Switching Platforms
 

So it's time to replace my aging desktop and the sexy MacBook Pro with retina display has caught my eye, which may result on an overall Mac conversion for the household.

But first off, I need some tech savvy advice in how much attention I need to pay to processor speed and RAM. I'm not a gamer, but often will have several websites open, a document or two, and a financial or photo editing software running. Would an extra 0.3 GHz really matter? And if I have a Quadcore device shouldn't 8GB RAM be adequate?

Things run a bit sluggish in the current machine so I presume anything contemporary will delight me, but this will be my workhorse device for the next few years so I want to make sure it will keep me happy and out of the Apple store.

I assume you have already verified that all the applications you want to use are available on the mac?

Or alternatives thereof - I really don't use a lot of specialized software. I'll be picking up a copy of the Office suite, already using iTunes, Picasa has been my photo editing tool of choice. Looks like I may be swapping iBooks for Quicken, but that's an underutilized ap for me anyway. So far I haven't come across any deal breakers - or things that will make me go dual boot yet.

To answer one of your original questions; no, the 0.3 GHz will make no difference to what you're doing.

Shhh, don't tell my 8-year old, very amped-up PC, but when she finally fails - hopefully not any time soon - I think I'll be switching to a Mac as well (and hence following this thread with interest).

I made the switch this year and have had no regrets. I believe i mentioned this when we were at the Carthay last month, but I get a special tingly thrill every time my new computer (Macbook Air) boots up in 12 seconds.

Given the problems I am having connecting to the iCloud for whatever reason, I'm toying with switching, too. Toying...

Tell me more about your MacBook Air, while coveting the 13" MacBook Pro, a sales rep suggested the air might be more than adequate to meet my needs and save me some cash.

My home use would not qualify me as anybody's 'power user'. All simple stuff... music, movies, some note taking, a few spreadsheets, photos and light gaming - RCT3 just released for OSX!!!

For those uses, I am completely satisfied. It is quick as a rabbit and silent as the grave, thought RCT does kick the fan on. It's the first app to do so. The package is light, thin, a breeze to travel with.

What it has done is integrated my 'stuff' across all my devices in a way that wasn't possible from a Windows pc so that's been fun to discover.

Depends. Airs don't have the higher-end (Retina) displays.

Are you convinced you want a laptop? If I had it to do over, I might go with a Mini AND a Time Capsule. That would replace your current setup nicely, integrate everything and give you network backup you didn't have before... for less money.

Actually, I['m contemplating getting a mac mini to be our "media server" to keep all our music & photos on - which is what most of my stored files are, leaving a lot less that I'd want to carry around with me - will still want a laptop for portability.