Good Nerd Purchases

Laptop
MacBook Air M4, 2025 model
This is the Mac to get if you 1) need a Mac and 2) need that Mac to be portable. It now comes in two sizes, so there’s no need to go Pro if you just want a bigger screen. This is as much Mac as most people need. And now that Apple just raised the base-level RAM, all most people need to do is decide which screen size they want and to upgrade the storage from 256GB to 512GB. I completely recommend upgrading the storage to at least 512GB.

Desktop
M4 iMac
The M4 iMac is excellent for most people who don’t want to move their computer around. Bump up the storage to at least 512GB. If you have your own monitor, keyboard, and pointing device, then the Mac mini is the next obvious choice. Again, bump it to 512GB of storage and you have a machine that will last a very long time.

There are a lot of people (Me. I only mean me here.) who wonder: Mac mini or Mac Studio? I, of course, need neither. But it’s interesting when you spec them out the Mac mini only makes sense without the Pro chip. Even with the little goofing around that I do, I’ve used up the 24GB of RAM my M2 MacBook Air has, so I would go to 32GB of RAM. And while 1TB is enough for the photo library, I am going to start digitizing more old videos and scanning in more old family pics and slides, so I can see getting closer to that limit in the next 24 months, so it would make sense to go to 2TB. We set the config to at least 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD, here are the prices:

If you need the power, I would just pay the $140 more for the Studio, otherwise I’d save the $700. Am I nuts?

iPhone
iPhone 16e
There’s a good chance the iPhone 16e is far better than the iPhone you are using now. You can skip the Pro (I think I should have) and regular 16 because the main camera on the iPhone 16e is seriously good. I bet the base storage is enough, too. Now, as of updating this page (date below), it remains to be seen how good the repairability score is, but I bet it’s all moving in the right direction of better repairability (like the regular iPhone 16).

iPad
iPad Air
The iPad Air is the iPad to get if it’s going to be your only iPad. Updated with the M3-series processors, it now comes in two sizes and is a great bang for the buck. I do recommend the 256GB storage tier, but if money is tight 128GB won’t make you sad.

Apple Watch
Series 10
The Apple Watch has no real competition. Buy the newest and keep it for three years.

AirPods
AirPods 4 with ANC
Most of the benefits of AirPods Pro without the uncomfortableness of something shoved deep into your earholes? Sign me up. Let’s see if I get them for Christmas (2024). Update: I did not.

iCloud Storage
200 GB
Protect your photos by throwing a couple of bucks at Apple for the iCloud storage. The prices are competitive and, if take care to set it up correctly, your iPhone will back itself up each night. Then turn on iCloud Photo Library and have all your photos available to you even if you fill up your iPhone. Seriously, we’re talking about three bucks a month.

Certified Refurbished
If you don’t shy away from refurbished, getting one of these machines from Apple’s Certified Refurbished store is great. iPhones and iPads come with new outer shells and batteries and a regular one-year warranty. This is the way to go if money is tight (or you are smart with your money). The M4 Mac mini pops up on here occasionally and is a hell of a bargain.

What I’m Currently Using
M2 Mac Book Air, 24 GB RAM, 512 GB storage
Apple Studio Display
iPhone 16 Pro, 128 GB
Apple Watch Series 10 AirPods 3
Despite my recommendations of certified refurbished products, the above were all bought new.

What I Would Buy Today
If I could buy whatever I wanted and set up a little office, I would buy an M4 (non Pro) Mac mini with 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD. Since I don’t have an office and often just sit around the apartment nerding about, I would get an M4 MacBook Air with 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD. In Skyblue.

Page updated: 2025, March 15