How to Choose and Buy a Mac

Consider present and future needs PERMALINK

Before you buy a Mac, consider carefully how it will be used over the next 18 months; the pace of innovation has changed, and these days Apple usually has very little to offer in terms of worthwhile performance gains on a year to year basis: 18 months is about as soon as it’s worth upgrading.

The late 2008 “unibody” MacBook Pros are≠ a perfect example: performance is essentially unchanged at the same clock speed, with additional headaches and cost, such as external dongles for connecting a monitor via the mini-DVI port (and copy-protection too, refusing to operate with certain projectors at full resolution). In late 2008, a glut of the previous MacBook Pros makes them an absolute bargain, especially refurbished models.

Consulting available

Be realistic about current and future usage

Web browsing, Mail and iTunes? Digital camera with which you shoot only JPEGs? For such tasks, just about any current Mac will do, so long as it has adequate memory.

But consider this scenario: you decide to get a digital SLR, such as the 24 megapixel Sony A900 (or any other DSLR). Perhaps you’d like to shoot RAW, at 36 megabytes per RAW image. You’ll need to store, backup and process those images. Sony’s RAW converter uses all CPU cores, so a dual-core MacBook or MacBook Pro or iMac is going to run about 4X slower than an 8-core Mac Pro system. You might not be a happy camper for very long that way.

Dead-end Macs

Dead-end Macs are anything except a Mac Pro; all other models have extremely limited options for enhancing performance. Dead-end Macs are wonderful for many purposes, but when your needs grow, you have nowhere to go but back to the Apple Store for a new Mac Pro. (Get a refurbished one).

There is one half-exception: the MacBook Pro can go to 6GB memory and use eSATA via its ExpressCard/34 slot. For some users, this might be just enough, but dual-core is extremely limiting for some uses (versus 8 core).

Upgrades

Memory and hard drives can be upgraded to some extent in all Macs, though capacity and performance limitations apply in dead-end Macs.

The number of CPU cores is fixed forever when you get your Mac; Apple does not provide any upgrade path. When you buy a dual-core Mac, you are stuck with two cores forever. Moving into 2008, more and more software will make use of more than two cores, so consider that fact carefully. A quad-core MacBook Pro is likely to emerge in 2009, an important development in making a laptop more viable for high-end photography work (RAW files, etc).

Application performance and your Mac PERMALINK

Applications vary in speed based on a variety of factors. Influences on application performance include:

1. Adequate memory 4/8GB max for everything but Mac Pro;
2. Clock speed eg 2.4GHz vs 3.0GHz No upgrade;
3. Number of CPU cores eg dual-core vs quad-core vs 8-core No upgrade;
4. Hard drive speed Few or no high performance options on iMac/MacBook/MacBook Pro;
5. Memory bandwidth No upgrade;
6. Graphics card;
7. Network speed.

Observe the risks in buying the wrong Mac: your performance options may be truncated. These factors are intertwined; a fast CPU with too little memory is a hamstrung combination.

The exact priority depends on the application, and what it is doing. For example, network/internet speed is most important to a web browser—upgrading your Mac will make almost no difference, but a faster internet connection could provide a dramatic speed increase.

As another example, the number of CPU cores can dominate: certain programs will run up to 4X faster with 8 cores than with 2 cores, though it might be less than that with memory-intensive tasks.

CPU speed

A good rule of thumb for CPU speed is to pay proportionally. For example, a 3.0GHz CPU is 7% faster than a 2.8GHz model. Paying 7% more, perhaps 10% more is reasonable; paying 30% more is very poor return on investment; consider more memory and/or more or faster hard drives instead. See Total system cost. Of course, when time is money (eg a production environment), paying whatever it costs for the fastest CPU may make sense.

CPU cores

There aren’t many choices here, but Apple does offer a single quad-core Mac Pro (4 core) as compared with dual quad-core (8 core) units. Don’t even consider the quad-core model unless you have very specific needs, and you’re sure that 4 cores will always be enough, and even then consider total system cost.

For more on CPU cores, see CPU cores explained and Application support for multiple CPU cores.

Memory

Only the most basic usage will find 2GB adequate. Go to a minimum of 4GB in all Macs; Mac OS X uses extra memory for caching, which speeds up all sorts of things.

Hard drive

Get a 7200 rpm hard drive; the cost is generally minimal over the slower drives. Even though memory caching can overcome a slow boot drive, there comes a point at which some speeds are just too slow and even objective measurements don’t capture the annoyance factor of a 5400 or 4200 rpm hard drive: backup alone can become irritating.

Graphics card

Graphics cards will turn into general-purpose computing engines in 2009. This is perhaps why the new 2008 “unibody” MacBook Pros now sport two graphics chipsets, one of them high performance (either can be selected, with the high performance one drawing more power). The technology of high performance computing by virtue of the graphics card is in its infancy, and it will take time for application developers to adopt it. Still, if you know that your most-used applications make use of a high-performance graphics engine, do consider paying for a higher-end card.

Get the best stuff at the best price

Immediate gratification takes too long!

With some basic planning, you can always save money and sometimes improve performance as a side-effect!

Read the general ideas on this page, then read specifics about the Mac Pro and MacBook Pro.

The reasoning presented here is based on my many years as a photographer, software developer, and general computer geek. It is also backed up by detailed research on the best ways to optimize Photoshop performance.

Total system cost PERMALINK

Consider total system cost when budgeting; it might influence your final decision on individual items. Consider these extra costs:

• additional memory;
• additional hard drive(s);
• backup system (hard drives or alternative);
• faster or additional video card;
• external or additional display (required for Mac Pro, desirable for laptops);
• accessories such as digital camera card readers;
• keyboard and mouse (included with Mac Pro, desirable for laptops);
• for laptops: extra battery, charger, carrying case;
• uninterruptible power supply (UPS);
• new or updated software, etc.
• AppleCare;
• printer;

By being realistic about the total cost, the cost of any particular system upgrade can be kept in perspective to the total cost, making a decision easier.

Don’t buy just before a product revision PERMALINK

Apple releases new models at regular intervals. Buying a model that’s been around for 9 months is not a great game plan for maximizing value, so pay attention to how long it has been since the model was updated.

New models are often associated with the release of new Intel processors, so following the processor roadmap can help. Sites like macrumors.com often contain useful tidbits on Apple’s forthcoming models.

MacWorld Expo in January is one common time for Apple to announce revised models, but late spring and early fall are also possible.

Avoid the premium configurations PERMALINK

Are you willing to pay a 30-40% premium for 10-15% more CPU performance? If so, buy the fastest CPU speed available. Even so, remember that performance for demanding tasks usually involves plentiful memory and fast hard drives, including striped RAID. See Optimizing Photoshop performance.

Your best value is always with the “low end” configuration, complemented with plenty of memory and fast hard drive(s). Don’t be fooled by marketing hype about the “better” configurations. A well thought-out “low end” machine with the right memory and hard drives can easily outperform a faster CPU system on demanding tasks.

Mac Pro premium

Consider a 2.8GHz Mac Pro compared to a 3.0GHz Mac Pro: that’s a 7% difference in CPU speed at a price premium of 29% or $800.

The maximum difference you would observe is 7%—if the disk or internet is involved the difference might well evaporate. A 7% difference is 0.93 seconds vs 10 seconds, barely noticeable. Even if it’s a 60-second task, it’s still only 56 seconds vs 60 seconds. Is that worth an $800 premium? You can get 16GB memory and four 1TB disks for about that much!

MacBook Pro premium

Consider a 2.4GHz MacBook Pro compared to a 2.53GHz MacBook Pro: that’s a 5% difference in CPU speed at a price premium of 25% or $500. It’s true that you get 4GB of memory and a slightly larger hard disk and more video memory, but it’s also true that you could get 6GB of memory and a fast hard disk for about the same premium.

Group discounts PERMALINK

Some employers and professional groups offer their members a discount at the Apple Store. Photographers who belong to ASMP enjoy such a discount.

Those lucky enough to have a friend at Apple might be able to score a 15% discount, or even 25% if it’s a really good friend! (Apple employees get one 25% discount system per year, last time I inquired).

Refurbished is a win PERMALINK

Please see the Refurbished page.

Custom configurations PERMALINK

The Apple Store allows you to configure a Mac any way you want (any flavor, so long as it’s vanilla, you choose the toppings). Custom configurations are mostly useful for stripping off overpriced upgrades, not for adding lots of components. But in some cases, it’s the only way to get certain items, like a specific video card.

However, it’s not just about price, it’s about being able to configure the final system the best way for your needs. This is often done most cost-effectively by getting a minimum configuration, then adding memory and drives on your own.

AppleCare PERMALINK

AppleCare (extended warranty) can be a very good value on high-end systems, especially when the system includes an Apple monitor. On less expensive systems it’s a high price in relation to system cost.

You can buy AppleCare anytime within the original 1-year warranty period (don’t wait till the last week!). So you can delay the expense for a year, a good idea if you might sell or upgrade the machine before then.

Laptop vs desktop PERMALINK

Laptops come at premium prices for the performance they deliver. Don’t pay for a laptop if it’s just going to remain on your desk. Please review Consider present and future needs.

For portability (airplane), there is little choice but a laptop. But consider whether a Mac Pro combined with a basic MacBook might serve your needs better than a single machine, and provide some peace of mind when traveling, should the laptop be stolen or damaged.

If portability means a computer at customer sites, in some cases an iMac might be a viable option, faster and with a nicer screen that can be viewed by others during a presentation.

You can usually get the same or better performance at lower cost by going with a desktop machine instead of a laptop. That means a Mac Pro or iMac.

Laptop issues

Some other considerations for laptops (MacBook Pro or MacBook):

• Reliability is lower—notebooks fail at higher rates simply because they take a beating while traveling. Internal components are also more stressed for cooling reasons, hard drives are typically not as reliable, etc. Always protect yourself with AppleCare for a MacBook/Pro.
• Risk of theft is a concern, especially if the laptop is your entire computing world;
• Expansion options are limited: a 4GB memory limit (officially, but now 6GB is possible), maximum of one internal hard drive, one ExpressCard slot, one external monitor. (MacBook is even more limited vs the MacBook Pro).
• The expense of a MacBook Pro is nearly as high as a Mac Pro. A basic quad-core Mac Pro is $2299 vs $1999 for a basic MacBook Pro, though a monitor is required for the Mac Pro (but you may want a keyboard, mouse, extra battery and other accessories for the MBP).
• CPU cores — as of late 2008, all Mac laptops are limited to a single dual-core CPU. We might see quad-core CPUs in 2009 and for some applications quad-core is twice as fast as dual-core. But until that happens, it’s critical to choose a Mac Pro (8 core) if your application usage benefits from multiple cores.

The iMac, MacMini and MacBook PERMALINK

The Apple iMac and MacMini have similar or limitations than the MacBook Pro: they are a dead-end for performance-enhancing expansion. The MacBook is even more limited. Such systems are fine for many tasks, even photography, but are very limiting for more demanding tasks.