This might be more computer than you need, or maybe you want something with even more processing power. It’s a configuration that costs a lot of money, but it does exactly what I need it to do, and it replaces several different devices-my iPad, my dearly departed gaming console, and my MacBook Pro. The Surface Book is considered the pinnacle of Windows laptops for good reason. It also has a detachable display that I can use as a tablet. Icing on the cake: I can use Microsoft’s Surface Pen (the counterpart to Apple’s Pencil for its iPads) for noodling with Adobe Lightroom. It has a high-resolution 13.3-inch display, a tough magnesium case, 512GB of storage (necessary for when I can’t access the cloud,) an Intel Core i7 mobile processor, 16GB of RAM, and a discrete graphics card that’s awesome for gaming. There are good reasons why it’s considered the pinnacle of Windows laptops. With all of this in mind, I decided to take the plunge with a Microsoft Surface Book.

I also miss gaming on my PS4 console, something I had to give up for my nomadic lifestyle. Some of my work takes me into challenging environments, so solid build quality is important. As a journalist, my world revolves around typing, web research, and editing photos or video. I travel constantly, so I have to have a laptop. The Surface Book can be my PC and my tablet When you get your next Mac, be sure to avoid mistakes that destroy your laptop so you don't send it to an early grave.Running Windows on your Mac is a relatively inexpensive way to take a new OS for a spin. But when your computer has so many small quirks that it's barely usable, you should cut your losses and look into a replacement machine that will perform much better. Little problems, like your charger not working unless it's in just the right spot, dead pixels on the display, stuck keys, and crackling speakers aren't necessarily signs that you need to replace your Mac. You can live with a few odd issues if they don't impact your ability to use it properly, but eventually, something big will go wrong and you'll have to decide whether to fix it or upgrade. An old computer is often a lot like an old car. And as discussed above, it doesn't make a lot of sense to pour hundreds of dollars into an old or even obsolete machine when you can get a new one that will last longer.īarring a major hardware catastrophe, a long list of small issues can quickly become a big problem too. In these cases, your computer is unusable until you get it fixed or replace it.

Ready to switch from mac to pc