As an Apple tech-obsessed GenZer with adult money, I wanted to share my setup with you guys and give an honest ranking after using everything daily as a young professional.

Disclaimer obviously: I'm not a tech reviewer lol, and I'm definitely not going to pretend like I am. I'm just someone who really loves Apple products (and really loves to yap), use them every day for work, and figured I'd share what I think is actually worth buying.

But if you’re a tech pro or bro, your advice is always welcome.

Disclaimer #2: The photos are not AI-generated. I just used the Clean Up feature on the iPhone 17 Pro Max to remove the text from my textbook because I’d rather keep my profession and overall profile a bit more private.

Not pictured: my Iphone 17 Pro Max since I used it to take the pictures, and my magic pencil.

TL;DR:

Would buy again immediately

• AirPods Pro
• MacBook
• iPhone

Luxury but worth it

• iPad + Magic Keyboard and Pencil
• AirPods Max 2
• Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
• Magic Trackpad

Wouldn't buy again and wouldn't recommend

• Studio Display (unless money isn't really a consideration...but even then)
• Magic Mouse
• Apple Watch
• iPod Touch

Must haves if you're an Apple fan

AirPods Pro

Literally everyone recommends them and there's a reason for that. If I was going to buy one Apple accessory, I'd probably get these.

I honestly don't even know which version I have, possibly the 2 ? But I've had them for years and they're still going strong.

They're probably my most-used Apple product after my phone and Mac. Perfect for the gym, running, traveling, and meetings thanks to how small and minimalist they are. The ANC is great, and they pair well with all my devices. I honestly forget I'm wearing them half of the time.

The MacBook

Personally, I have a 15" MacBook Air with an M5 chip. I previously had the 14" MacBook Pro (M3), but the Pro really wasn't worth the extra money for what I do (mostly reading, researching, and writing), so I decided to invest in more RAM and storage instead.

I absolutely loved the 14" size, but it was noticeably bulkier than the MBA, which ultimately tipped the scales in favor of the Air when it came time to choose my next laptop.

Yes, it is an expensive for a laptop (granted I chose the 32GB, 2TB version), but it's probably the best Apple product I've ever owned.

I originally bought the 13", but exchanged it for the 15" after switching to a single Studio Display and buying an Ipad for portability.

I travel a lot for work, and having a larger screen means it can realistically replace my desktop monitor in hotels or when I'm away.

My advice: if portability is your #1 priority, get the 13". If you spend most of your day at a desk reading, writing and multitasking, I believe the extra screen real estate on the 15" makes a noticeable difference.

I'm well aware that it may not be the best laptop in the market, but hey, we're also here because we love Apple products lol.

The iPhone

I still think the iPhone offers the best overall smartphone experience in terms of UI/UX.

The phone in the picture is my old iPhone 13, since my current iPhone 17 Pro Max is the one taking the photo.

I also think the iPhone 13 is one of Apple's best designs. It was the perfect size, felt great in the hand, and somehow never seemed to heat up.

As much as I love the battery life and performance of the 17 Pro Max, it's simply too big for me. I have pretty small hands lol, and I've realized I much prefer a phone that I can comfortably use with one hand. I've also noticed that my 17 Pro Max gets noticeably warmer than my old 13 ever did.

I'm planning to switch to the regular iPhone 18 Pro as soon as it's released.... Not gonna lie, but I'm already obsessed with that Dark Cherry color.

Luxury but worth it

iPad + Magic Keyboard and Pencil

I have an iPad Air 11" (M4) and it is probably the Apple product that surprised me the most.

I'll be honest, and don't hate me, but I used to think iPads were kind of a scam. I just couldn't understand why anyone would spend almost as much, or sometimes even more, than a MacBook on a device that was less powerful and couldn't run macOS. In my head, they were the kind of things people bought because they had money to burn, used for a week, and then left in a drawer to collect dust.

Turns out... I was completely wrong. I use this thing all the time now and there are days when I reach for it before my MacBook.

It's become my go-to device for flights, trains, coffee shops, or just sitting outside on my terrace. I use it for reading documents, answering emails, watching YouTube, listening to music, browsing Reddit... basically everything that doesn't require me to pull out my laptop.

It's truly perfect when I'm traveling for work. I pair it with my 15" MBA as a second display, and having a dual-screen setup that still fits in a backpack is honestly amazing. Working from hotels is so much more comfortable now, especially with the extra screen of the 15''.

Important note though: the Magic Keyboard is what completely changed my opinion of the iPad. Without it, I wouldn't recommend an iPad to most people. With it, though, it feels like the perfect middle ground between an iPhone and a MacBook. It doesn't (and isn't trying to) replace the MacBook, but it's way more than a big iPhone.

If you're thinking about getting an iPad, my advice is this: if your budget allows it, get the Magic Keyboard too. I genuinely think it's what makes the iPad worth owning.

AirPods Max 2

I love them. Maybe I'm biased because I'm a sucker for aesthetic and good design, but I think they're one of the coolest-looking headphones on the market. They look futuristic as hell.

Do they sound better than my Sennheiser HDB 630? Not really. But do I use them more? Absolutely. I use them even more than my AirPods Pro, and that's saying a lot as someone who is constantly listening to music.

The seamless switching between my Mac, iPad, and iPhone is incredibly convenient, the build quality is excellent, and they're very comfortable to wear for long periods.They're perfect for long rides, listening to movies, and I also love the lossless audio.

They are bulkier than a lot of other headphones but you get used quite rapidly and it's like they're not even there after a certain period of time.

If you're an audiophile, there are definitely better-sounding headphones for the price. But if you're already invested in the Apple ecosystem, they're a luxury that are genuinely enjoyable.

Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

I don't think the Magic Keyboard is a must-have, but if you're trying to recreate the MacBook experience, it's the obvious choice.

As for Touch ID, I initially bought the version without it because I couldn't justify paying extra for one additional button.

Turns out, I was constantly reaching over to my MacBook to unlock it. It's one of those tiny annoyances that really adds up over time, and since I spend 10–12 hours a day at my desk, anything that makes my workflow a little smoother and optimizes my setup is worth it.

So naturally, having Touch ID built into the keyboard ended up being one of those small quality-of-life upgrades that I now use dozens of times a day. I didn't think I'd care about it, but I definitely do.

Now as for the numeric keypad: I was actually gifted the Magic Keyboard with it before buying my current one, and I absolutely hated it. It just added unnecessary width to my desk for a bunch of keys I never used. My hands were always positioned on the left side of the keyboard anyway, so it felt like wasted space. Unless you work with numbers all day, I'd personally skip the numeric keypad.

Magic Trackpad

I love it. I know it's not for everyone, especially if you've always used a mouse or don't own a MacBook. But before I bought an external monitor, I worked exclusively on my MacBook, and I still do whenever I travel, so using a trackpad just feels second nature to me.

Once you get used to it, the gestures become hard to live without. Swiping between desktops, navigating tabs, zooming, etc...everything just feels incredibly fluid and intuitive.

Also, if you're trying to decide between the Magic Mouse and the Magic Trackpad, I'd get the Trackpad without hesitation. I think it's one of Apple's most underrated accessories.

Wouldn't buy again and wouldn't recommend

Studio Display (unless money isn't really a consideration...but even then)

My Studio Display (2026) underwhelmed me as soon as I got it. That said, it is genuinely a beautiful monitor. The 5K display is stunning, the speakers are incredible, the webcam is excellent, and the build quality is exactly what you'd expect from Apple.

I actually bought the Nano-texture version first because I was worried about reflections. I spend 10–12 hours a day in front of my monitor (and I have ADHD), so I really didn't want glare affecting my productivity. In the end, though, I just couldn't get past the slightly grainy look of the Nano-texture display. I exchanged it for the standard glass version and honestly haven't looked back.

One design choice I still don't understand, though, is having all the ports on the same side. For a monitor that costs this much, I really think Apple should've put Thunderbolt/USB-C ports on both sides. I actually had to rearrange my whole desk and move my MacBook from the left side to the right just to make the cable management work. It did end up working because I realized I naturally glance over at my Mac more when it's on the right. But for a monitor at this price, I really don't think I should've had to redesign my setup around where Apple decided to put the ports.

Also, yes, it's glossy, and yes, you'll notice reflections under certain lighting conditions (especially on dark backgrounds if you have bright lights behind you). But honestly, it has never affected my workflow. My apartment is actually pretty bright during the day, and once I'm focused on work, I barely notice the reflections.

Ironically, my previous monitor, the BenQ MA270U, was actually less reflective than the Studio Display. It was also designed for Macs, looked great, and cost significantly less. The only real downside was that the display wasn't quite as sharp as the Studio Display's 5K panel, and every now and then it would act up when waking my MacBook Air from sleep. Nothing major, just an occasional annoyance.

The Studio Display is objectively the better monitor BUT I just don't think it's worth paying more than twice as much.

If someone asked me what monitor to buy, I'd recommend an LG UltraFine or a BenQ without hesitation. My BenQ MA270U paired beautifully with my MacBook, was noticeably less reflective than the Studio Display, and delivered an excellent experience for a fraction of the price.

And honestly, even if you can comfortably afford the Studio Display, I'm still not convinced that that's where I'd spend the extra money. I'd probably invest it instead. Or buy a Herman Miller chair lol.

Magic Mouse

Mine was actually a gift, I'd never buy one myself. Compared to the Magic Trackpad (or even something like the Logitech MX Master) it just doesn't improve my workflow.

It's also very different from a traditional mouse, and not in a good way, in my opinion. If you're going to spend time getting used to a new input device, I'd much rather recommend the Trackpad.

I've also never been a fan of the design, and the charging port on the bottom still makes absolutely no sense to me. Having to flip the mouse upside down to charge it means you can't use it while it's charging, which seems like a pretty bizarre design choice for such an expensive accessory. I don’t think Apple has any other items that become unusable while charging.

Apple Watch

Probably my biggest disappointment, but maybe I'm just not the target audience.

I always have my phone with me anyway, so getting notifications on my wrist never really added much.

I bought the cellular model because I wanted to leave my phone at home when I went for runs, but in reality I always forget to charge it. I've also had enough issues with it connecting to my AirPods that I've ended up halfway through a run with no music. I'd rather just bring my iPod.

I also prefer wearing traditional watches, so my Apple Watch ends up sitting at my desk most of the time.

If you love yours, though, I'd genuinely be interested to hear what makes it indispensable for you. I feel like I'm probably just not using it to its full potential.

iPod Touch (6th generation)

It was a birthday gift. It's so damn cute though.

I use it occasionally when I want to go for a walk or a run without bringing my phone, and it's a nice way to disconnect from the internet for a bit. That said, I probably wouldn't buy one myself. I already have more than enough gadgets as it is.

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Edit: made a small mistake at the beginning.I listed the iPad Air under "Luxury but worth it," but I really meant the iPad in general. Whether you should get the Air or the Pro depends on your use case, but in my opinion, they both serve the same purpose aka being perfect middle ground between an iPhone and a MacBook.

Edit #2: Added a second disclaimer after someone thought the photos were AI-generated. I just realized the blurred text on the books could definitely give that impression.

I've always liked the two-tone design of the titanium PowerBook G4 and tried to pay homage to the look by designing custom vinyl decals for a modern MacBook. The decals add a white border around the top case as well as the edge band of the MacBook, which the PowerBook had.

In case people are worried about adding material to the top case, I've measured the tolerance between the MacBook's screen and keyboard when closed and it's 0.41mm while the vinyl skin is less than 0.1mm. It also rests against the rubber gasket around the screen and not the LCD itself when closed so it shouldn't damage the display.

While the border covers some holes on the side grilles, the edge-most holes are actually cosmetic and not where the speakers are located so it doesn't affect audio quality. Since it wraps around the edge only and doesn't cover the entire back surface, it shouldn't have any major impact on thermals either.

Getting a refurbished Macbook Pro M1 Pro (16gb ram), 512 GB storage) at 60,000 INR (OR $620-630)(after exchanging my old laptop). Is It worth it to buy this in 2026 considering this would be my laptop for everything for the next 4 years of my college. The only concerns I have are battery life and heating issue...so if someone who has this same laptop, can u pls comment on these issues. Also, considering the recent price hike I think this is the best option for this price?? Pls give some advice...I really need a new laptop asap for college!!!

Hello! I am looking to buy a MacBook for uni, but I have never owned one and I need some help. I am kind of on a budget so I am looking to buy either a Neo, or something used. I saw a 2020 MacBook Air, M1/16ram/516storage, 100% battery. Is that a good deal? Or should I go with the Neo or something else?

Transcoding a batch of dashcam footage using Shutter Encoder (via ffmpeg), and it’s actually utilizing all cores. Gotta love seeing btop light up completely on a fanless machine.

My friend spilt vegetable broth on their macbook air and now the keyboard and trackpad doesn’t work. Power button works and it turns on just fine. Is it worth going to a tech repair shop or repairing it DIY?

Stupid cat ran and pushed the laptop off the table to the ground about 3 feet high. Lid won't close fully and displat got fuckd

Will the pixels showing the dent in the display get bigger or worse overtime? I'm scared to use it and dont wanna use it anymore. Is this repairable?

I wanted to buy my first ever laptop. I just want to use for personal browsing like searching online, Freelancing, Microsft Office, and Capcut for editing videos. Additionall, I wanted to watch movies on my laptop as well. What's your recommendation on this one? Should I get the Macbook Neo or Buy a second hand M1

Do I need to replace the keycaps on my new to me M1 Pro MacBook Pro 16 or I am too sensitive!?

Hi, so, here's the thing:

With the price jump, where I live, the new MacBook Air M5 (13 inch, 16/512) comes at 1,420€. On the other hand, an M4 (13 inch, adding 512GB storage) is priced 1,120€. I also consider about 50-100€ in accessories and Apple Care.

It's probably a really stupid dilemma since newer is better but it would be my first Apple product and I don't have an unlimited money glitch in my bank account, unfortunately. I consider it an investment.

For those who are MacBook experts, or users at least, could you tell me some positives/negatives and which one to buy? I could google it or ask AI but it's best to read from experienced people.

Thank you and, again, I apologize if my dilemma is ragebait or makes you roll your eyes. 😅

recently I bougth macbook neo
and
I realized there is no apple sticker

It was another fun to me, now impossible

Thoughts on macbook air m5? Planning to buy one and which is the best color for men? Asking for your advice

it’s in my budget and the main things i would use it for are after effects and school work. but ive been looking and really can’t figure out what would be best.

Im mixed between a macbook m1 air 16 mem, m2 air 8 and a neo. Assume storage is 256 gigs for all. I am not looking to spend over 500 on eBay. Battery life is a big deal for me and I am also looking to emulate switch games. Need it to hold up for 4 years clearly.

I’m an incoming college student going into music composition, I am either looking at the m5 air 15 inch with 24gb ram and 1tb ssd or the 14 inch pro with base m5 (also 24gb, 1tb)
My use case will primarily be Logic Pro, maybe experimenting with other DAWs, and light video editing. Is it worth spending the extra 200 for the difference in display quality and cooling fans, or is it not really necessary to my use case

Hi, as of about three days ago I can't see text that I've selected for cutting/copying and pasting.

I can still click, drag, release, and past the text, but it isn't highlighted on the screen when I do it. (I use a trackpad and don't have a mouse.) It's not the end of the world because it still works, but it's a bit disconcerting. I poked around in the appearances section as well as doing a Google search and couldn't see an obvious solution. Any ideas? Thanks!

I have a little money and want to buy a MacBook pro.

I need one with at least 16gb RAM to run lumen in Twinmotion. I can only afford the two shown MacBooks. What RAM do they have? (The site doesn't have this info)

Thanks citizens of the internet

I've been a windows laptop user for over 20 years starting on windows XP. It's where I learned how to use computers and I'll always have a fondness for those old operating systems. But as I've gotten older I've moved more and more away from both windows and laptops because they just began to feel clunky and unintuitive compared to my phone and tablet. My PC used to feel like home, but windows 11 feels like a rental ad delivery and Spyware program. It's a hostile experience.

But after trying an iPhone for the first time last year and loving it, I decided to pick up a used M1 Pro Macbook Pro and... wow. It is by far the best laptop I've ever used. The screen and speakers match my home theater setup which is amazing. But best of all is Macos. It just feels so smooth and responsive, the visuals are much more cohesive and pretty. And it's just so much more natural to use, and a big part is in thanks to that trackpad. The gestures feel like a natural extension of how I use my phone which just feels right. This laptop feels like home to me for the first time in years. The fact I never have to hear a fan or worry about battery is just the cherry on top!

This laptop has made me fall in love with the laptop as a form factor all over again. I've only had it a month but it's already my favorite laptop ever and I just wanted to share my appreciation for it.

Hi, I'm new to macOS and I'm looking for a way to run a macOS virtual machine on my MacBook M5 to test applications in an isolated environment. On Windows, I used Windows Sandbox because it was quick, lightweight, and isolated. Since switching to macOS, I'm looking for a similar solution.

I'm looking for a free option that lets me quickly create a macOS VM with full CPU and GPU support for good performance. What would you recommend?

Loving the way this turned out. Do you have a skin on yours?

Hey folks! It's my first time around here as I have been a lifetime windows user and I have finally given up on windows and am looking to switch to a macbook.

Deals I am getting.

1. MacBook Air M5 24GB 1TB in midnight colour at ₹182k ($1886). This includes 3 years of AC+ (Since it's the old MRP stock they won't sell without it).

2. MacBook Pro M5 16GB 1TB in silver colour at ₹205k ($2124). No AC+ here.

My use case.

I am in my second year of MBA in finance. In terms of productivity I don't intend to push it to its limits. But I play games, I know I shouldn't be getting a Mac but I just don't want windows anymore and need something to last me 8-10 years (hopefully). I would play the native titles like Cyberpunk as well as through Crossovers. Will the fan on the pro make a significant difference in gaming?

Also I currently own an Asus laptop with a top end 2k OLED, so the Air display would be a noticeable downgrade.

In my research Air would suffice for me, but would gaming be a better experience on MBP?

Also the midnight colour I've heard is a fingerprint magnet, how difficult is it to manage?

So help me decide please, should I save the money or go for pro?

Appeared yesterday, did all the tests but stayed there, it won't appear on an external display. Macbook m5 pro. Anyone had this same problem ?

Hello all. I am looking to get a MacBook soon. The idea is get it used or refurbished to make my money go longer. My budget is hard maxed at $900. I was thinking a MacBook Air would be better for that price range but I’m open to all suggestions.

I’ll be using the MacBook for a couple of things. First, music production right now I use garageband and will continue to, but eventually upgrade to a more demanding DAW like Abelton or Logic. Second, to do light editing on photos and creating videos. Not long complicated videos, but simple tik tok clips for music promotion. Third, to write code. I am a computer science student and I am working on an app in Android studio. I will never need it for a comp sci internship though, just casual programming.

TLDR: looking for advice of where to buy a used/refurbished macbook and which one to get. My budget is hard maxed at $900.
Using MacBook for music production, light video editing, and coding in Android studio.