As an editor who ’s been cover Apple for a longsighted sentence , I ’m often ask by crime syndicate , friends , and acquaintances about which Mac to corrupt . I have knowledge and insight that people can tapdance into handily through a conversation , saving someone from hours of research , a task that can be daunting , intimidating , and perplexing .
When using Google or another hunt engine , results appear as a list of websites , and then it ’s up to you to find the information you need . That could take a lot of time , perhaps even several hours . But generative artificial tidings ( AI ) cock such asChatGPTandGoogle Bardcan possibly cut that time down to a few minutes , consanguine to the conversation I have .
However , the buzz about howempoweringgenerative AI tools can be was accompanied by reports and incidents of inaccuracies and perpetuated falsehood . And now that ChatGPT is going to be used a luck more thanks to itsofficial iPhone app , I want to see how well it can do with one of the most common questions : Which Mac should I buy ? Will it absorb from its blanket cognition to supply helpful penetration and information ? Will it know the divergence between the line of merchandise and CPU ? And most significantly , will it be accurate ?
ChatGPT has a long way to go to provide the user with proper buying advice.
Did generative AI help make a buying decision?
At the second , ChatGPT ca n’t be relied upon to make a specific recommendation because of its dataset . It also has the propensity to get thing haywire yet present misinformation as fact . That was n’t unexpected – ChatGPT is upfront about its limitations and literally has a “ Limitations ” discussion section on its land site .
ChatGPT has a long way to go to provide the user with proper purchasing advice .
Foundry
ChatGPT has a long way to go to provide the user with proper buying advice.
The drug user can take the opening and extrapolate or correct ChatGPT ’s recommendations , but that expect noesis not just of Apple ’s current Mac lineup , but Apple ’s Cartesian product cycle and release schedules , which kind of defeat the intent . That ’s information that dice - hards , tech enthusiasts , and tech professional devour on a regular basis , but not everyone else .
To get the most out of generative AI , you call for to bring home the bacon as many particular as you could recall of for your question . ask , “ Which Mac should I buy ? ” create a all-encompassing answer . make a inquiry that includes your habit , oeuvre situation , budget , environment , and more take into account the AI to give you a good answer . But even if you do that , I ’ve found that you could still get recommendations that are inappropriate .
That fundamentally sums up the power at this point in time of generative AI as a shopping peter . If you ’re interested , what follows is a sample distribution of my experience using ChatGPT to help me decide on a Mac to buy . I researched base on my own personal exercise case and compared the answers to my knowledge of the Mac batting order . I noted when I used ChatGPT in each section of this clause to account for any AI engine updates that may have been implemented since the stated particular date . ChatGPT also offers the ability to “ Regenerate reaction , ” which is fundamentally a new response to my question . The time I did regenerate a response , the answer was the same but worded otherwise .
ChatGPT provided good insight into a broad question, but its recommendations are dated.
Opening question: Which Mac should I buy?
I start with a basic question that I am often asked : Which Mac should I buy ? Here ’s ChatGPT ’s reaction .
The answer to this question depends on your needs , preferences , and budget . Here are some factors to debate when choosing a Mac :
1 . intent : What do you project to apply the Mac for ? If you need a data processor for basic tasks like web browse , email , and parole processing , you may not need the most powerful or expensive model . If you contrive to do more demanding project like video recording editing , programming , or gaming , you may want to depend at higher - ending models .
The more details you provide to ChatGPT, the better the answer from its limited dataset.
2 . sizing : Macs come in a range of size of it , from the compact MacBook Air to the large iMac and Mac Pro . Consider where you ’ll be using your Mac and how much screen distance you involve .
3 . Portability : If you plan to use your Mac on the go , a laptop computer like the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro may be a honorable choice than a desktop simulation like the iMac or Mac Pro .
4 . Budget : Macs can be expensive , so count how much you ’re uncoerced to drop . The MacBook Air is the most low-cost option , while the iMac and Mac Pro are the most expensive .
Here are some general recommendation based on different needs and budgets :
• For basic tasks like WWW browsing , electronic mail , and parole processing , the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro with the M1 bit are excellent choices .
• For more demanding tasks like picture editing or gaming , consider the MacBook Pro with a consecrate computer graphic bill of fare or the iMac with a big screen and more powerful components .
• If you need a desktop calculator for professional use , consider the Mac Pro , which tender the high stratum of performance and customization choice .
Ultimately , the good Mac for you will look on your specific needs , preferences , and budget . It may be helpful to do some research and read reviews to assist you make a conclusion .
ChatGPT does n’t really “ interact ” with its follow - up inquiry , but it often does provide complete or about complete answers that guide the substance abuser . For example , when someone asks me what Mac to get , the first reception I have is a follow - up question , ordinarily , what form of work do you do ? ChatGPT basically does that in statement form to help the shopper make the proper decision . There ’s also nothing to halt you from ask a follow - up question .
ChatGPT had a acceptable response to an overarching question . As for its recommendation , they ’re all right in a worldwide mother wit , but I would not advocate a Mac Pro to anyone . And while the iMac does have a larger screen than the MacBook Pro , it does n’t have “ more powerful component part . ” And prominently escape from ChatGPT ’s laptop testimonial is any credit of a new MacBook — instead , it commend older M1 model . ChatGPT notes that it has “ limited knowledge of world and events after 2021 ” which could explain why the M2 MacBook Air ( release in June 2022 ) orMac Studio(released in March 2022 ) are n’t mentioned .
Also missing from the ChatGPT answer is the Mac mini . TheM1 Mac miniwas released in 2020 and discontinued in 2022 with the release of theM2 update(along with the release of anM2 Pro Mac mini ) , so ChatGPT should at least commend one of the models . It ’s a passably huge deletion as it ’s Apple ’s most affordable Mac and the one I ’m often asked about because people already have a show , keyboard , and mouse , as well as other peripheral equipment that they want to keep using .
I posed it the same question to Google Bard and the first line of the reception was , “ There are a few thing to consider when choosing a Mac for student . ” ( remark : I did n’t say I was a student . ) Bard ’s answer proceeded to hide the standard for choose a Mac ( budget , use display case , storage needs ) , and then hint the MacBook Air , MacBook Pro , Mac mini , and iMac , with general reasoning for each modeling . But because Bard decided to suggest Macs “ for your student living ” even though I never said I am a educatee , I was at once turned off .
ChatGPT provided good sixth sense into a broad question , but its recommendation are date .
Question 2: Adding more details
I do n’t think anyone expects a specific Mac recommendation with a question as undefined as “ What Mac should I bribe ? ” To get a specific answer , detail must be provided . That ’s what I did next . Here ’s what I ask :
What Mac should I buy ? Here ’s what I do with it :
I decided to supply a leaning of the most straining tasks that I do on a regular basis . The one task I actually perform the most is writing in apps such as Pages , Microsoft Word , etcetera , but that does n’t require a deal of processing power so I did n’t include it . But if you ’re doing similar inquiry with ChatGPT and writing ( or web browsing , or electronic mail , or spreadsheets , or whatever ) is the most taxing thing you do on a Mac , put it on your list .
Here is what ChatGPT recommend :
For your use case , I would advocate a MacBook Pro . Specifically , the 13 - inch MacBook Pro with an M1 scrap would be a great fit for you .
The M1 crisp is Apple ’s latest processor , which provides excellent functioning for picture redaction , exposure editing , and audio editing . It ’s also zip - effective , which means longer battery life .
The MacBook Pro has a Retina display , which will put up you with a great screening experience when see videos on Apple TV+ , Netflix , Hulu , and other services .
to boot , the MacBook Pro has a Thunderbolt 3 larboard , which will provide you to connect external storage machine , displays , and other peripherals .
Overall , the 13 - in MacBook Pro with an M1 crisp should be more than sufficient for your needs and provide splendid execution , a expectant presentation , and long battery living .
My creative tasks are consumer - horizontal surface , not professional and a 13 - in M1 MacBook Pro is a good testimonial . However , ChatGPT ’s “ Limited knowledge of populace and upshot after 2021 ” come into play here . As you probably know , the M1 is not “ Apple ’s latest C.P.U. ” and the M1 MacBook Pro was replaced by theM2 modelin June 2022 , so ChatGPT is not aware of it or the other M2 Macs .
I still mean the M1 13 - inch MacBook Pro is a good recommendation – it ’s about 20 percent irksome overall than the M2 role model , but it can be feel atApple ’s Refurbished and Clearance Storewith price that are lower than a new M2 13 - inch MacBook Pro , and it can be found at other retailers for even flash . ( My enquiry did not cite my budget . ) But ChatGPT , because of its data limitation , does n’t know about the M2 .
Question 3:
There ’s one major feature of speech about the 13 - column inch MacBook Pro ( M1 or M2 ) that make me hesitant to recommend it wholeheartedly : its display , specifically , its bezels , which are outsize equate to those on the 14 - and 16 - in MacBook Pro and the M2 MacBook Air .
So , I asked the same interrogation above , but I added one more shape : I desire a concealment big enough to handle television , exposure , and audio editing , as well as handle multiple app windows . This is what ChatGPT recommended :
Based on the tasks you described , I would urge get a MacBook Pro , which is a powerful and various option for television , photo , and audio redaction . Specifically , I would suggest getting the 16 - in MacBook Pro with the M1 Max chip , which is the later and most hefty processor available in Apple laptops as of my cognition cutoff in September 2021 .
The 16 - in MacBook Pro has a orotund enough screen size to deal video and picture edit well , and the M1 Max chip is capable of address call for project such as video rendering and exportation , as well as running multiple apps at the same time . Additionally , the MacBook Pro comes with a gamy - quality Retina display that has a solution of 3072 x 1920 , which will make watching television on streaming services such as Apple TV+ , Netflix , and Hulu a great experience .
Overall , the MacBook Pro should be able to handle all of your redaction needs and provide a big showing experience for your cyclosis message .
The framework ChatGPT recommends – an M1 Max 16 - in MacBook Pro – is another testimonial for a Mac that ’s quit . Let ’s give it some leeway and aline that recommendation to what ’s presently usable , an M2 Max variation , or take that recommendation and get a renovate theoretical account . In either typeface , that ’s a very expensive laptop geared toward professionals with very specific motivation . While the processing power will in spades handle picture , photo , and audio editing , it should n’t default on to Apple ’s most expensive model .
Once again , ChatGPT comes up short with desktop Macs . They ’re not mentioned at all . The answer to my initial vague interrogation showed that ChatGPT is cognizant of the iMac , and it should be covered here since theM1 iMacwas released in March 2021 . I ’ll give it another offer on the Mac Studio , which was release in June 2022 , after ChatGPT ’s cognition .
If I add together budgetary consideration and my use case ( on a desk at home ) to my question , maybe I ’d get a dissimilar answer , one that would include a desktop Mac . So I asked the same question , but contribute , “ I want to drop under $ 2,000 and I will use the computer on a desk at home , ” and ChatGPT recommended the M1 MacBook Air . That ’s not what I would recommend and the paired end of the spectrum to the M1 Max MacBook Pro .
You’re better off asking a friend—or Macworld
I can keep going with this experiment ( and I did ) , but the solvent were basically the same . ChatGPT ca n’t be entrust as a source for buying advice and at best is a auxiliary tool . I disagreed with most of its suggestions – but it might be able to help someone who knows very little about Apple ’s mathematical product lineup . If you want to give ChatGPT a endeavor to help you pick a Mac , here are a few top .
Make a list . Before using ChatGPT , make a list of what you do on your Mac , and include it in your ChatGPT query . The more detailed your question , the more specific ChatGPT can get with its recommendation .
offer a budget . Again , the more detailed your inquiry , the more specific ChatGPT can get . That includes evidence it how much money you want to spend .
Tell it your utilization case . If you get laid you desire a MacBook because you ’re on position a stack , or a desktop Mac because you want more processing power , say so .
Know its limitation . Always be cognisant that ChatGPT has a knowledge limitation . Right now , it knowledge after 2021 is limited , so new Mac models will not be included in its testimonial . depend on how often its knowledge base is update , there could be a point in time when its recommendations are outdated and not useful . But there also could occur a time when its noesis base is in communication channel with the mean solar day and date , making its recommendations more appropriate .
It can be incorrect . ChatGPT state it up front : “ May occasionally beget incorrect data . ” The problem with this is if the individual using ChatGPT is n’t intimate with the products , specifications , etcetera , then that soul needs to do more work to fact - tick ChatGPT .
Keep asking questions . Ask anything that issue forth to judgment and will avail you . Unlike a human ( like me ) , ChatGPT does n’t get banal , needs to be somewhere else , or has other things to do .
Ask a protagonist or Google . Don’t rely on ChatGPT as a sole source to make purchasing decisions . It gets a spate of things wrong right now and it may not even provide new perceptivity . You ’ll be much better off asking a friend who knows Macs or Googling and clicking on the first Macworld link you see .
