Back when Mrs. Corn Fed and I were engaged, we jumped into the deep end of making big purchases.
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| Not our computer, but you get the idea! |
- Save the Date Invites
- Dinner Menus
- Wedding Programs
- Reception Highlight Video
Our thought at the time was we would be paying people do these things, but we already had the training and acumen to accomplish these on our own.
Fast forward almost 5 years later
We were now faced with a growing conundrum: an aging computer. It was no longer easy to edit video, use Photoshop, and edit complex HTML. In fact, even simple web browsing and Word documents took forever and were exercises in dealing with frustration.So, what were our needs?
Replace existing functionality
We soon realized that the functionality we needed was for three main areas:- web surfing,
- email, and
- word processing.
Our buying options came down to three areas:
- Buy an iPad (with possibly a keyboard)
- Upgrade our existing computer. Possibly new hard drives, etc.
- Buy a cheaper Windows laptop.
Off the bat, #3 was never really an option. Our existing software is all Mac-based. On top of that, we have two Apple TVs, one 1st Generation iPad, and two iPhones already in the house; staying in the same ecosystem was preferable. This isn't to say we were against Windows computers. We only wanted something that would work with the software and hardware we already had at home.
Is upgrading a possibility?
I started looking at what it would take to upgrade our computer, and the best bang for our buck came in two places: upgrade to a solid state drive, and upgrade the RAM. We ended up purchasing two SSDs from OWC and installing those in our 2010 MacBook Pro. After the installation of the drives, I then installed the newest operating system, Yosemite, on the laptop.
What a difference those two items made! And at such a low cost compared to the cost of a new computer. We ended up spending about 1/10th of what a new MacBook Pro would cost, and it feels like we have a brand new computer. And this didn't affect our personal finances as we paid for the upgrade from our separate business account. Double score!
Alright, so what happened to option #1?
Well, we couldn't join my family in England for Christmas because of our finances, so we got another present from my parents, a new iPad for Mrs. Corn Fed. We researched and tested keyboard cases and ended up with a wonderful ZAGG Folio case.
Where do we stand several months after these purchases and upgrades?
Oh, we stand on pretty good ground!
Mrs. Corn Fed loves the new iPad for work and pleasure, having taken it on both vacation and work trips.
Me? I love the upgraded computer, its speed, and increased functionality brought by the upgrade to Yosemite and newer software.
