1592 Questions on Which Mac is right for me?
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I am retiring as a teacher and want an apple laptop. I am most interested in email, facebook, digital scrapbooking. What should I get?
- Asked by Trudy E from Gothenburg
- Mar 14, 2013
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Loaded 13 inch macbook air or pro or base config + upgrades?
I'm off to college this fall and I need a new computer. I'd mostly use it for email, web browsing, itunes, word documents, powerpoints, school stuff, to and from class, etc. I don't do gaming, but occasioinally edit photos and videos, but not very often.
I hate slow computers, and I need a lot of memory, as I have a huge music/video library.
So here's the two options I'm looking at...
MacBook Air, 13 inch
•2.0GHz Intel Dual-Core Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz
•8GB 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
•512GB Flash Storage
$2,199.00
MacBook Pro, 13 inch
•2.9GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
•8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM — 2x4GB
•512GB Solid State Drive
$2,399.00
I'm going to school in Manhattan so I need something ultra-portable, and I love the portability of the air, and I think I'd be fine not having a built in superdrive as I don't do much with those but well idk. Some people say the Pro is more durable for mobility. Plus I've been looking into DIY upgrades and am almost wondering if I should get a base configuration of the Pro and upgrade it myself because that might save some cash? Idk I don't know that I'd trust myself not to mess that up though. Is the Pro worth the extra $200 for comparable specs? I've read that it's easier to upgrade later down the road, unlike the air, but I'm not sure the drawbacks in weight would be worth it? I use a lot of memory, but I believe you can update the hard drive on the air, its the RAM you can't change right? So like the Pro, I could also upgrade the Air later. Does anyone know if there would be much difference between these two particular models in boot speed, downloading speed, etc? Which better fits my needs?
Any input is greatly appreciated!
Thanks!- Asked by Megan M from Franklin
- Jul 11, 2012
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How do I make an app stop asking if I am sure I want to open a program downloaded from the internet every time I open it?
I have a program from a trusted source that should run when I turn on my Mac, but every single time it pops up a security warning asking if I really want to run a program that was downloaded from the internet. Is there a way to make the app trusted so it just starts without and need for me to verify it?
- Asked by Avery T from Hillsboro
- Apr 2, 2013
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MacBook Air 13" Vs. Macbook Pro Retina 13" ?
- Asked by Kieran L from Brisbane
- Nov 22, 2012
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Best Answer
Macbook Air:
+ Thinner
The rMBP has an empty space in the middle because it was designed to hold a large Fusion Drive, but then Apple backed out and only offered an SSD. (Discovered by iFixit.com)
+ Lighter (by 1/2 pound)
+ Battery life is better (7.5 hours vs. 6.5 hours. Measured by AnandTech.com)
= Performance is same (within 10%, which you won't notice. Measured by AnandTech.com)
- Screen is worse
+ $400 saving (assuming both have 8 Gb memory)
Apple charges $100 extra for the Retina display in the iPad (iPad 2 vs. iPad 3/4). Is the upgrade to Retina in a Macbook worth $400 and worse portability?- Answered by Justin D from Seattle
- Dec 5, 2012
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Can the Mac Mini (Early 2009) use the Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter (with audio)?
- Asked by Trevor W from Waunakee
- Apr 2, 2013
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I'm currently running OS X 10.5.8 would I be able to upgrade directly to the new OS X Mountain Lion without getting any of the upgrades inbetween?
- Asked by Kimberly T from Lawndale
- Aug 15, 2012
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Best Answer
No, unfortunately you can only upgrade to Mountain Lion (OSX 10.8) by downloading it from the Mac App store which is only available from Snow Leopard onwards. You would need to first upgrade to Snow Leopard and then update to the latest version (10.6.8) then you can download Mountain Lion from the Mac App store.
- Answered by Michael B
- Sep 3, 2012
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I'm a teacher and I run a smartboard through my computer. I'm wondering if the 13 or 15 inch macbook pro would best meet my needs?
Smartboard is an interactive board and the gallery has a lot of pictures and graphics that must be stored. My macbook is not meeting all my needs right now.
- Asked by Kristen L from Orange
- Nov 27, 2011
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guest user on a mac air
can mac air be set up for use by more than one person with each having its own login and apps?
- Asked by Herb K from Aspen
- Apr 1, 2013
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Is it necessary to download Adobe Flash to a new 13 inch MacBook Pro ? Is it the only way to watch TV episodes?
- Asked by Janice K from West Hollywood
- Apr 1, 2013
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Best Answer
As many others have answered in questions posted earlier here, yes. But it's not the same Quicken as the Windows one. There are actually two Quicken versions that run on new Macs (running Mountain Lion or Lion). One is called Quicken Essentials. I've grown to really like that better than the other Quicken option, although it's somewhat reduced in features versus the other one. It is simpler to use once you get used to it. The other is Quicken 2007 for Mac, Lion compatible version, which has more features, is closer to (but not completely the same as) Quicken on Windows. Intuit recommends that if you are new to Quicken on the Mac, you start with Quicken Essentials. But if you like tracking investments in great detail, Quicken Essentials won't quite hack it. Still, I've been using Quicken on Macs for years in various forms, and am happy with it.
- Answered by Larry S from Brookline
- Sep 9, 2012
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Would the Mac mini i5 dual core 2.5ghz 4gb ram be good for my needs
Hi,
So I am very attracted to the price of the Mac mini. What really captures my attention is the fact that with the right plugins it can be plugged into my tv. I have a mouse, keyboard, and a tv and a monitor. So these are my main uses:
Constant web browsing
School work
Computer programming with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.
So I know that the first two will do but how about the last one. I know about the other computers but I just want to know about the Mac mini so please don't recommend the other Mac computers. Thanks.- Asked by Ashlen M from Los Angeles
- Apr 1, 2013
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facetime for windows
I run 2 mac pro towers, a mc-mini, a mac book, and a single Windows 7 - can I get facetime for Windows?
- Asked by Karl G from La Crosse
- Nov 23, 2012
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macbook pro retina 13' or macbook air 13'
do they have anything different besides retina display?
Which one is better for gaming?- Asked by Bach N from Bloomington
- Nov 5, 2012
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Best Answer
Quick answer:
The display is the major difference. There are however other minor differences, which makes the Retina a _little_ bit faster and heavier.
I think that none of them is good for gaming, because for that you need a dedicated video-card, while both of these two computers have the integrated one (you need Retina 15'' for the Nvidia graphics card).
Detailed answer:
The details of the differences depends on how you configure your mac. Here I compare two cases.
-- If one refers to the two basic configurations, then here are the differences:
PROCESSOR
They both have a dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache, but with two different frequenceis: Retina has 2.5GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz), Air has 1.8GHz (Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz)
RAM
Retina has 8GB, Air has 4GB. They are both 1600MHz DDR3L
STORAGE
Same (128GB SSD)
PRICE
Retina $1699, Air $1199 (On online apple store US)
-- If one instead compares the two best configurations (I mean with all the hardware options upgraded to the maximum), then here are the differences:
PROCESSOR
They both have a dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache, but with two different frequenceis: Retina has 2.9GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz), Air has 2.0GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz)
RAM
Same (8GB 1600MHz DDR3L)
STORAGE
Retina has 768GB SSD, Air has 512GB
PRICE
Retina $3199, Air $2199 (On online apple store US)
-- For both configurations:
SIZE & WEIGHT
Retina is 1.62kg (3.57 pounds), while Air is 1.35kg (2.96 pounds)
Retina has a larger height: 1.9cm vs [0.3-1.7]cm
Retina has a smaller width: 31.4cm vs 32.5cm
Retina has a smaller depth: 21.9cm vs 22.7cm- Answered by Luca N
- Nov 16, 2012
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Macbook Pro 13 inch vs 15 inch
I need a laptop for college,but I have never owned a mac. I want to get a MBP. I would rather get the 13 inch because it is cheaper but I am not sure if this will be a problem. I plan on using it for schoolwork, email, web browsing, and possibly some gaming (Diablo 3). Would it really be a big deal to go with a cheaper MBP? Which would you recommend?
- Asked by Ryan K from Lansdale
- Apr 3, 2012
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Best Answer
I bought the 13 inch MBP almost two years ago, and I am perfectly happy with this computer in every way. I do my school work on here and watch a lot of TV shows and have never wished I'd gotten a bigger size. I can imagine the 13 inch makes it slightly more portable. Now, I'm considering a MacBook Air for grad school, as this computer does make my backpack pretty heavy, especially if I want to carry anything else with me. Hope this helps!
- Answered by Sarah F from Mill Hall
- May 1, 2012
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Which storage option is best for my imac if I plan on using FCP ?
- Asked by Ross C from Scarborough
- Mar 30, 2013
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Can I purchased a pre-owned Apple computer?
- Asked by Sherrill M from Norristown
- Mar 7, 2013
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Answer
Look in the Apple Store and scroll down to Refurbished. I have purchased a refubished ipad from Apple and it was perfect!
- Answered by Kerri F from Rochester
- Mar 11, 2013
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What jack do I need for external speakers for MacPro 15? The one from my old G4 17 inches doesn't play
- Asked by Jolanta T from Belgrave Heights
- Mar 27, 2013
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What games can I find games for my Macbook pro & where?
All the games I find on the Apple store or iTunes store are for iPod, iPhone, or iPad. I want to know where I can find games for my Macbook Pro.
- Asked by Eric B from Corryton
- Mar 29, 2013
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13" MacBook Air vs. 15" MacBook Pro - App Development
First time Mac buyer and I've been batting around this decision for quite some time now. I'm looking at getting into application development - definitely iOS, but possibly other development work as well, including general web development.
If I were to get the 15" Pro I would upgrade it to the Hi-Res Antiglare screen, which is the same as the MBA's screen I believe.
I have a large external HD, so the additional size on the Pro is nice, but may not be necessary. That being said it will be my primary personal computer. I like the idea of having a SSD, which is the main reason I'm considering the Air, but I know that could be added later with a Pro and figure they will only get cheaper in the future.- Asked by Dan Z from Minnetonka
- Jan 24, 2012
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Best Answer
For IOS development, it will depend on how many apps or how large is your app project to start with, for example for graphic extensive that uses huge sprite library you will be needing a large HDD.
since IOS development use Iphone/ipod emulator you would need more memory to run decently. The only thing that is good on Air is the integrated SSD, but it will break your bank.
MBP15" will be a good choice, since you could get the base model, which is 4gb memory and 500gb 5200rpm. and opt for a third party hardware later.
MBP have gpu-switching capability, Intel(for lower power consumption) to ATI(for gaming and graphic intensive application) which you will need for programming if you venture to different gaming platform, eg. Mac Games.
Its more cheaper than Macbook Air(Power to Cost Ratio).
On Air, you could only opt for external HDD and nothing else. you can't upgrade the memory or internal HDD.- Answered by Angelo Bryan P from Las Pinas City
- Feb 1, 2012
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macbook air 11" vs macbook air 13"
I am on the road constantly, so size and weight of a laptop is important. It will be used mostly for Office apps...powerpoint , excel, word and email. This is strictly for business, so no personal files and not a lot of large files, etc. Would you recommend the Macbook Air 11" or 13"?
- Asked by Michael C from Amherst
- Mar 22, 2012
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Best Answer
For a road warrior such as yourself, the 11" would be best. High resolution (for that size screen), only weights 2.5lbs, and can be used inflight on a fold down tray (the 13" is a little tight for that...I know, I have one and I've tried it). Has plenty of power to run Office apps.
If you want more screen space, you could always get a Thunderbolt display and dock it when you're home...that way you get the best of both portability and screen resolution.- Answered by Greg S from San Antonio
- Mar 24, 2012
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