I've never used my Macbook Pro's Screen
May 23, 2019 8:12 AM Subscribe
I always used to travel with my laptop, docking it at home with a big monitor and good keyboard. But I've never undocked this one, due to 1. increasing iPad power, and 2. new work patterns. I should switch to Mac Mini (or, once external monitor dies, iMac). But I'm scared!
I haven't had call to do serious work outside my home office in a while. But I might! So the question is how much expense and waste I'll tolerate to preserve the option. Maybe you've shared this dilemma.
Key point (not up for debate): while iPad is getting better, as a writer I need reasonable screen size to do a good job (13" doesn't cut it; I always buy 15" laptops). So if I migrate from laptops, I'll lose ability to work effectively outside my home office. iPad's an increasingly useful stopgap, but its form factor will never allow me to do real work. So....freedom issues.
I clung to my annoying ink jet printer for years because color...which rarely used. When I switched to laser, with better/cheaper/faster quality, it felt fantastic, and I use outside services for color printing. But it's easier to outsource color printing than it is to get myself in front of a decent screen while on the road (I don't stay in fancy hotels with business stations).
As Apple innovates, I pay for expensive features like retina screen and touchbar which I may never use. So like I'm being squeezed into a change, but...again, I'm scared.
Guess I could always buy a used laptop on eBay for crucial needs, then resell afterwards. Cheaper than renting, anyway. Other ideas?
I haven't had call to do serious work outside my home office in a while. But I might! So the question is how much expense and waste I'll tolerate to preserve the option. Maybe you've shared this dilemma.
Key point (not up for debate): while iPad is getting better, as a writer I need reasonable screen size to do a good job (13" doesn't cut it; I always buy 15" laptops). So if I migrate from laptops, I'll lose ability to work effectively outside my home office. iPad's an increasingly useful stopgap, but its form factor will never allow me to do real work. So....freedom issues.
I clung to my annoying ink jet printer for years because color...which rarely used. When I switched to laser, with better/cheaper/faster quality, it felt fantastic, and I use outside services for color printing. But it's easier to outsource color printing than it is to get myself in front of a decent screen while on the road (I don't stay in fancy hotels with business stations).
As Apple innovates, I pay for expensive features like retina screen and touchbar which I may never use. So like I'm being squeezed into a change, but...again, I'm scared.
Guess I could always buy a used laptop on eBay for crucial needs, then resell afterwards. Cheaper than renting, anyway. Other ideas?
Response by poster: I should have noted....if it's not totally synched and ready to go (even re: current browser tabs and unsaved docs), I'd lose any digitally nomadic freedom feeling. It all becomes needy, adding to my already traumatic packing/prepping pre-travel overhead. Is there a solution for this? Obviously, it would start getting messy if the desktop mac has a larger hard drive.
OOH....thought of something. When Apple finally obsoletes 64 bit apps, I can turn to the laptop to use older apps that never upgraded. It's a particularly good time to have a backup Mac!
posted by Quisp Lover at 9:06 AM on May 23, 2019
OOH....thought of something. When Apple finally obsoletes 64 bit apps, I can turn to the laptop to use older apps that never upgraded. It's a particularly good time to have a backup Mac!
posted by Quisp Lover at 9:06 AM on May 23, 2019
What is your actual question?
posted by hydra77 at 10:11 AM on May 23, 2019 [9 favorites]
posted by hydra77 at 10:11 AM on May 23, 2019 [9 favorites]
Best answer: a 15 inch Macbook pro is the best of all worlds, just buy a midrange version with the Touch Bar. iMac's are really great if you're doing any kind of digital media production, but outside that a MacBook Pro is a hell of machine that allows you all the possible options you may need.
posted by nikaspark at 10:54 AM on May 23, 2019
posted by nikaspark at 10:54 AM on May 23, 2019
Best answer: I haven't had call to do serious work outside my home office in a while. But I might!
Sounds like your current setup is meeting your needs. I would just keep using your existing setup until something breaks, loses support, or you start doing serious work outside your home office. Many people on AskMetafilter have commented that the newer macbooks are less reliable (such as keyboard issues). If your older macbook is still working I would just continue using it.
posted by mundo at 11:34 AM on May 23, 2019
Sounds like your current setup is meeting your needs. I would just keep using your existing setup until something breaks, loses support, or you start doing serious work outside your home office. Many people on AskMetafilter have commented that the newer macbooks are less reliable (such as keyboard issues). If your older macbook is still working I would just continue using it.
posted by mundo at 11:34 AM on May 23, 2019
Response by poster: ======
What is your actual question?
======
Thanks for posting. See bottom line of my OP.
posted by Quisp Lover at 7:56 PM on May 23, 2019
What is your actual question?
======
Thanks for posting. See bottom line of my OP.
posted by Quisp Lover at 7:56 PM on May 23, 2019
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posted by deezil at 8:44 AM on May 23, 2019