On June 10, 2011, I purchased a brand new 15″, 2.0 GHz quad-core MacBook Pro. In exactly two weeks, someone will be buying this machine. I’m crazy, right? I’d argue that point. For a resident of a rural Idaho town of 50,000 people, I don’t have the opportunity of driving down to an Apple store that’s 15 minutes away. In fact, the closest one resides in Salt Lake City, a lengthy 2.5 hours away. So, when I decide that I want to purchase an Apple product, I do so after extensive internet research. That is, I never have the opportunity to have hands on to know if this is the product that’s right for me.
After a month with this machine, I can declare that it’s not for me. Why not? Read on to to find out.
It’s not under-spec’ed. In fact, it outperforms any other Mac I’ve used before. However, the many facets of my life don’t allow me to have just a MacBook Pro. Being a college student, portability is essential to my success. I’ve tried to take notes effectively on my iPad 2, and failed miserably. All I need is a lightweight machine to take notes and write papers on. Because the technology world is a constant tornado of information, having a lightweight machine to carry everywhere with me if huge news presents itself is also a plus being a writer here on Run Around Tech. As you could have guessed, the MacBook Air is a perfect fit for my lifestyle right now.
However, I don’t feel that the MacBook Air can be my only machine. Many have made it apparent that the Air is no Joe-Schmoe anymore, with it’s custom configuration of the Intel i7 processors. However, the experience of using an Air is vastly different than the experience on something like an iMac. Regardless of the Air’s new found power, I believe I need another machine for home use, where I can be expected to do all of my heavy work, like photo and video editing, and extensive written projects. For me, the 21.5″ iMac is the perfect machine to have as my flagship computer.
In conclusion, yes, I’ve had this computer for merely a month. However, after my use, I feel that it’s not for me. Is it a bad thing that I’m selling a $1900 computer a month after having it? Many would argue it’s irrationality, but I’d say no. Using Apple products has always been about the experience, and for me, having experiences on multiple devices helps me sort out what I want in a product.
What is your ultimate Mac setup? Could you deal with a 13″ MacBook Pro, or do you need multiple computers to cover the multiple facets of your life, like a MacBook Air and an iMac? I think this question has the possibility of generating great discussion, so please let us know in the comments below!
Image Source: AppStorm
