In reply to a post by jchamier:

But ARM Windows still isn't binary compatible with x86 cloud (even Containers).

No, but it can at least run some x86 apps via Microsoft x86-ARM translation tech, which is what a lot of people reaching for Windows when they have a Mac need.

In reply to a post by ian_c:

The other thing to bear in mind is the Pro goes extra TB4 ports and HDMI 2.1.

A usefukl general prinicple is to buy the best machine you can afford.

You, you, you

I just about made up my mind, and you come out with this

You are right, but it is a lot of money to spend if I decide I can't get on with Mac OS, If i spend that amount i would have to make myself get on with it.

I have the money I have saved up £1,338 in the account I set up for a computer update and I can grab some out of my other saving if need be.
But the basic pro is £1,399, that is a fair bit of money for a computer to be honest, more than I have ever spent on one.

In reply to a post by andynormancx:

No, but it can at least run some x86 apps via Microsoft x86-ARM translation tech, which is what a lot of people reaching for Windows when they have a Mac need.

Yep, and I've played with a Surface Pro 5G (Qualcomm CPU) and it is pretty good... not as fast as M1 with Rosetta, but Qualcomm are working on it

Used Mac hold their price pretty well, so you can always sell it if you don’t like it. But it’s like buying a guitar - buy the best that you can afford and you’re more likely to use it and using it will be a more pleasant experience.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

Used Mac hold their price pretty well, so you can always sell it if you don’t like it. But it’s like buying a guitar - buy the best that you can afford and you’re more likely to use it and using it will be a more pleasant experience.

I had a thought about it last night and this morning in bed and I am pretty sure I am going for the M2, but with 512GB of storage and 16GB of ram. I doubt I will go any higher monitor wise than I am, it is a good monitor for what I do with it, cost me enough at the time, I may add another one at some point and then this one can become the second one. It seems to be the best balance for use and price. I have looked at a load of videos and people seem to do video editing and stuff on even the basic one.

To buy it from Apple I need an Apple I.D, they got you before you started, Apple is the only way I can get the discount. I suppose it is like an account on other sites you buy from.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

To buy it from Apple I need an Apple I.D, they got you before you started, Apple is the only way I can get the discount. I suppose it is like an account on other sites you buy from.

You will need an Apple ID to set up MacOS anyway, and you will need it to update the free apps from the Mac App Store. (e.g. Pages/Keynote/Garageband etc).

You can use any email address (set up a new one perhaps?), and think of it the same as Amazon, or Argos or any other website you buy from online.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

You will need an Apple ID to set up MacOS anyway, and you will need it to update the free apps from the Mac App Store. (e.g. Pages/Keynote/Garageband etc).

You can use any email address (set up a new one perhaps?), and think of it the same as Amazon, or Argos or any other website you buy from online.

According to a friend, a Apple ID is not required to set up Mac Os and there are ways to get updates without an Apple ID, she does it on her Mac pro and have done for a few years. She does have an Apple ID for her mac book pro.

Anyway, I have now got a Apple ID,
one of the reasons I am going from windows is because of this pushing of an MS account.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

one of the reasons I am going from windows is because of this pushing of an MS account.

Ahh, my Mac's since 2010 have needed an Apple ID, so its actually newer on Windows than Mac.

Apple, Microsoft, Android, all recommend a cloud login. You can set up Win11 Pro without (Home is a pain) and many corporates use Win11 without cloud login.

The reason for the login is for those whom aren't confident about computers to offer services such as auto backup (iCloud Drive, OneDrive) and more secure login (e.g. via Windows Hello) than basic passwords. Soon everyone will use passkeys.

You can update the OS without an Apple ID but, as far as I know, there is no way to update applications (or install new ones from the App Store) without an ID. Mac OS is far more restrictive in this respect than Windows.

To my mind you lose a huge amount of functionality in either Mac OS or Windows if you don’t have one of their accounts.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

You can update the OS without an Apple ID but, as far as I know, there is no way to update applications (or install new ones from the App Store) without an ID. Mac OS is far more restrictive in this respect than Windows.

This is what we find in corporate, if end users don't set up an Apple ID they get the out-of-the-box free apps (Page/Keynote/Garageband etc) but they don't get the security patches and functionality updates, neither can users download free utilities such as the MS remote desktop app or other tools.