Apple laptop

Apple products are highly sought after , not only for their price, which makes them almost a luxury item, but also for their simplicity, quality, and design. That's why you might be tempted to buy an Apple laptop, even if you're not a fan of the Cupertino brand.

Furthermore, Apple is now transitioning to its own processors (Apple Silicon), with the first being the M1 and the newer M2 . This new chip has achieved truly impressive results, especially in energy efficiency, although it still has its drawbacks. Fortunately, there are still new Intel x86 systems available as an alternative to ARM.

Today's best deals on Apple laptops

Types of Apple laptops

Apple has a much more limited range of notebooks than other brands, since it only has three main series, with models of different configurations to meet various needs. To be able to choose the most consistent, you should first know the series and its objective:

MacBook Air 13 inches

It is a compact device, with a lighter weight and a slimmer profile. In addition, its autonomy is greater than the Pro, at the cost of sacrificing some performance.

Ultimately, these Apple laptops are aimed at those seeking greater mobility, such as students who need to carry it to school, those who want to work or play while traveling on public transport, in a park, etc.

MacBook Air 15 inches

If you want the same thing that the 13-inch MacBook Air offers, but with a superior screen, then the perfect model is the 15-inch version, which has a new panel, great user experience, good autonomy and great performance.

All thanks to its new hardware, such as M2 processors, the second generation of Apple Silicon for laptops and desktops. In addition, you can get them with different configurations, and different colors.

MacBook Pro 13 inch

This other team has some characteristics similar to the Air, since it mounts a panel with the same size, that is, a 13.3 ”screen.

That makes it quite compact and its weight is only about 200 grams higher. Therefore, it is also a good equipment for mobility, only that it has a superior performance, designed for professionals or users who need a plus.

MacBook Pro 14 inch

If a 16-inch screen seems too big and heavy, and a 13-inch screen seems too small, then you have the perfect middle ground with these new 14.2-inch Macbook Pros. A medium size that has the best of both worlds: lightness and small size + a wide field of vision. Of course, we have the new M3s as replacements for the M2 generation.

And all this, of course, with the performance and functions that can be expected from Apple's Pro series, especially designed for users looking for a little more performance, as well as professionals.

MacBook Pro 16 inch

It is exactly the same as the previous one, only its weight and dimensions are higher, since it has a 16.2” panel. A larger size that will make its mobility and autonomy slightly worse than the previous ones, but which may be more visually comfortable. In addition, it comes with the new generation of the M3, M3 Pro and M3 MAX SoC, as well as greater unified memory capacity.

At the hardware level, you can also go for more powerful configurations than the smaller models.

In short, a larger display and work area, which can be appreciated for gaming, design, etc.

Advantages of an Apple laptop

If you're unsure whether you really need an Apple laptop, understanding the advantages of these machines can help you make up your mind and finally choose one. Among the most notable points are:

• Ecosystem: Apple offers hardware and software. This means that there is a limited number of Mac models, compared to non-Mac computers. But, saving this inconvenience, this mode offers a huge advantage, since it allows optimizing the operating system so that it works in the best way with it. existing hardware. Instead, Windows needs to work well on a multitude of computers (ASUS, HP, Lenovo, Dell, and a long etc.), but it is not optimized for any, so it shows in performance and efficiency.
• macOS: the operating system belongs to the UNIX family, and everyone knows the advantages of * nix (FreeBSD, Linux, Solaris,…), which are much more secure, robust and stable systems. That means improving productivity compared to Windows, since you will have fewer problems due to errors, reboots, screenshots, or malware. With macOS, forget about all that and enjoy the experience. In addition, you will continue to be able to enjoy the Microsoft Office office suite, since it is available for it.
• ARM processor: Apple Silicon's new product, the M1, M2 and the new M3, is a processor that has been talked about a lot, especially the use of the memory it achieves (a key point of its performance, despite not being so surprising in others senses). In addition, this processor is very energy efficient, managing to extend battery life to the maximum (it has doubled). And, if that doesn't seem enough to you, if you need to develop for ARM and avoid cross-compilation, what better way than to have this team for it... And I wouldn't like to forget another advantage, and that is the compatibility of iOS/iPadOS apps also with him, which opens up new possibilities and is perhaps the closest to that convergence that has been talked about so much. Something like what Google Chromebooks have.
• Screen quality: Apple is one of the few that mount Retina panels. These IPS LED panels have a better resolution, both for images and texts, which is a great advantage. It also has a high pixel density and hence the sharpness is also extraordinary. In addition, when you bring the screen closer to your eyes, they also achieve better results than with normal panels.
• Autonomy: This has to do with the ecosystem, since when creating OS and hardware, they can optimize the code a lot to be able to reach an efficiency that others would not. That, together with efficient hardware, makes these teams have one of the best existing autonomies. Therefore, if you are one of those who need a battery that lasts many hours, an Apple laptop is what you need.
• Design: one of the things that stand out the most about this firm is the quality finish. With premium materials and minimalist designs and with very modern lines that is one of the most attractive things that stand out when you see one of these Apple laptops. In fact, it has become an identifying characteristic of those from Cupertino.
• Reliability: Apple takes great care of every detail, including QA (Quality Assurance). It is true that Apple laptops are manufactured in the same Chinese factories as other computers, that is, they share ODM (Original Design Manufacturers). For example, Quanta Computer, AsusTek and Foxconn are two of the producers of Apple laptops, same factories that make others such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, or Sony. On the other hand, there is a slight difference in quality between one and the other, since Apple puts its teams through some extra quality controls to make sure they meet the standards that they want. For this reason, apple products tend to be more durable.

Where to buy a cheap MacBook

Apple sells its products through its own website or from its famous physical stores located around the world. However, as you know, these stores aren't very numerous, and they certainly don't cover every major city. Therefore, the easiest way to get a MacBook laptop is to buy it from any other physical or online store.

For example, you can find it at Amazon, PC Componentes, El Corte Inglés, Carrefour, etc. The advantage is that it usually costs the same in almost all of them , unlike other brands of equipment where there are significant price differences between stores.

Second-hand or refurbished Apple laptop, is it a good option?

As I mentioned, price is one of the downsides of Apple laptops. Therefore, you can look for alternatives to get a genuine Mac at a better price. For example, you could opt for:

• Second hand: many choose to buy second-hand products. And while MacBook computers tend to be durable, it's not the best alternative. You don't know the kind of "life" that your previous user has given you, and you might have some problems that can't be seen with the naked eye. Even more so if you buy it through platforms such as Wallapop or second-hand websites, instead of in trusted second-hand stores that offer a certain guarantee.
• Refurbished: Another alternative to get a cheaper Apple laptop is to buy a refurbished one. That is, those new products that cannot be sold as such for various reasons. It may be because it does not have its original box, because it has a scratch on the housing due to transport, it has been exposed in a display case, or because it has had to be returned to the factory and repaired due to a factory problem. Be that as it may, what you get is new equipment, and the EU has lobbied with laws so that users of this type of customer also have a guarantee as if it were normal equipment.
• Old model: in addition to the previous two, you could also choose to buy a slightly older model. Some are still being sold, such as models with Intel chips or versions from older years. This means that its price has dropped considerably, while still being new equipment and enjoying a guarantee. The only problem with this type of equipment is that you will always have somewhat less powerful hardware, and that obsolescence will come sooner, since macOS will continue to be updated for a while, but perhaps you will not be able to count on the latest versions (you know that Apple is limiting this to models of older generations).

When to buy a cheaper Apple laptop?

One of the main disadvantages of Apple laptops is their price. They are expensive products because they are exclusive. For this reason, many people shy away from this type of product and prefer other brands. However, there are great opportunities to choose a cheaper Apple laptop, such as:

• Black Friday: on the last Thursday of November this global event is held where all stores, from small to large supermarkets, both at physical points of sale and in online stores, put a multitude of discounts on their products. Some technology discounts could be as high as 20% or more, so Black Friday is a great time to get a laptop Cheaper Apple.
• Prime Day: If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, then you have another great opportunity. The famous Jeff Bezos platform offers all its premium customers exclusive discounts. Therefore, you can benefit from them and acquire what you need and save something on your purchases. Of course, you will continue to enjoy Prime benefits, such as free and fast shipping.
• Cyber ​​Monday: The Monday after Black Friday there is another big event. This Monday, online stores tend to throw the house out the window with very good offers, similar to those on Black Friday. Therefore, if you missed the opportunity on Friday or did not find what you wanted, in the selection of Cyber ​​Monday laptop deals find another opportunity to buy more for less.

Apple laptops, are they worth it? My opinion

You should weigh the pros and cons of owning an Apple laptop. On the one hand, one of its biggest advantages, like its ecosystem, could also be limiting for some video games or software that aren't available, and also for some hardware devices that don't have drivers for this platform.

On the other hand, there's the price , which places them among the most expensive laptops on the market, even more so than some competing gaming laptops with superior hardware. But it's also worth noting that, in return, you get greater reliability and durability.

Finally, its M1, M2, and now the new M3 can be a great advantage if you're looking for autonomy and developing on an ARM platform. But it also has its downsides, and that's something you'll have to evaluate based on your specific needs. In this regard, you should know that Windows (and other operating systems) can no longer be installed due to the lack of support for the M-Series following the discontinuation of Bootcamp. You can only use them through virtualization.

The M-Series has also brought other limitations , such as the limit on installed RAM, since it is integrated, and the lack of compatibility with eGPU.

You should also be aware that some software you used with Intel-based x86 Apple computers will no longer work on the new Apple Silicon M-Series. While Rosetta 2 allows you to continue running all that software without issue, as it provides a compatibility layer to mitigate this limitation, some programs, such as those that rely on certain Intel virtualization instructions or technologies (e.g., Intel VT), will not function because the M-Series lacks them. For example, some users have found that certain virtualization or container programs, like Docker, no longer work.

In conclusion , it's definitely worth it if you're looking for a stable, robust, reliable, secure, and trustworthy platform. Whether it's to improve your work productivity, enjoy uncomplicated leisure time, or study. In fact, all the disadvantages I mentioned in the previous paragraphs don't affect the vast majority of users, since their intended use doesn't interfere with them. But I preferred to be honest and mention them, as some developers or professionals might encounter these unforeseen issues…