Buying an Apple MacBook laptop in 2021

When so many professionals use a MacBook it is for several reasons. If you are thinking of buying one, we have prepared this buying guide that will surely be of great help to you. Buying an Apple MacBook laptop in 2021.

There are many good reasons to buy a MacBook today. Maybe you're a lifelong Mac, or you're tired of Windows 10 bugs and looking for stability from Apple. We are going to see everything you need to know to buy a MacBook in 2021.

It is always a good year to buy a MacBook because Apple constantly updates its equipment and we have powerful computers on the market. They all use state-of-the-art processors, more memory, and the latest in storage.

With a MacBook you will be assured of the stability and peace of mind provided by your own operating system such as MacOS Catalina, designed for this hardware. It is an advantage that must be taken into account.

It also seems like a wise decision if you have an iPhone or an iPad, as there are many tools to synchronize content with them, through the computer.

If you are going to buy a MacBook in 2021 you must take into account a number of things, before making a decision. Knowing them will help you choose. Either the model, or directly, another type of computer. Let's find out.

Table of Contents

• MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini with M1
• Other models in catalog
• Before with Intel processors, now with Apple M1
• Maybe you don't need more than 256GB
• MacBook Air, best of 2020
• Is the Touch Bar worth it?
• USB Type C only
• Doesn't like Android mobiles
• If you have an iPad, you will take advantage of it
• It is for professionals, but you will be able to play video games
• PC laptops just keep getting better

MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini with M1

A few months ago, the new Mac computers were finally presented, the main novelty of which is the Apple M1 CPU after leaving aside the Intel components.

Much was the previous expectation and after a few days of analysis, it can be said that the forecasts have been fulfilled, even that they have arrived with some surprise given the prices, but we are going to see the different models.

MacBook Air

The MacBook Air has a weight of only 1.29 kilos and little news in general beyond the processor. The M1 comes with up to 16GB of RAM and 2TB of internal SSD storage.

The screen is 13.3 inches with Retina Display and a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels and 227 dpi. As for the keyboard, it has a backlit Magic Keyboard. In addition to Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, Bluetooth 5.0 and two Thunderbolt 3 ports.

• MacBook Air with M1 chip and 256 GB of internal storage for 1,129 euros.
• MacBook Air with M1 chip and 512 GB of internal storage for 1,399 euros.

MacBook Pro

This model was launched with a 13-inch Retina IPS screen and 2,560 by 1,600 pixel resolution and 20 hours of autonomy. The 8-core M1 processor is accompanied by 8 or 16 GB of RAM and a 256, 512 GB or 1 TB SSD that make the MacBook Pro an especially powerful model.

The computer has a new backlit Magic Keyboard and Touch Bar, which includes a fingerprint reader. In addition, it also has 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, a 720p FaceTime HD camera and three microphones with noise reduction, DisplayPort and HDMI outputs with 6K monitor support ... what more could you ask for?

• 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage - 1,449 euros
• 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1, 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage - 1,649 euros

Mac Mini

Finally we have the Mac Mini with M1 that multiplies by 3 the power of the previous model and arrives with a very small size, only 19.7 x19.7 x 3.6 cm, with a weight of 1.2 Kilos.

Mac Mini comes with 8GB RAM expandable to 16GB, SSD from 256GB to 2TB. The outputs are Thunderbolt, HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort with 6K monitor supports. In addition, it also has WiFi 6, and Bluetooth 5.0 and two Thunderbolt 4 ports, 2 USB A, Ethernet connection and headphone jack.

• Mac Mini with M1, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage - 799 euros
• Mac Mini with M1, 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage - 1029 euros

Other models in catalog

Apple currently maintains three more MacBook models in its catalog. They are the MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro (which was renewed a few months ago), and the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Before with Intel processors, now with Apple M1

A first fact that you should keep in mind is that previous MacBooks only used Intel Core i3, i5, i7 and i9 processors. They did not use AMD processors, but with the new generation they have given a significant steering wheel.

But now Apple has made the leap and, after much announcing them, the new MacBook integrate its Apple M1 processor. The same company announced it as the most powerful PC CPU with the least consumption in its category, but to assess it, it is enough to note some figures, such as the 5 nm technology and 16,000 million transistors that the processor has.

Of the 8 cores it has, 4 are high-performance, with a combined 12MB of L2 cache; the other 4 are 4 MB also combined L2 cache. Furthermore, the SoC has an 8-core GPU with 2.6 TFLOPS of graphics power.

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And what does all this mean for the user on a practical level? Above all, the latest benchmarks are showing that it is much more powerful than previous models, clearly outperforming any other Intel Mac. In addition, there is no compatibility problem, since all apps had to be rewritten to work with these new processors.

In short, the risky change to mean an important step forward.

Maybe you don't need more than 256GB

Unless you are a professional graphic designer or video editor, you really don't need an SSD larger than 256GB on a MacBook (on a PC, yes). If you run out of space you can always upload something to the cloud, or free up disk

Storage space on Macs is very expensive, and going from 256 to 512 GB of SSD will cost you 250 euros.

Best MacBook Air of 2020

Apple has updated the MacBook Air this week. And the news is important. Now there are models with Intel Core i7 processors, the Touchpad is bigger, the sound is twice as powerful, it has more storage ...

But the main improvement is in the keyboard. The previous butterfly keyboard has caused glitches and problems, and Apple has replaced it with the spectacular scissor keyboard of the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Not only are the keys now more reliable and comfortable to use, but some, like the directional arrows, have been redesigned to make them more comfortable.

Unless you find the previous 2018 model very cheap, the new 2020 version is worth buying.

Is the Touch Bar worth it?

The Touch Bar is Apple's latest great addition to notebooks. A small bar-shaped touch screen above the keyboard.

Shortcuts to the main apps are placed on this small touch screen, and their content changes depending on the program we are using.

For example, in a music player there may be a volume or song change bar, in a graphic editor tools to change the color palette or apply filters, and in a video game there may be the score, the achievements, or the current objective.

It is a very useful tool once you get used to it, and although not all applications use it, Apple's do. Even so, it is not mandatory that you buy a MacBook with a Touch Bar. All the functions that can be placed on this bar are duplicated in other keys, or in icons on the screen. It offers faster or more direct access, but there is nothing you cannot do without it. Decide based on your budget.

USB Type C only

The only connection port that MacBooks have is a Thunderbolt 3 with a USB Type C connector. Keep this in mind if you want to connect external drives, pen drives, printers or other peripherals. If they don't have a USB Type-C plug, you'll need to buy an adapter.

Something similar happens if you want to connect the MacBook to a monitor or television. The Thunderbolt 3 port has video output, but you will need a special cable or adapter to connect via USB TYPE C.

Doesn't like Android mobiles

Obviously, Apple gives priority to iPhone phones over Android. If you use Android, you can do some basic things like send files, but syncing with an iPhone is much deeper. You can share content from apps and use it as remote access, among other things.

If you have an iPad, you will take advantage of it

If you own an iPad, you can increase the functions of both devices. It is possible to use the iPad as a second screen for the MacBook, to view two windows at the same time, or to exchange photos or videos between both devices with one click.

It is very useful, for example, to draw with the Apple Pencil or your finger on the iPad, and see the results on the MacBook screen.

You can also send messages from iPad to Mac, sync data between apps, and much more.

The truth is that if you have an Apple device, the recommendation to buy a MacBook increases.

It is for professionals, but you will be able to play video games

Let's not fool ourselves. Except for the MacBook Air, the Pro models are, well, for professional users. You just need to look at the price. But they are capable of running virtually any Apple Arcade game, especially the 16-inch model, which has Radeon graphics chips.

MacBooks with state-of-the-art chips are getting better with the most powerful games, and most will work without a problem.

PC laptops just keep getting better

Buying a MacBook is an excellent option, but you should know that today there are Windows 10 laptops that have nothing to envy them, and in some respects they surpass them.

PCs like the new Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and T5, or the compact ThinkPad X13 and X3 Yoga boast AMD Ryzen 4000 or Intel Core vPro processors, Wi-Fi 6 and up to 32 GB of RAM, with 2 TB of hard disk.

Or the new Acer Travelmate focused on the professional environment. The HP Elite Dragonfly convertible with 5G connection. Or the Huawei MateBook D, among others.

If for some reason you cannot find the MacBook that suits you (and the price may be the main one), you will have enough alternatives on Windows PC, without losing practically anything.