Mac vs. Windows.
 

My Telikin seems to be on its last legs. I have been thinking about going to a Mac computer rather than the various windows computers I have had or used over the past 25 years.

Any advice on what kind of Mac would be a good choice?

The Telikins are good but I would like a change.

Desktop or laptop?

Desktop. I have a tablet that works well as a laptop of sorts.

I've got a Mac Mini and it's been great. I've only had it about a year. I replaced my iMac that was from 2011 and still runs fine. It just wasn't upgradeable.

I purchased a Mac Mini and the 27" Mac Studio monitor a couple months ago but you can use any other monitor that has a HDMi connection. Since you are wanting a desktop, I'd go this way. You will also want to get a keyboard and mouse. I'd recommend the extended keyboard that has numeric keys on the right side if you do a lot of number entries. iMacs are good too but I hate to keep buying a computer and a monitor. The Mac Studio is pricey but it is a great monitor. My next upgrade in 10 years will not include a monitor. Macs can no longer be user upgraded. RAM and SSD's are soldered to the mother board so I made sure to get the RAM and SSD space that would last me for the next 10 years (32GB and 1TB). Yes, they do last that long and longer. It's just that the OS gets to a point that it can't be upgraded to the latest version but Apple continues to support the last OS for at least 3 years. My Mac mini replaced a 10 year old 27" iMac. Didn't have an issue with it - just getting close to no longer having security updates to the OS. My wife has a 2017 21" iMac. She will not be able to upgrade to Sonoma OS but she will get security updates for 3 more years. Then she will make the switch to a mac mini and a studio monitor.

BTW, I used to program PC's at work but have had Macs at home since 1986. Macs just always seem to work.

Depends on what you're going to do with. I'm at least my 20th Mac and it's a PowerBook Pro. This is the last one I'll buy. When this is done, I'll buy an iPad & Magic Keyboard. That will do most anything you might want to do and runs a simpler system (iOS).

if you're just doing occasional web surfing, shopping & email, I'd give consideration to an iPad. I also wouldn't worry about SSD space. Hardly anyone depends on Hard Drives any longer, everything is remote (Cloud) storage

Macs are good for viewing not good for creating. Windows all the way. Let the hate mail fly.

I use a Mac Mini PC and an IPad. Prefer both the operating system and security over Windows. It’s a matter of personal preference.

Wife is a mac from the get go

Husband (me) was Mac from 1982, but converted to Windows in 1991 and haven't looked back.

YMMV

Mac’s overall fantastic only setback has no touch screen yet.
I use Apache OpenOffice for MacOS X “ OpenOffice for Mac is a multi-platform and multilingual office suite that is compatible with all other major office suites (meaning it will open and edit Word, Powerpoint documents etc) and best of all it’s absolutely FREE to use.
I also have a ASUS Windows 11 but prefer using my Mac and IPad.

Thanks. Lots of good information!

You can't go wrong with either the iMac or a Mac Mini. I have both.

I love the look of the iMac, but (I have one at home) but when I replaced a Windows machine at my office, I went with a Mac Mini and I re-used the monitor, keyboard and mouse I already had. Both work fine.

Don't go crazy with memory and whatnot. The basic iMac will most likely serve all of your needs...

(Mac guy since 1989...)

Windows if like being hacked.

As a software developer of 25+ years and video editor, I completely disagree. A large majority of professional software/app development, website development, music production and graphic design is now done on Macs these days.

If your phone is iphone get Mac. Otherwise Windows.