How and why I gave up the MacBook Pro... for the iMac 27"
Published: 2020-01-06 21:20:34

This started as a comment to this article, but it ended up being way too long. To recap, @dzello is happy with his new MacBook Pro 16" because, while expansive, it may be worth investing in it because of high end specs, a better keyboard, ... Read the whole thing here:

{% link https://dev.to/dzello/my-first-week-with-the-new-16-macbook-pro-4h5e %}

I was a big fan of the MacBook Pro, but the last one I got died in November last year. Because of money constraints I had in November, I looked at all the available options, and ended up giving up the MacBook Pro.

In the end, I chose to switch to something both very similar and quite different to the MacBook Pro: 


**Apple iMac (27-inch, 2017)**



## Operating System

I was considering switching to Linux or Windows, because those have improved a lot while Mac OS has stagnated in the recent years as far as my needs are concerned. 

But I stayed to the same operating system, and I'm happy that's it's the case because I'm not distracted by the tentation to play with all the new toys available. 

## CPU, Trackpad, Speakers

They are good, as in the case of the MacBook Pro 16"

I bought  the Apple Magic Trackpad 2  for 130€

## Storage

1TB SSD

I don't think I would need more, but you can find [good affordable external hard drives](https://www.creativebloq.com/features/best-external-hard-drives-and-ssds-for-mac-and-pc)

## Display

The 5k display is splendid.

The big upgrade compared to the MacBook:

My screen is 27" instead of 16"

## Keyboard

Something like the stiff butterfly switch keyboard will never be a problem with an iMac. You just buy another keyboard. Done. 

In fact I have bought a keyboard that is much better than the one from the macbook => http://typematrix.com/ 

## RAM 

RAM is a big issue because I do Android Development

I upgraded to 24GB for 90€. 

## Cost

Total cost was around 2.000€

I bought additional insurance, because like this is something I need to do my work. 

Initially I wanted to buy it from Apple directly. But I wanted to have a credit on two years, because why would I buy cash something I would use for at least two years? 

I gave up buying from Apple because they have 6% interest rates. I went to a local shop in Berlin, who offered me a two years credit for 0%. 

This was surprising. I understand why people buy better computers from Apple for a premium price, but what is the reasoning for thinking that credits from Apple are better?

## Lack of mobility is great

Ok, this was the most surprising thing of my two months with the iMac .

Obviously a big difference between the MacBook and the iMac is that the second is not mobile.

I have embraced this constraint. I now actually prefer that my main programming station is **not** available everywhere everytime.

Why?

*It gives me more structure.*

There is a time and a place for me to do programming.

When I'm in this place, I have things I often didn't have when I was programming outside.

Like a good chair. Like good luminosity. Despite all those Medium articles, programming in a beach is in fact stupid.

When I'm not in this place, then I'm happy to do something else than programming. 

## What? How do I even live without a MacBook?

I have a few strategies:

- When I need internet like for a meeting, I use a simple iPad or a Chromebook. I don't actually need to have a programming workstation. 
- When I am in a café and need to write, answer emails, do project management, I use a Chromebook or an iPad, I don't actually need to have a programming workstation.
- When I am at a meetup, I prefer talking to people, I don't actually need to have a programming workstation.
- When I meet people, I listen to them and take notes on a chinese technology called "Paper". 

Note: you may have read me saying that you **can** do programming on a Chromebook. 

{% link https://dev.to/jmfayard/coding-on-a-chromebook-4pmp %}

Yes, I *could* do it. *But should I?*. I embraced the constraint to not program anytime from everywhere, so I usually don't. I just use Visual Studio Code and the command-line tools of my static website generator. So writing yes, programming no.

## Is this for everyone?

No, nothing is for everyone.

The issue right now is more than everybody thinks that the MacBook Pro is for everybody. That very much included myself until not so long.

I would challenge that assumption. 

After having switched to the iMac, I am not looking back.