I went full Apple stupid in 2018

iPhone. Mac. iPad. Beats. Watch. I went full Apple stupid in 2018 for cheap. But why? 

In my circle, I’ve always been known as a diehard Windows and Android guy. It’s just what works for me. But I’ve always had a soft spot for Apple. When I already have a way of doing things, why would I transition over? Get rid of my current lineup and pay a premium for another way of doing things? Not very practical. But what if I could have it all? Living in different ecosystems at once. Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS. I wanted to make it happen so I went digging. Here’s what I figured out.  

My iPhone of choice: iPhone SE. Main reasons? Form factor, features, PRICE. These things can be had on eBay all day for under $200.  

Mac: 2011 Mac mini. The best value in my Apple lineup. Dual-core i7. 8GB ram. A no brainer. Holds up well, 7 years from its inception. Runs pro Apple apps good enough for my use. Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro X.  

iPad: a tertiary device, the iPad 2. Shows its age very well in my lineup, rocking the old 30 pin connector and an outdated version of iOS. It’s difficult to use on the daily, but for a few reasons, it’s a device that I always have charged up and ready to go. Garageband, iMessage, Logic Pro X remote, Duet secondary display for Mac and Windows. It still serves as a good companion in my lineup.  

BeatsX: W1 chip. This is what being part of the Apple ecosystem is all about. Easy pairing with my iPhone SE and then it’s paired with the rest of my Apple devices. Bearable audio quality. Speedy charging time and decent battery life. I rock these all day at work. 

Watch. First generation.: The last piece of the puzzle for me. I also rock Android’s Wear OS but I felt that I'd like notifications from my iPhone as well. Like my other devices, despite its age, I still find it very useable in 2018. The stuff that I need it to do, it does. It’s my current rugged, go-anywhere watch, replacing my Casio G-Shock with its tough, waterproof Catalyst case, I don’t have to worry about it. A great value, secondhand. I don’t let people know that the display is cracked and detached from the chassis. But it was super cheap and I’m too lazy to repair it. It works great. For now.  

For the average user, I highly do not recommend this route to dive into the Apple ecosystem. I’ve already torn up my iPhone three times, I’m overdue on cleaning out the complicated and tight internals of my Mac mini, my iPad serves very specific functions, and my Watch can catch fire at any moment. All of my Apple devices, besides my BeatsX, needed/needs extensive service, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, the service costs to repair everything could nearly land you with some new devices instead. Since all of my devices are secondary in my workflow and general life, it has been well worth the risk to take a bite out of Apple for cheap.  

I like to compare this experience to maintaining and repairing my high-mileage, out-of-warranty BMW. If you know what you’re doing, it can be a rewarding and worthwhile experience, but if you don’t know how to rebuild a driveshaft, run away. Run very far away and pay off an iPhone XS in monthly payments over the next 2 years.