Hi,
I’m a graphic designer working from home, I’ve been told by my employer to return in the office 2/3 times a week. I work on a iMac and have been for the last 7 years, it’s been so reliable and haven’t had any problems with it, so I’d like to upgrade to something like this but in laptop form. Just so it’s easier for me to pop into the office when needed.
Anyone recommend a decent laptop that I can use for the next 7 years? I’d like to keep with apple if I can, but interested to hear what you guys recommend.
At a previous job, I was in much the same situation of working from home and at the office/studio. I can’t recommend one machine over another since everyone’s needs and preferences are different, but I can share some of my thoughts.
Assuming you still want a Macintosh, you can either get a 13- 14- or 16-inch model with a choice of processors, memory, and storage space.
Will you be using the laptop’s display as your main display or will you be plugging it into a larger desktop display at work and home? For me, even a 16-inch display is way too small for serious work, so I always purchased separate desktop displays and opted for a more compact mid-sized laptop to carry back and forth.
I’ve never needed more than 1TB of internal disc space since I keep all my work on compact removable drives that I easily carried to and from work. Other people prefer more than a single TB of space.
As for memory, the more the better, but realistically 16GB is the minimum for graphics work, and if you plan to keep this laptop for as long as you’ve had your iMac, I’d definitely opt for 32GB (and perhaps, 64GB).
I’ve never purchased a Mac with the latest, fastest, top-end processor. Paying a premium for a negligible increase in performance has never seemed worth it to me. I’d rather spend that extra money on a better desktop display. Instead, I’ve always bought the 2nd fastest. If you edit high-definition videos or do 3D work on your laptop, you might want to buy the fastest processor, but for typical graphics work, I don’t think it’s worth the extra cash.
For six years now I have been using a 17” MacBook Pro, great for traveling. But at home I attach it to a 23 inch Mac Display. Great for detailed work.)
If you’re trying to save a few bucks, you could also use a 21-23” Acer display which my wife uses with her 13” MacBook Pro. It’s much cheaper (around $250 U.S.)
Given your preference for Apple and your design work, I’d recommend the MacBook Pro, especially the 16-inch model with M1 Pro or M1 Max. It’s got an impressive Retina display and powerful GPUs, ideal for graphic design. Plus, they’re known for reliability, so it should easily work for your 7-year plan. They’re pricey, but you can use this site to get 10% off Apple orders. It certainly might make that MacBook more budget-friendly!
I bought my MacBook Air M2 last year and I’m more than satisfied. It’s perfect for all my needs and it’s extremely easy and comfortable to use. I think apple products in general are very good and the price is justified.