part anymore since a while. I'd wait with getting a MacMini though as they haven't been updated in quite a while. If you only look at the hardware as most haters do then the Mini is definitely the worst investment - then again if you only want the hardware getting a Mac is stupid anyway. I wouldn't worry TOO much about all this as Macs can easily be resold without losing too much money. If you find out that the one you got really misses something you didn't think about just sell it and get another one.

What would you suggest then, a MacBook Pro?

FWIW, a MacBook would likely be the most expensive option, so unless you NEED to be extremely portable, ANY other option will give you more bang for the buck. I'd say in the Apple world an iMac is probably the best choice of all IMO, at least at present.

[joeyluck]

I use an early 2015 MacBook Air 2.2GHz i7 8GB RAM and 512 GB PCIe-based flash storage and it's fantastic for me. I upgraded to this from my 2008 MacBook Pro.

I'm always on the go and using my computer in various locations in theatres. So portability is key. I haven't found a Windows laptop I like as much as Apple. It's a completely different experience with the trackpad. Hard to beat the overall build the laptop and the trackpads with multi-gesture support. And not needing to worry about drivers when I'm hooking into various interfaces is great. Stuff just works. I also use QLab, so macOS is a requirement anyways.

As far as desktop, if I ever feel the need, I may get an iMac or a Windows machine. But I don't currently have any projects that my MacBook Air can't handle.

Also, the MacBook Air has incredible battery life. Better than any other MacBook (even the "MacBook"). It doesn't have a retina display, and many people complain about it in reviews. But it looks better than my old one! That was a 15" of the same resolution. This is 13" so... It works for me. This might account for part of the greater battery life?

[Gorgon]

Hi All!

I'm thinking of getting a Mac

Why?

VGA

W...What?

[pushedbutton]

If I had to run mac software I'd go down this route...
https://www.tonymacx86.com/buyersguide/july/2017/

[O1B]

That's just ridiculous. When would you get around to making music?

That's not something done on a whim. And if you ever did Katy Lake an i7 Customac - which I'm sure you haven't, you'd provide more that just a ... Link.

There's helpful, and then there's the wild goose chase.
Peace

If I had to run mac software I'd go down this route...
https://www.tonymacx86.com/buyersguide/july/2017/

[pushedbutton]

I don't understand your hostility towards the hackintosh approach.
I'd get around to making music once I'd built the mac compatible PC, which isn't any harder than your average lego set.
Nothing as important as investing in a computer should be done on a whim.
I'm not saying I've done this, but then I'm also saying I don't need to run mac software.
What I will say, seen as you seem to think I should be researching like I'm being paid to, is that IN MY OPINION macs are losing the advantages they once had and what you pay for them could be better spent elsewhere.
This route would give you the option to boot into Windows or Mac OS.
If this is of interest to the OP maybe he could, oh I don't know, google it or something.

That's just ridiculous. When would you get around to making music?

That's not something done on a whim. And if you ever did Katy Lake an i7 Customac - which I'm sure you haven't, you'd provide more that just a ... Link.

There's helpful, and then there's the wild goose chase.
Peace

If I had to run mac software I'd go down this route...
https://www.tonymacx86.com/buyersguide/july/2017/

[normen]

I don't understand your hostility towards the hackintosh approach.

Well I'd have to agree you don't understand it because you never did it and apparently don't even use a Mac

[pushedbutton]

OK, so explain the hostility towards the hackintosh approach.