Apple’s goal with iOS 15 was to help Apple users stay connected, find more focus, use intelligence, and explore the world. With iOS 15, Apple has gone above and beyond with more streamlined features to make using your iOS products more enjoyable than ever before.

While a few of these features (check out the new and greatly improved FaceTime features specifically) are long overdue, I am still happy they’ve been released in 2021 and excited to use them, even if I do think Apple should have released them long, long ago.

Stay connected

FaceTime

Apple calls the new FaceTime, “more natural, comfortable, and lifelike,” with spatial audio to make calls feel more realistic, as if your friends or family were right next to you. FaceTime with iOS 15 includes wide-spectrum sound as well as the following features:

• Grid view- See people in the “same size tiles.”
• Portrait mode- Blurs the background and “puts the focus on you!”
• Invite links- Send a FaceTime link, make an event to add to your calendar, and include your friends who have Windows or Android products.
• SharePlay- Listen to music together, watch movies and tv shows together, share your screen with your friends, or present applications. Because iPhones allow you to have multiple apps open at once and while on a call, this feature seems easy and convenient, but long overdue. Apps like Google Meets and Zoom have been doing this forever. Of course, if you have tons of Apple products, this feature is great and more convenient than competitors since it coordinates with Apple apps. Some participating apps include HBO Max, Hulu, Disney Plus, TikTok, and more.

Messages

• Photo Stacks and Collages- Send photo Stacks, Collages, and even react to your friend’s collages or stacks. All of this and more are available with iOS 15.
• Shared With You- Organizes and catalogs recently shared articles, playlists, photo stacks, etc. What’s great about this feature is that it directs you to the apps they reference. So, for example, if a friend shares a photo collage with you in messages, the collage will appear in your Photos application. If they share a news article, you can find it in the News app.

Find focus

Working remotely is hard. Those of you who weren’t remote before the pandemic, unfortunately, learned just how challenging it can be along with dealing with a pandemic. Apple had this in mind with iOS 15, intending to help work/life balance and help iOS users “be in the moment.”

• Notification Summary- This can be delivered when it is convenient for you, scheduled for a specific time of day. Don’t worry, you can still use DND and see your friend’s messages. Now, when in DND mode, there is a status update at the bottom of the Messages app. This lets your friends know you are busy and won’t receive their message right away.
• Focus- Can choose to be notified by only certain people, for example, allow work emails in while keeping personal messages out. You can even focus based on function (like if you are working out).

Use intelligence

• Live Text- Point Camera at a whiteboard, tap the live text button, and your iPhone will turn that written text into text on your iPhone. You can even use it to look up info and get more information. It’s so intuitive that it can even recognize pictures of phone numbers so you can click and call directly from the Photo app. You can even find out more about books, flora, and an animal’s breeds this way (see a cute dog you just must have and want to know the breed?). Spotlight can even use this feature to make photos easy to find. It works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
• Spotlight- Not only can Spotlight use live text, but if you were to search for a friend, it will give you an in-depth list of information like never seen on iOS. Get their contact information, shared pictures, message threads, and more in Spotlight on iOS.
• Photos Memories- In the “for you” section, see animated title cards with relevant songs that bring the “memories to life” and are more “interactive.” You can pause by pressing and holding it anywhere on the screen. You can swipe to review a specific photo. You can even make changes by changing the “intelligent” music suggestion, filters, and more. -Wallet- Apple states their goal is to “replace your physical wallet.” With iOS 15, add Disney Park Passes, Keys (Keys came out originally with iOS 14), and more. Now, keys can include your home key, work key (corporate badge), hotel keys (Hyatt Hotels for example), and now IDs. This Fall you will even be able to scan your driver’s license to be added to Wallet. To take it one further, TSA is even working on accommodating this feature).

Discover more

Weather app

• The weather app background will be more relevant to current weather conditions, including more accurate “sun direction, clouds, and precipitation”.
• Also added are indexes so you can get more information about those weather conditions.

Maps app

• New Map is now being released to new countries: Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Australia.
• Apple built an interactive globe to view and navigate to new areas. Maps will offer more details including elevation, road colors and details, labels, buildings, landmarks, and even nighttime mode. For me, this means not passing, since landmarks will be included and I tend to be better at recognizing landmarks more than road names.
• You can pin your favorite transit routes.
• The Map app can even scan the buildings in your area to help you find your way to your destination. Totally 3D and awesome. Even better, they plan to continue taking this further in future iOS versions. Yay!

AirPods

• Conversation Boost- This feature can help you to focus on the person in front of you when chatting. You can also reduce ambient noise. This is meant to assist with minor hearing impairments or in noise-polluted areas.
• Announce Notifications- Siri will be able to “read important, time-sensitive notifications” to you via AirPods and pair this with your Stay Focused feature if you have DND turned on, etc. Siri can even read you your grocery list while shopping. Definitely using this one!
• Find My- With AirPods Find My now has a better proximity view, separation alerts, etc., much like Find My functions with Apple AirTags. They even use the same secure Bluetooth method that AirTags do in Find My. I guess Apple saw how well these features worked with AirTags and decided to apply them to AirPods.
• Spatial audio- Spatial Audio will now be available on tvOS when using AirPods or AirPods Max. It will also be used on Apple Music with Dolby Atmos, available today (June, 7th 2021)!

Extras

• Memoji- New outfit options! Hello, better dressed Memoji me!
• Safari- Voice search!

Apple announced iPadOS 15 stating their goal is to make iPadOS “even more capable and more intuitive” for Apple users. Truth is, what we really wanted was a multiuser function for iPad, so that every member in our family can use the same iPad with their own data and preferences. While we didn’t get that, I’d say some of the features were still pretty cool. Is it more capable and intuitive? You be the judge and let us know in the comments below!

iPadOS 15 features

• Widgets- With iOS 15, you can “place widgets among the apps on your home screen.” Bring up the widget gallery and add new widgets (the Find My app, for example). The “new larger format” (large-sized widgets) have been adjusted to iPadOS due to the iPad’s bigger display (versus an iPhone’s smaller display).
• App library- Now on iPad is the app library! Access to the app library is on the iPad dock with iPadOS 15. You can now hide pages, like on iOS, and reorganize them.
• Multitasking- A new “easy to use” control is available with iPadOS 15. Tap at the top of your app to bring to view the multitasking menu and enable split view (then open the other app and it will go to split view). Swipe to chose a new app, press, and hold an app to open it in the forefront without closing other apps. Tap to quickly switch apps in the app switcher (you can create a split view here also). Apple’s goal with better multitasking goals is to “be more productive and do even more.”
• Notes- Mention someone in a shared note to send them a notification. Activity view- see activity in a shared note while you were away. View tags to find a specific note. Quicknote- This feature is supposed to let you “capture information anywhere.” You simply swipe from the lower right-hand corner to make a quick note like a phone number. When done, swipe back to the same corner to close it. You can do all of this in the forefront without closing the currently open apps. Swipe through quick notes to view the most recent Quick Notes.

Translate

With iPadOS 15, you can now translate on iPad.

• Write- You can even practice handwriting in the new language you are learning! I will be using this one for sure! Languages are hard work.
• Auto translate- iPadOS 15 detects when you are speaking and in what language.
• System-Wide translations- Translate anywhere and on any product. Totally fluid from product to product.
• Live text- Translate text in a photo to help make learning that language even easier.

Swift

• Swift Playgrounds- Learn to code! Build apps on iPad! Code can be immediately reflected in the live preview of your app. This one is huge for developers who are new at starting out or currently in college.

We all know Privacy is a big deal with Apple. It’s something they continuously talk about each and every WWDC. Sometimes, they are concerned about privacy to a fault, making processes like account recovery harder than any password reset should ever be.

Luckily, Apple has made some much-needed improvements to, as they say, “keep your personal data under your control.” Check it out!

Prevent tracking

Mail

Marketing emails use invisible pixels to track information about your mail activity. Apple gently reminded all of us at the WWDC21, that we are being tracked without our knowledge or permission. Their goal is to give you “transparency and control over your information” with these new features:

• Mail privacy protection- Hide your IP addresses, locations, etc. that may be collected and tracked by the senders. Also prevents the sender from knowing if you have or haven’t read the email.

Safari

• Intelligent tracking prevention- Hides your IP address and helps prevent cross-site tracking. This way, sites cannot learn your location or profile you.

App Privacy Report

You can see what apps have accessed your information, when they are accessing what information (last seven days), and who your data may be shared with on 3rd party domains.

• On-device speech recognition- Prevents unwanted audio recordings and ensures that your audio recordings aren’t leaving your device. More exciting than that, on-device processing means doing things more quickly without overloading Siri. Superfast and I can’t wait.

iCloud

New Account Recovery method

This is probably the biggest announcement of the WWDC21 guys, don’t miss it:

• Recover contact list- Create a list of trusted family or friends that you can add as recovery contacts. By adding someone to a recovery contact list, they can get a code during the Account Recovery process, making the account recovery process easier and less time-consuming. This is a huge announcement that will help people avoid long waits with Account Recovery.
• Digital legacy- You can add legacy contacts so that, if you pass, information can be quickly passed along to loved ones without violating your privacy rights. This is intended to make the process much easier and faster for your loved ones after you leave them.

iCloud+

Upgrade from iCloud to “protect your privacy online” and still maintain your storage pan with iCloud.

• Private Relay-Since sites can use your activity to create a “detailed profile about you”, Apple made this feature. Browse with Safari using encryption. “No one, including Apple” can see your information.
• Hide my email- create a unique email, that forwards to your real email. This allows you to avoid having to share your email. You can delete these pseudo-emails at any time.
• HomeKit Secure Video- Connect more cameras than ever with the Home app without it counting against your iCloud storage.

Best part? The same prices that are currently offered with iCloud+ that have been offered with previous iCloud storage plans.

Extras

Siri

• Diverse Siri options- A ton of great new features (new, diverse voices that are more realistic).

Apple states they have thought of “ingenious ways to push things forward” with iOS 15, iPadOS 15, the new watchOS, and the new macOs. Check out the new Health highlights below:

The Corrie App

Medical jargon can be confusing, so The Corrie App is meant to demystify and inform patients with heart problems. It’s said to have “reduced hospital readmissions by 52%.”

Health changes

To better monitor your health, Apple created a few new Health app features.

Mobility

• Walking steadiness- Built-in motion sensors measure how fast and steady you are when walking. They can measure stability and determine if you are at increased risk of falling. This is great for those with medical concerns.

Labs

• “Detailed descriptions to help you better understand your lab data” are now available so that patients can see if they are within their “expected ranges.”
• Now, certain labs will be described and detailed in ways they weren’t before.

Trends

Get insight in long-term changes (sleep, glucose, etc).

• Trends are great for celebrating things like daily step increases or other health-related goals.

Share health data

• Share with providers- Health data can be shared with your health care provider. Including data like heart data within the health app. According to Apple, “No one else, including apple, will see this information.” You share only the data you want to share and chose to share.
• Health Sharing- Apple wants to “empower you to care for others” with Health Sharing. Sharing relationships are there so that you can view data like heart rate, activity, and recent labs. You can share whatever data you select, and do not have to share all data. You chose who sees this data and who you share it with.

watchOS 8 is really all about health this year (2021). With new apps for working out and being mindful, no doubt Apple Watch users will be more active and fit than ever. Apple also made messages easier to use, which, let’s face it, we’ve all been needing since the first Apple Watch came out!

Health

• Mindfulness- Breathe App has been enhanced to include a cool animation for during meditation. Reflect also provides meditations and affirmation prompts.
• Track respiratory rate- Changes indicate shifts in wellness, so seeing this trend will help notice possible respiratory issues.

Workouts

• Ti Chi workout- “Meditation in motion.” Try new Ti Chi workouts!
• Pilates workout- Try new Pilates workouts!
• Apple Fitness Plus- introducing a new workout series (seven total workouts) with Janet Jenkins.
• New artist spotlight series- Each workout comes with a playlist with featured artists.

Photos

• Faces- “Photos face is the most popular” according to Apple. A new portrait watch face basically puts the face at the forefront.
• Photos app- The Photos app has been redesigned to show favorites, featured photos, and memories.

Messages

• View- Dictate, scribble, and add emojis within the same view. Way easier than before!
• Share icon- New share icon in the Photos app to share with friends and family.
• Gifs- You can now share GIFs on Apple watch.

Apple TV

• SharePlay with Apple TV- Use SharePlay with Apple TV “seamlessly.”
• Apple TV app- Apple TV now has a “shared with you” row.
• For all of you- Make it easier to see what is best to watch for all your family in the “for all of you” row.
• HomePod Mini- crystal clear audio for everything you watch.

HomePod

• HomePods mini will now be available in new countries and regions within the month (June 2021): Austria, Ireland, New Zealand, and later in the year, Italy.
• Voice recognition- Now HomePod will come with voice recognition for each family member, allowing everyone in the home to use it efficiently.

Home and Matter

• Siri- Siri can be added, for the first time, to more third-party smart home accessories.
• Home Keys- Tap iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock the door
• Starting this fall, ask Siri to watch a recent episode of your favorite TV show or your favorite movie.
• Matter- You can control HomeKit accessories with the Home app and on Apple Watch with watchOS 8.
• Doorbell- Homekit enabled doorbell that can be accessed on Apple Watch.
• Package detection- know when the package you’ve been waiting on has arrived at your door.
• Multiple cameras- Display multiple cameras at the same time.

macOS Monterey is “focused on helping you do even more” work “fluidly across all devices” by way of continuity and consideration of your iOS and iPadOS products. Along with all the changes made in iOS and iPadOS, macOS Monterey will include the following:

• Facetime changes as shown above with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.
• SharePlay addition as shown above with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.
• Shared With You as shown above with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.
• Focus and Quick Note as shown above with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.

Continuity

Universal Control

• Use a single mac and keyboard to move from Mac to iPad and back to Mac again. Talk about continuity!
• This feature even works with the built-in trackpad on your MacBooks!
• It’s very similar to having an external display (or multiple).
• You can even drag and drop data this way!? Best continuity feature I have seen to date.

AirPlay

• Watch a movie or share a presentation. AirPlay to Mac. “Play present and share just about anything” with macOS Monterey and AirPlay.

Shortcuts

“Get more done. Faster” with Shortcuts on mac.

• Gallery of prebuilt shortcuts. Do more with less clicking around. Use Siri so you don’t have to click at all. Also, macOS users are still able to use Automator in conjunction with Shortcuts.

Safari

• Browser- The browser has been reorganized and designed.
• Tab groups- Tab groups have been added to save tabs such as recipes, shopping, etc.
• Tab bar- Apple’s new “Streamlined tab bar” is pretty fancy. Tab Groups are part of continuity that can be seen and used across devices.
• iOS tab bar- On iOS, tap to access the tab bar at the bottom of your display.
• Extensions- added to iOS and iPadOS for fluidity per the continuity model.

Apple is going to take a deep dive into developer tech later on in the WWDC21, but, lucky for us, they also gave us a little sneak peek. Check it out below and let us know what you think in the comments!

API

• SharePlay- Making it possible to build shared experiences for iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS.
• System-level enhancements- Voice isolation, portrait mode, etc. that are used for video conferencing apps (FaceTime for example).
• New extra large widget sizes offered with iPadOS.
• New advanced rendering APIs in reality kit.

Object Capture

• Object Capture- New API to turn 2D objects into 3d in a fraction of the time. Take photos of an object with iOS or iPadOS and import them into Cinema 4D to create a 3D model of that item.
• Selling products- Able to use object capture to create a VR version of their products so customers can try out products in their homes.
• AR experiences are available to all developers with MacOS Monterey.

Swift

• Concurrency- This is one of the “most requested features” by developers. Allows you to write code that does work in Parallel. Simplified coding!

More will be shared this week at the WWDC21 about this exciting new feature!

App Store features

• App product page- Create multiple and custom product pages. Try different app icons, videos, etc. to create more ways to present your app in the App Store.
• In-App events- See events in the app store for the first time! They can be viewed on the app’s product page. Consumers can discover apps with personalized recommendations.
• Xcode Cloud- Xcode Cloud can build the app after code is created, freeing up your mac for other activities. Test results are displayed in code to easily fix mistakes. Xcode Cloud can auto-distribute to testers. Apple claims this is the “quickest, easiest way” to code and create apps. Also, Xcode Cloud will make it easier to distribute beta apps with app products and across all platforms.

Dates

Xcode Cloud

• All developers have access next year!
• Limited beta is available today (June 7th, 2021)!
• Pricing will be announced in Fall 2021.

iOS, iPad OS, watchOS, and macOS releases

• Developer betas- Today (June 7th, 2021)!
• Public beta- July 2021 release.
• Public release- Fall 2021.

Check out the Apple Keynote at the WWDC21 here:

So, this one is pretty self-explanatory. Before delving into the tech-specs, you have to set a realistic budget for yourself. When buying tech, it’s easy to want to splurge, but you may not have to. Macs are expensive. Buying the top of the line Mac is even more expensive.

What to consider: Budgeting and costs

• Do you know how much a Mac costs?

Before you can move forward, familiarize yourself with the cost of a Mac. While a Mac Mini can be as low as $699 (USD), a Mac Pro tower can be well over $5,999 (USD). Now, it’s not likely you will be getting a Mac Pro, or that you will need one if you are using this guide, but knowing the range can be helpful. If you want to get a better idea of pricing or have never looked at Apple’s Mac pricing, head to apple.com/mac and take a peek at the costs of a few of their Macs. This should give you a general idea.

• What is your max budget? What is the line you cannot afford to go over?

Having boundaries is important. By knowing this number, you can stop yourself from walking into the store and walking out with a Mac you can’t afford or didn’t want in the first place.

• Is your budget flexible?

Do you have specific needs for your Mac? Maybe, you need a lot of storage, if so this will impact the overall cost of your Mac, so keep in mind that if you have specific tech specs you are looking for, your budget needs to be realistic enough to fit them. However, maybe the tech specs you have in mind aren’t necessary for your needs (I will get into this more later).

Now, you should have a number in mind. Write it down or keep it cataloged in your mind. We will come back to this number later.

Where do you work? Do you move from room to room to switch things up as you complete a day’s work? Do you like to be at your desk with a cup of coffee? Do you prefer to go to a local coffee shop? What is your process like?

When considering what kind of Mac to buy, this is extremely important. Getting the right Mac means considering how you will be using it and what kind of flexibility you need the product to have.

What to consider: Choosing between desktops and laptops

• Do you like to move from room to room? Work from bed or on the go?

If so, do not limit yourself by getting a desktop. It is not practical to move an iMac. Even with a Mac Mini, you should not be unplugging and replugging in a Mac Mini constantly (this resets your Mac Mini’s SMC). While it’s not completely detrimental, you shouldn’t be resetting your SMC unnecessarily. So, I wouldn’t recommend a Mac Mini as an option for portability or moving from room to room.

This means getting a Macbook is your best option. Now, you can look into the specs and costs of Macbooks to make an educated decision.

• Do you like to go to public locations like coffee shops?

Again, the best option here would be to choose a Macbook. Now, you can look into the specs and costs of Macbooks to make an educated decision.

• Do you like to work at a desk or have a dedicated work space?

If you prefer to work at a desk, and you have no plans on moving to different locations to work, then go for a desktop. This could mean an iMac, Mac Pro, or Mac Mini. Now, you can look a little deeper into tech specs and costs to make the best decision.

In my experience, storage is one of the most overlooked, and one of the most important, factors considered when buying a new computer. It isn’t uncommon for people to get home, get started with Migration Assistant, and not be able to transfer over their data because their new computer is lacking the necessary storage. Before moving forward, take the following steps to ensure you have plenty of storage for a long time to come.

What to consider: Your storage needs

• How much storage does your current computer have and how much have you used up thus far?

If you have a 256 GB computer, and you are reaching 250 GB of that, you need to consider sizing up. Over time, you are only going to accumulate more and more data. If you have a 256 GB computer and are nowhere near the max of that, you may be okay moving forward with another 256 GB computer.

• What will you be using the new computer for and what space do you need going forward?

If you will be using your computer for new purposes like video creation, graphic design, etc., and you didn’t use your previous computer for these same purposes, keep in mind you will be taking up more storage than you have in recent years. This is where sizing up may be necessary.

This method takes into consideration past and future use. How did I use my computer in terms of storage yesterday, and how will I be using that storage moving forward? Think of it like moving into a new house. If your family grows, you might need more room than you had in the previous home, right? How much space do you need going forward?

• How much storage should a Mac use of the allotted storage available?

A Mac should never be full to the brim with data. No tech product should ever be full to the brim with data. There is a golden rule with iPhone storage, and there’s one with Macs as well. Considering how much space is needed for a Mac to function, to be able to save data going forward, and to be able to do future updates, I would say a good rule of thumb is having about 20 GB of free space on your Mac at all times. If an upgrade comes out tomorrow, you don’t have to worry about clearing space. You can continue to save data, and you shouldn’t have to worry about your computer randomly shutting down or crashing due to storage-related problems.

Also, when you buy a Mac, part of the storage used is for the system. So, say the system takes up 13 GB on your 256 GB Macbook Air. That means you have 243 GB of free, usable storage. This system storage does stack, so consider that system storage does increase as you upgrade, etc.

Every Mac user has their Mac for different reasons. Maybe you like to use your Mac for school or work. Maybe you use it mainly to browse the internet, do some online retail therapy, or maybe you are a graphic designer. Whatever the case, these are things you need to consider when purchasing a new Mac. What might be the best for one person, might not meet your needs. What might be necessary for them, might be unnecessary and lavish for your everyday use. Before making your final decision, consider the following factors.

What to consider: Personal usage

Basic use

Are you someone who will mainly be using your mac for internet browsing, document creation, and other basic uses?

If this is the case, you do not need the top-of-the-line Mac currently on the market. If you want it and can afford it, go for it, but it isn’t necessary. Save that money for another expense unless you really just want the best-of-the-best and have the need to splurge.

In this case consider the “bottom-of-the-line” (it’s still a Mac, so you can’t go wrong for basic use), because you don’t need anything fancy! Here’s what I suggest:

1. Macbook Air (13-inch) with 256 GB of storage or more (depending on personal storage use). Super affordable, these laptops are sure to be perfect for basic use.
2. iMac (24-inch) with 256 GB of storage or more (depending on personal storage use). You really can’t go wrong here. If you need a bigger display for vision or accessibility purposes, go for the 27-inch iMac with 512 GB or storage or more.
3. Mac Mini with 256 GB of storage or more (depending on personal storage use). With the Mac Mini, you do not get a monitor, so buying and choosing a monitor is another, separate hurdle with this Mac. However, Mac Minis are extremely affordable.

Mid-range use

Are you a student, work from home on your computer, or will be using your computer fairly diligently? Maybe you do some gaming?

If you are using it for gaming, document creation, the internet, some photo editing, and maybe more complex but not super techy uses, then consider going for a mid-range, more powerful Mac.

1. Macbook Pro (13-inch) with 256 GB of storage or more (depending on personal storage use). This is a great machine. If you need a bigger display for vision or accessibility purposes, consider going for the 16-inch Macbook Pro with 512 GB of storage or more instead.
2. iMac (24-inch) with 256 GB of storage or more. Shoot for the mid-range option with an 8-Core GPU. If you need a bigger display for vision or accessibility purposes, go for the 27-inch iMac with 512 GB or storage or more. If you game, consider adding additional RAM and choose the 16 GB RAM option before checking out if you are using Apple’s website (you add it as an upgrade of this tech spec). The basic model comes with 8 GB, but I would recommend the 16 GB of RAM.
3. Mac Mini with 256 GB of storage or more (depending on personal storage use) and add on the additional RAM by choosing the 16 GB RAM option before checkout if you are using Apple’s website (you add it as an upgrade of this tech spec). Of course, this means purchasing a monitor separately, which is another job, but it’s still a great and affordable option.

Note: some gaming or heavy-handed gaming might mean going for a Mac meant for more techy use. Not all gaming is the same. Not all games will run as well on a mid-range model as it will on a top-of-the-line Mac.

Techy use

Do you do graphic design, movie creation, web design, heavy-handed gaming, or any other more tech-heavy projects or work?

If you work in tech, I would scale up and get a mac that can handle what you will be using it for. Getting the bottom of the line Mac won’t be the best decision for you. While all Macs are great machines, they aren’t all meant for tech-heavy usage.

In this case, consider a Mac with more RAM (random-access memory), a more powerful processor, a GPU that can handle whatever fun, techy stuff you’re doing, and more storage. I would recommend one of the following:

1. Macbook Pro (16-inch) with 512GB storage or more (depending on personal storage use). Shooting for the 16-inch will help you work more seamlessly, having more RAM is crucial, and having more storage is a must). Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
2. iMac (27-inch) with 512GB storage or more (depending on personal storage use). I would recommend upgrading your RAM to 16 GB instead of the 8 GB given with the standard model 27-inch iMac if you are using Apple’s website (you add it as an upgrade of this tech spec).
3. Mac Pro. These are very expensive, but amazing machines. If you are considering buying this, you are probably someone who does not need this guide.

After you have set your budget, factored in how you will use your Mac, considered your storage needs, and factored in what tech specs your Mac needs based on how you use it, the rest is really simple. It’s like an equation you have to add up. Above, I gave recommendations based on how you use your Mac (basic use, mid-range use, and techy use).

Now, ask yourself, which of the suggestions depending on your use meet both your budget, portability, and storage needs, and there’s your best option!

For example, if you are someone who will be using your Mac for basic programs, like portability, and need a decent amount of storage for pictures (maybe your previous computer was 512 GB and you never got close to that limit but want to maintain that amount), you might want to go with a Macbook Air (13-inch) with 512 GB of storage.

See how I considered the portability, storage needs, and level of usage needed?

Now that you get the basics on how to purchase the right Mac for you, here are a few tips and tricks to make the process super simple:

• Make sure you are buying the most recent models possible. This ensures the longevity of your product.
• Apple has a comparison option on their website. There you can compare different Macs tech specs. To try it out, go to apple.com/mac/compare.
• Only splurge if you can. Don’t feel pressured to go over your budget to get the “coolest” gadget Apple has. Macs are expensive. All Macs might not all be created equal in terms of what the user will need, but they are all good computers.
• Don’t you dare forget about storage. Trust me. It’s really important.
• Consider any accessibility needs. If you need a bigger display, go for the model you want but with a larger display. This may mean you are spending more, and consequently getting better, bigger tech specs, but at least you will have your needs met.
• Don’t go into the store without doing research first. You may walk out with a machine you got excited about, but that doesn’t meet your needs or that was beyond your initial budget.
• Consider refurbished Macs. If you have a tight budget, consider a refurbished Mac, but make sure to get it from an Apple authorized reseller. Also, consider you may not be able to buy Apple Care or have the average 1-year limited warranty that comes with most products.
• Never buy from a place like Marketplace or other unauthorized resellers that don’t have return policies that protect you (unless you are ready to take a risk). It is common for stolen devices to be sold this way. Often these Macs are locked by Activation Lock, don’t turn on, or are faulty. If that reseller has their own return policy and you have proof the product is unlocked and works, go for it, but I would still be mindful of the risks you take here. You may not have any kind of warranty to protect yourself.
• Don’t buy an expensive product and not get insurance. A limited warranty does not cover liquid damage or cracked screens. Buy the extra protection now to protect yourself later.
• All tech reaches a time when it cannot upgrade, update, or plateaus (becomes vintage or obsolete). This is unavoidable. It is impossible to predict the life of any computer, but being able to use your Mac for the next five years (minimum) to the next ten years (maximum) should be expected. I have seen people with 12-year-old Macs. If they still work, great, but just keep in mind this may not happen for your Mac. It’s all about how you use it and what you use it for.
• Are you a student? Check out Apple’s educational shop. They have discounts for you!