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Question
Can I get a MacBook Pro?
I own a 7 years old laptop running Ubuntu it's a Dell Inspiron 5559 and I do blogging building products etc.
The problem is, it's running slow and it's kind of affecting my productivity a bit.
I thought of buying a MacBook Pro 16GB variant. But it's costs a lot of money. Especially in India. It's much higher I guess.
To be exact it's average salary of a month x 4
So I'm thinking like for months now.
What would you do in this situation?
Would you buy because it can make your work done faster, improves productivity?
I'm confused.
The problem is, it's running slow and it's kind of affecting my productivity a bit.
I thought of buying a MacBook Pro 16GB variant. But it's costs a lot of money. Especially in India. It's much higher I guess.
To be exact it's average salary of a month x 4
So I'm thinking like for months now.
What would you do in this situation?
Would you buy because it can make your work done faster, improves productivity?
I'm confused.
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Consider second hand older model. I have MBP Mid 2015 and I can do a lot on it. Only downside is that I can't run newest macOS.
That's a good idea Szymon. I checked for M1 Models. Unfortunately, it's not available anywhere. But will try. Thank you
If you are upgrading, upgrade properly and get a new one. Laptop lasts 5-6 years for me.
I forgot to mention that it's not my only computer. My main one is M2 Mini with DualUp LG monitor. But still, everything from typical work can be done on both, and I don't miss anything if I use my old MBP.
I have a Macbook M2 now and for me it does everything I do very well. It's lighter too and will save you a bunch of money. But in general yes, look at other professionals, sometimes they need way more expensive equipment. We are lucky to really need a single laptop.
Thanks for your input, Josef. Are you using a Macbook M2 Air or Pro version?
Air
Depending on the specs, you might want to put an SSD and add more RAM as a temporary solution. But depends on how resource-heavy your work is, and what the current specs are.
Little tip: Try to have it imported from Vietnam if someone you know is visiting.
twitter.com/hrittikhere/statu…
Is there anything about your work that is immensely better specifically from using a macbook? Are the tools for your work better, or does it have hardware features you need that other makers don't?
Consider if you want a macbook just because of the brand image of indie hackers who use them?
If you don't need the portability, then even a custom built desktop will be far cheaper and much more powerful for your work.
Personally, I bought a second hand 8GB M1 last year. I specifically needed the CPU power coupled with the immense battery life, since I'm in South Africa and it's cheaper to buy the laptop than big backup batteries for our constant power cuts. Conveniently a lot of Laravel tooling is super nice on macOS, but that wasn't the first reason I bought the machine for.
It’s a judgment call we cannot make for you. However I will share the following two points:
Ask yourself how much your current computer is slowing you down, how much time you would save with the upgrade, and how much you value that time.
You don’t need the newest model. I would highly recommend an Apple Silicon chip at this point, but even the older M1’s are still plenty fast for what you’ll be using it for. So if you can get a good deal on those, consider it.
Oh, and this is “easy for me to say” but IMO you should stop thinking in average monthly salaries. You’re an entrepreneur. Those types of averages don’t apply to you.
You might have wildly higher expenses and wildly higher income than those around you.
Online businesses are a relatively level playing field. You can compete with someone in NYC where the average salary will be much higher. Your code doesn’t care. Customers don’t care.
I'm not a Mac girl, so I can't give specific recs on which Mac to get. I have a Dell Precision 5540 (and an older Lenovo Thinkpad as a backup), and I'm a freelance writer, basically live on Zoom for client meetings, make more Loom videos than I can count, record and edit voiceover audio on Audacity, stream with OBS, play OSRS, and create digital products (zero coding, though).
I don't even have the fastest internet (I pay $10/month for basic home wifi and use shared wifi at the library and cafes), and my laptop is more than fast enough to handle everything I need it to when I need it to.
I tend to be extremely practical about expenses (especially being a single mom), and while a Mac would be aesthetically pleasing for marketing photos, the reality is that I can do everything I need and want with a Windows.
It might be time to take an inventory to see what, exactly, you'd need a Mac for and how much it'd enhance your productivity and revenue generation so you make an informed, financially responsible decision.
If the Dell has been working fine for you for 7 years then just get a newer similar laptop. The extra expense for a Mac is only worth it if you get benefits from the OS, which most people don't.
I have bought macbooks pro since 2008. Using it 4 to 6 years every time. Two years ago I also bought a macbook air. The macbook air is good enough. Just look for a second hand macbook air, about 2 or 3 years old.
Thank you all for the suggestions.