Looking for Macbook feedback and recommendation

[Delicieuxz]

A friend wants to replace their old MacBook with a newer one for the purpose of music recording and production.:

 

This is their old MacBook:

Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch "Core i5" 2.6 Mid-2014 Specs MGX72LL/A

Haswell 2.6 Ghz Intel Core i5 

 

This is the newer one they want to get:

Apple MacBook Pro MXK72LL/A

8th-Generation Intel Core i5 Processor 1.4GHz; 8GB LPDDR3-2133 Onboard RAM; 512GB Solid State Drive; Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645

 

A local Apple store wants $1,879 CAD ($1469.66 USD) for the newer one.

 

 

I think the RAM and storage space are low. I don't know how good the CPU is, either. I wonder if any of those things could be an issue for music production.

 

I don't know much of anything about Macs, other than that they way more expensive for what they give compared to Windows systems. So, I'd appreciate some feedback and advice on if there's a better option out there.

[Lord Vile]

8 hours ago, Delicieuxz said:

A friend wants to replace their old MacBook with a newer one for the purpose of music recording and production.:

 

This is their old MacBook:

Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch "Core i5" 2.6 Mid-2014 Specs MGX72LL/A

Haswell 2.6 Ghz Intel Core i5 

 

This is the newer one they want to get:

Apple MacBook Pro MXK72LL/A

8th-Generation Intel Core i5 Processor 1.4GHz; 8GB LPDDR3-2133 Onboard RAM; 512GB Solid State Drive; Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645

 

A local Apple store wants $1,879 CAD ($1469.66 USD) for the newer one.

 

 

I think the RAM and storage space are low. I don't know how good the CPU is, either. I wonder if any of those things could be an issue for music production.

Depends what they're suing. If they're on logic it should be fine but can I ask why not the new m1 macs? 

8 hours ago, Delicieuxz said:

I don't know much of anything about Macs, other than that they way more expensive for what they give compared to Windows systems. So, I'd appreciate some feedback and advice on if there's a better option out there.

Not true.

[Delicieuxz]

33 minutes ago, Lord Vile said:

Depends what they're suing. If they're on logic it should be fine but can I ask why not the new m1 macs?

I don't know anything about the M1, or Macs in general. If something better can be had for the same money, then it's what I'd go for.

 

Though, my friend might have mentioned needing a certain version of the OS for the audio interface they're using, which could limit their options. I'll mention the M1 to them, thanks.

 

Quote

Not true.

I was comparing MacBooks to laptops for my mom a bit ago, and similar specs for Macs seemed to cost around double what they did for Windows laptops.

 

The 2020 MacBook Pro from a local Apple store my friend is looking at is a fitting example: $1879 CAD for a quad-core i5 CPU, 8GB DDR3, 0.5GB HDD, with a 13" screen.

 

Here's a somewhat similar-spec Windows laptop - smaller storage drive, larger screen and DDR4 RAM instead of DDR3 - for less than half the price:

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/acer-aspire-5-15-6-laptop-silver-intel-ci5-1035g1-256gb-ssd-8gb-ram-windows-10/14655794

 

Or, for a bit more than that, at $950 (still at around half the price of the $1879 MacBook) a Windows laptop that also has 0.5GB storage, much more RAM and a larger screen:

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/acer-aspire-5-15-6-laptop-silver-intel-ci5-1035g1-512gb-ssd-20gb-ram-windows-10/14655796

[Lord Vile]

Just now, Delicieuxz said:

I don't know anything about the M1, or Macs in general. If something better can be had for the same money, then it's what I'd go for.

 

Though, my friend might have mentioned needing a certain version of the OS for the audio interface they're using, which could limit their option.

Can you get info on what they're using and what they need?

Just now, Delicieuxz said:

 

I was comparing MacBooks to laptops for my mom a bit ago, and similar specs for Macs seemed to cost around double what they did for Windows laptops.

 

The 2020 MacBook Pro from a local Apple store my friend is looking at is a fitting example: $1879 CAD for a quad-core i5 CPU, 8GB DDR3, 0.5GB HDD, with a 13" screen.

 

Here's a somewhat similar-spec Windows laptop - smaller storage drive, larger screen and DDR4 RAM instead of DDR3 - for less than half the price:

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/acer-aspire-5-15-6-laptop-silver-intel-ci5-1035g1-256gb-ssd-8gb-ram-windows-10/14655794

 

Or, for a bit more than that, at $950 (still at around half the price of the $1879 MacBook) a Windows laptop that also has 0.5GB storage, much more RAM and a larger screen:

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/acer-aspire-5-15-6-laptop-silver-intel-ci5-1035g1-512gb-ssd-20gb-ram-windows-10/14655796

That's because you're focusing on hardware. MacOS is worth every penny vs a similar specced windows machine.

[Delicieuxz]

8 minutes ago, Lord Vile said:

Can you get info on what they're using and what they need?

It's a Universal Audio interface that apparently isn't compatible with the latest version OSX.

 

This one: https://www.uaudio.com/audio-interfaces/apollo-solo.html

[Lord Vile]

1 hour ago, Delicieuxz said:

It's a Universal Audio interface that apparently isn't compatible with the latest version OSX.

 

This one: https://www.uaudio.com/audio-interfaces/apollo-solo.html

Oh that's likely due to a new version not being released yet.

 

macOS 11 Big Sur & Apple M1 Compatibility Info – Universal Audio Support Home (uaudio.com)

 

Personally if he can wait a few months for the support to drop I'd do that.

[AzzaNezz]

On 12/7/2020 at 2:06 PM, Delicieuxz said:

I don't know anything about the M1, or Macs in general. If something better can be had for the same money, then it's what I'd go for.

 

Though, my friend might have mentioned needing a certain version of the OS for the audio interface they're using, which could limit their options. I'll mention the M1 to them, thanks.

 

I was comparing MacBooks to laptops for my mom a bit ago, and similar specs for Macs seemed to cost around double what they did for Windows laptops.

 

The 2020 MacBook Pro from a local Apple store my friend is looking at is a fitting example: $1879 CAD for a quad-core i5 CPU, 8GB DDR3, 0.5GB HDD, with a 13" screen.

 

Here's a somewhat similar-spec Windows laptop - smaller storage drive, larger screen and DDR4 RAM instead of DDR3 - for less than half the price:

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/acer-aspire-5-15-6-laptop-silver-intel-ci5-1035g1-256gb-ssd-8gb-ram-windows-10/14655794

 

Or, for a bit more than that, at $950 (still at around half the price of the $1879 MacBook) a Windows laptop that also has 0.5GB storage, much more RAM and a larger screen:

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/acer-aspire-5-15-6-laptop-silver-intel-ci5-1035g1-512gb-ssd-20gb-ram-windows-10/14655796

Macbook offers you better resalle value aswell,like much better at least in my area.

As far people told me they are more stable aswell.

Look at laptops in range of macbook,like Dell,Hp their QC is terrible.I was thinking of buying dell xps 15,4k screen,and prices was around 2.6k euro.

Guess what il rather take new macbook air with 16 gb/512 ssd for 1k less then risk with dell.

 

And with macs and apple in general,you dont buy only hardware,you buy that premium feeling,and social standard.

50K BMW vs 50k Kia will do the same job,and kia will be able to customized to the max with all the extras you can find.

50k BMW will be base mode,but still driving in that BMW will offer more premium feel,you will feel better and be more ''cool''.

 

 

[Darkseth]

I think the price is way too expensive, since it's still Intel's 8th Gen.

 

If you don't need Windows or Windows Applications, you can go straight to the M1 Macs.
Macbook Air M1 already destroys every Intel Macbook Pro 13", and it starts at 999 USD.

 

However, you should check first, if that Application your friend uses runs on M1, and the Plugins too.

Also, these M1 Macs are MacOS 11 Big Sur only. No possible Downgrade.

[Lord Vile]

1 hour ago, Darkseth said:

I think the price is way too expensive, since it's still Intel's 8th Gen.

 

If you don't need Windows or Windows Applications, you can go straight to the M1 Macs.
Macbook Air M1 already destroys every Intel Macbook Pro 13", and it starts at 999 USD.

 

However, you should check first, if that Application your friend uses runs on M1, and the Plugins too.

Also, these M1 Macs are MacOS 11 Big Sur only. No possible Downgrade.

Did check and they are working on M1 compatibility but obviously isn't something that can be done in a day.