Which to buy? 21.5 "Mac (2019), or 13" MacBook Pro (2020)?
Obviously, no one wins in this battle, because everyone is good in certain areas depending on what you may need to do your job and the budget you have.
Imagine that what you need is a portable computer that you can take from there to your destination, or a desktop computer with a larger screen and a wider number of different ports that allow you to work better at home.
Leaving aside the portability and portability category, the Mac offers a bit more money to pay, even if you have a revised model you will get more power than the cheapest MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar.
Now that the new 2020 MacBook Pro 13 has just been announced by Apple, performance in this range with the tenth generation of processors is increasing again. Let's take a look at where this machine is right for you, or whether you should choose an iMac.
Prices
Today, deciding to buy a Mac is not easy, because you will have to choose from a variety of different models with different screen sizes, configurations. hardware, different amounts of RAM and SSD storage, as well as customization settings.
The cheapest iMac configuration with a 21.5-inch screen part of the suggested price of € 1,305.59, with a dual-core processor. However, it is a model with an older processor and without the Retina 4K screen so it is not an option we recommend you buy. It is from 2017 and should not be in the catalog.
In addition, the last access to Apple's portfolio has been the MacBook Pro 13 2020 edition with a 10th generation processor, or else, Apple is keeping the entry-level model for sale with lower-level 8-processors.
This way, you can buy a 13 ”MacBook Pro (2020) with a 1.4 GHz Core i5 chip (8th gen.), 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage at a price of € 1,499 at the entry price, and now all models with the Touch Bar navigation touch bar.
The price of the entry-level iMac is 100% cheaper than the MacBook Pro laptop, which is not the most important difference in deciding on one or the other purchase.
If the MacBook Pro is too expensive for you, we suggest you take a look at the settings for the Mac Pro, starting at € 5,499 of the 27-inch display retina 5K and the 3.2 GHz Intel Xeon base eight.
Let's take a look various features offered by Apple's iMac range.
The 21.5-inch Macac
- The Intel Core i5 7-core 2.3 GHz dual-core, 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB of HD storage, full HD screen for € 1,305.59.
- 8th Gen Intel Core i3 3.6GHz Quad Core, 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB of HD, Retina 4K display, and Radeon Pro 555X graphics for € 1,499.
- 8th Gen Intel Core i5 Six or Eight Core at 3 GHz, 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB Fusion drive, 4K Retina display, and Radeon Pro 560X graphics for € 1,699.
The 27-inch Mac
- Intel Core i5 6 or 8 cores at 3 GHz, 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB Fusion Drive, Retina 5K display, and Radeon Pro 570X models for € 2,099.
- Intel Core i5 6 or 8 core 3.1 GHz, 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB Fusion Drive, Retina 5K display, and Radeon Pro 575X for € 2,299.
- 9th generation Intel Core i5 3.7 GHz, 8 GB of RAM, 2 TB Fusion Drive, Retina 5K display and Radeon Pro 580X for € 2,599.
2020 13-inch MacBook Pro
16-inch MacBook Pro
- Model with Touch Bar, a six-core Intel Core and the 9th generation at 2.6 GHz, 16 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD, and Radeon Pro 5300M graphics for € 2,699.
- Model with Touch Bar, a six-core Intel Core and the 9th generation at 2.3 GHz, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD, and Radeon Pro 5500M graphics for € 3,199.
Design
Frankly, in this particular comparison we don't care as much about design issues because both are great for a very successful finish as one would expect from a product type, both a Mac as a desktop model, and a MacBook Pro to take anywhere.
The most interesting question is why you will need a Mac. If you're only going to use it somewhere like home or office, your recommendation is clear with the iMac. If you want to go, the MacBook Pro is the obvious answer.
Think what you are going to do with your computer, because the screen size can also determine. Don't forget that you can always connect your MacBook Pro to monitor when working in desk top or desktop mode.
For its part, the Mac has a wide range of ports, such as its USB 3.0 and SDXC memory card. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, only has four USB C ports (all Thunderbolt 3), and a larger jackphone.
Specifications and Features
The equipment should also be selected based on the space you have in your job, either at the office or at home. Designers often go for the 27-inch Mac models for their gorgeous 5K display.
The tiny 21.5-inch iMac has 4K resolution without the cheapest model in the range that only supports Full HD, so it's a waste.
The MacBooks Pro now has a stunning retina display, and the smaller 13-inch model will be ideal for those who want to get some work done on the go.
All current models (both 13 and 16 inches) already come with a touch bag Touch the Bar. Tand come up with technology Original tone on the screen, which means you can automatically turn the screen around for a better viewing experience.
As you may have seen in the price section, there are many different configurations to choose from. It becomes more difficult as you pay attention to the processor, memory, storage and drawings, depending on the usage.
Generally, we would always avoid getting a model with a seventh-generation processor as much as possible, because we would reduce the life of the machines. If you can't stretch the budget, skip the MacBook Pro or Mac model with Core i9 or the latest 10th generation Intel Core.
Normally, these Macs come with 16 GB of RAM, but the iMacs have 2666 MHz memory modules, with the addition of which you can expand it up to 64 GB, which is twice the price offered by the 16-inch basic MacBook Pro .
Estimate whether it is possible to increase the amount of RAM to 16 GB if it turns out that you will do heavy work. The MacBook Pro has the advantage of having a standard SSD of at least 256 GB, a model that can download up to 4 TB.
Both types of iMac ports come with a standard 5,400-rpm hard drive, with Fusion Drive optional power, which we highly recommend.
Speaking of graphics, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is the best choice, as the 13-inch MacBook Pro relies on the power of the Intel & # 39; s Iris Plus 645 graphics. The 16-inch variants have the Radeon Pro 5300M or 5500M, subject to high image power.
Inside the iMac range, ignore the 2017 model as it comes with integrated graphics as standard. Skip to having graphics dedicated as the Radeon Pro 555X, it doesn't show much investment. With the 27-inch model, you can opt for the Radeon Pro Vega 48 with 8 GB of VRAM.
The decision
With all this great variety of different models, it is very difficult to compare the Mac with the MacBook Pro, especially without knowing the type and systems you will control.
As a general rule, you should avoid both types of entry levels with seventh- and eighth-generation processes, both on MacBook Pro and iMac, which have been on the market for a while.
Or upgrade to iMac with Fusion Drive And the more powerful Core i7 processor will save you more, so opt for this if you don't need something portable and small on budget. You will get more performance at the same price.
If you really need to be motivated, you should choose the MacBook Pro 13 for 2020. If you are ever faced with the task you are looking for, do not hesitate to rate your choice go for one 16-inch model with high quality Radeon Pro 5500M models his price starts from € 2,699.
To ask here is our article on what Mac to buy, and recommendations when buying a 21.5-inch Macac, or select the 27-inch Mac.
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