Laptop or Macbook? Always been a Desktop user, apple scares me

[chagzuki]

A MacBook Pro has a good headphone amp also which can drive high impedance headphones. Also very handy on the move.

I'm agnostic when it comes to operating systems, I don't mind either and I don't think there's any great leap in moving from one to the other.

So a large number of things are very convenient on a MacBook, but that's balanced by the fact that since every component is non user-replaceable if there's any hardware fault you're stuck with having to have it professionally serviced, which is expensive one way or the other, whether it's via AppleCare or outside of it. That sucks. Always trade-offs.

[sQeetz]

- superior raw power when plugged in if you go for the high end, with the side effect of being much louder and having worse battery life... and the Macs are still no slouches and only slightly behind in CPU processing power, while consuming between 1/3rd to 1/5th of the power of a PC laptop when taxed.

How good is a portable device if you only can use its full potential while plugged in? That's not portable to me at all.
MacBooks always perform the same no matter if plugged in or not

[FapFilter]

too many people feel the need to justify their choices as "the only valid one"
and if your device is plugged in most of the time, it doesn't matter much anyway

personally, i'm good with the long battery life and great performance my MBs offer me, but others can easily be equally as happy with their decisions, as there is no clear right or wrong

[sQeetz]

too many people feel the need to justify their choices as "the only valid one"
and if your device is plugged in most of the time, it doesn't matter much anyway

Then why get a laptop? If your use case is to only use it plugged in, then a laptop is not necessary.
The same conundrum I was faced. Bought a Mac mini

[FapFilter]

more tidier look, as it's an all in one solution? easier to carry around and still use it for the occasions when one wants to use it somewhere else, even if this might not be the top priority for everyone?

why get a Mini then? it might have been the right solution for you, but someone else might prefer something beefier (both in dimensions and actual horse power under the hood), something more expandable, or is looking for some other criteria

[sQeetz]

why get a Mini then? it might have been the right solution for you, but someone else might prefer something beefier (both in dimensions and actual horse power under the hood), more expandable, or some looking for some other criteria

Because I was tired of plugging and unplugging that thing constantly.
More horse power? how much more? I can't fancy needing more

[FapFilter]

depending on your needs (and wallet), there are also things like 64 core CPUs around that will destroy almost anything "consumer level"... and they should, as the CPU alone could cost you around $10.000, but even a "standard" desktop top of the line intel or AMD are faster than the M series - at a considerably higher power consumption, but not everyone cares for that, especially if he needs utmost power.
and Apple is still yet to come with it's new M-series Mac Pro too, which should be way more capable (and expensive ) than your Mini or my MBP. if you should require that amount of power

also, some people might need 64GB of RAM (or more, sometimes even way more than that, like the 1.5TB that one could configure his Mac Pro with, if he's got enough cash for that ... i think a top specced current Mac Pro from 2019 can be had for north of a measily 70.000 Euros or so)

[sQeetz]

I don't need that. My 3000 Bucks Mini should do it for a couple of years

[Uncle E]

having said that, Apple only has reasonable price tags* for people who are satisfied by their "base models", as their RAM and HDD upgrade prices are nothing less than complete rip-offs, especially the further you go up

Maybe a good time to mention that the base model M2's should be avoided due to the issues with the 256GB drive.

[sQeetz]

Maybe a good time to mention that the base model M2's should be avoided due to the issues with the 256GB drive.

Avoided getting 2 TB

[Uncle E]

The 2020 Air had exaggerated mids, around 1.5-3kHz, but overall response struck me a fairly even, with bass a bit weak. The 2021 14" Pro varies a bit more with listening position, but the bass is solid rather than exaggerated, and the overall response probably reasonably neutral, i.e. you can hear everything except subs. When I plug in some HD600s with Sonarworks correction I don't find frequency balance to be skewed. The M2s have a different speaker system though and I've not tried them.

Agreed. The previous generation MBP speakers are surprisingly decent and a huge step up from the Air.

[sQeetz]

Who cares about the speakers anyway? You use those units professionally? Don't you? The build in speakers just don't matter at all

[FapFilter]

having said that, Apple only has reasonable price tags* for people who are satisfied by their "base models", as their RAM and HDD upgrade prices are nothing less than complete rip-offs, especially the further you go up

Maybe a good time to mention that the base model M2's should be avoided due to the issues with the 256GB drive.

yes, this is a bit unfortunate... on paper mostly (but good for Apple's already overfilled wallets of course)
in practice it doesn't do much though, unless you are constantly moving files of several GB around volumes. and thanks to Apple, as they have gimped their USB ports on all (even their most expensive!) models, the max transfer rate of USB can't be any faster than the ~1.5GB/s that the SSD allows anyways.
if you're using TB drives, this is not happening, but those are relatively rare and more expensive

[GusGranite]

I am at the same point as OP. Have a self built audio desktop (Windows), choose Apple for mobile music production (iPhone, iPad) so no real bias either way. Just looking for best value and longterm decision for a new audio laptop.

I love how quiet the MacBooks are. I also love the idea of some of my favourite iPadOS apps being available for Mac (Drambo, Moog, etc.) without having to repurchase them. The thing that spooks me about Apple is the lack of upgradability. I have always upgraded RAM and storage a couple of years after purchase for my DAW PC. It works out much more affordable that way. I also do not need a great GPU as not for gaming or design. You just don't get the customization options with Apple.

There is still something so wanty about Apple products though. Just so slick and easy.

Tough choice!

[Uncle E]

The whole hand-off thing between computer and phone is pretty cool. Not as good as they promise but definitely worth taking into consideration. Macs have good resale value (especially if you buy used in the first place) and it’s better to sell and buy a replacement rather than upgrade them. Keep in mind that AUv3 doesn’t work with some DAW’s.