In 2014, I found myself at a crossroads when it came to computers. I literally fried another windows computer and was in the market for a new one. I was sick and tired of my computer getting bogged down and crawling like a dinosaur, letting me to do a couple of things before stalling. I would walk away to give my computer time to catch up with what I was doing and come back to the computer trying to remember what I had planned to do next. I also loathed having to “dump” my computer (return to factory settings) every 6-12 months to speed it up and go through the process of reinstalling all the software and files. In the process, I often needed to upgrade hardware (I have been doing this myself since Windows 3.1). The dump and upgrade cycle would buy me more speed for a short time, but the computer would be back to crawling like a baby just starting to get around.
I am a self-taught graphic artist who loves the process of creating. I simply wanted to sit down at the computer and create. I also make and/or print worksheets for my homeschool curriculum, blog, prepare lessons for the kids I teach at church, etc. My kids like to play video games (I’ll share which ones later).
I decided on a budget and started looking around for options for a new computer. In the process, I learned that the latest Windows OS at the time, was it 8.1?, wasn’t getting great reviews and worked best with a touch screen. With 6 kids in the house, I wasn’t so sure I wanted a touch screen. I could imagine my screen covered with slimy fingerprints. EWW!
I figured that if I was going to learn a completely new operating system anyway, I should consider Mac.
As you probably know, Macs are known for their quality, longevity and maintaining their value over time. Let’s just say I had a bit of sticker shock when perusing the latest models with the specs I wanted. Not wanting to be deterred, I decided it was time to think outside the box.
I started looking up used Macs and stumbled upon Mac of All Trades. Not only did their products have great prices, they were better than their competitors. I was cautious and started researching their company because I didn’t want to be scammed, like I was when I bought a TV from a New Jersey company several years ago. Based on my search, they had a great reputation and an A+ rating from the BBB. At the time, they had been in business for about 17 years and had what appeared on the internet to be a solid reputation.
After I was satisfied with my research, my husband and I sat down and started looking more specifically at the MANY options available. Here’s what we chose (remember, this was Feb 2014):
Apple iMac 27-inch 3.1GHz Quad-core i5 (Mid 2011)
Memory:8.0GB (4×2.0GB) (we upgraded to 16 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 in 2016- it was a cinch!)
Hard Drive:1.0TB Hard Drive
Optical Drive:Built-in SuperDrive-DL
Video Card:AMD HD 6970M (1.0GB)
Keyboard/Mouse:Macally iKey Slim Keyboard & Mouse (Factory Sealed)
Apple Remote (we paid extra for that and hardly ever used it, works great, just no need)
This baby is 6 years old now and still running well. It is obvious that it is finally starting to slow down a bit. I did use Time Machine to backup then reinstall my computer for the first time about a month ago. I use GIMP (free and great way to get feet wet in graphic design) and Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo to make my creations while running other programs at the same time (I am running 9 programs and Safari has more than 15 tabs open) as I write this. The computer hasn’t skipped a beat and only thermal throttled once since I got it, it was a few days ago. I love the 27 inch screen because I can have 2 programs running side by side without going back and forth.
One of the best things that happened now that I switched to Mac is that I had to look for something other than Quicken to manage my finances. I switched to You Need A Budget, which has helped to better manage my money, get out of debt and stay out of debt (+/- a $2-$3,000 compared to being in debt by tens of thousands of dollars).
My kids also use my computer to play World of Warships, World of Tanks, and Tanki Online among others. We’ve used it to stream movies from Amazon.com. Overall, our computer is used everyday and for hours at a time by adults and children.
So, how was my overall experience with Mac of All Trades?
They have great customer service, shipping was fast, my computer was packed well, and there are no sales taxes for people outside of Florida (that’s a lot of money saved right there). Plus, they take PayPal, which can add an additional level of security and warranties if something should go wrong. Everything went so smoothly that I am saving up for my next Mac and I will definitely go back to Mac of All Trades.
In fact, I did go back to Mac of All Trades and bought an iPad 2 (32GB Wi-Fi Only) about a month later. That iPad has travelled all over the country via airplane and car, been used and dropped by my kids, and it has been 6 years since the iPad 2 came out. It is just now, as in the last month or so, starting to show its age by getting slow.
So, both devices I’ve purchased have experienced heavy use since they arrived and they’re several years old.
Why take my word for it? If the computer and iPad were giant paperweights, I would tell you because I’m more than happy to point out rotten eggs to prevent others from experiencing the same tragedy. By the same token, I am a very happy customer and am pleased to give a shining review.