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All the Apple Devices I Use in Spring 2021!

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There was a time I used all Apple gear, from computer, tablet and phone to TV box and router. Then, from 2015 to the end of 2018, I basically used no Apple products. Then, like an un-scratchable itch, I started accumulating them again with the 2018 iPad Pro and the Apple Watch in spring 2019. Here’s what I use every day.

iPhone 12 Pro

The best iPhone I’ve owned and one of the best feeling. I love the squared-off edges (the flat edges help grip). I prefer the size of the 12 mini, but went back to the Pro for the extra battery life and slightly better cameras. It cuts through any task, and there’s hard-to-find anything to dislike: crisp, bright screen and loud, clear speakers, and the Apple ecosystem makes it work well with everything else.

It’s usually in the Apple Silicone Case with MagSafe. I haven’t been a big fan because they get shiny spots and tear at the corners (you can see wear here), but I like the feel: grippy but not sticky, so it’s easy in and out of a pocket without worrying about it being slippery. With the magnets, I use the phone with the Belkin BoostCharge Pro on my nightstand (iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods) and the Satechi 2-in-1 magnetic charging stand on my desk.

Apple Watch

The thing that pulled me back to iPhone from Android. A Series 4 stainless steel cellular model that I bought used on Swappa for a couple hundred less than new, in mint condition. I wanted to track workouts and health and view notifications, and the cellular model to leave my phone home on walks and errands, but the pandemic meant I rarely left home, and that use case evaporated, like my workout habits. I still like it for notifications, quick Siri-dictated messages and answering calls when my hands are full. With Spotify cellular streaming and better weather, I may leave the iPhone behind more. I use a leather loop knockoff from Pinnacle Luxuries and often switch to Apple’s Sport Band and Sport Loop.

AirPods

Life-changing in 2017 (along with stretchy jeans): true wireless earbuds with decent battery, good speakers and mics and a pocketable case. These are my second pair (second generation with the wireless charging case), upgraded because my first gen didn’t hold a charge after a couple of years. I use them for podcasts in the morning, YouTube on the couch, work calls walking around the neighborhood and waiting in lines. I charge them once or twice a week. I’m not sure I can do adult life without AirPods again.

27-inch iMac

My main work computer: the 2020 27-inch iMac (i7, Radeon Pro 5500 XT) that I bought refurbished about a month before. My workflows change often, which is bad for productivity: in a couple of years, my primary device has gone from PC laptops to Samsung and Microsoft tablets, to the iPad Pro, a MacBook and now the iMac. I like the simplicity of a powerful all-in-one with display, speakers, camera and mics. I tried the laptop-as-desktop life and prefer an actual desktop, with fewer issues than external displays and constant connecting and disconnecting. The 5K display is the most well-rounded, consistent display you can find that doesn’t cost $5,000. It’s good for remote work, video and photo editing, browsing and light gaming.

  • Keyboard: the Magic Keyboard, for its feel and travel, nearly identical across Apple products.
  • Mouse: the Logitech MX Master 3 over the Magic Mouse, for ergonomics, a free-moving scroll wheel, a horizontal wheel, customizable buttons and a function button for Mac gestures.
  • Docks: CalDigit TS3 Plus (15 ports) and the Element Hub (three Thunderbolt 4 ports and four USB4 ports).
  • Speakers: Kanto YU2.

M1 MacBook Pro

Before the iMac, this was my primary device, and I still use it daily for a change of scenery or in the evening. It’s almost as powerful as the iMac: I can move any workflow between them. The battery is so good I can use it for hours, put it down and pick it up the next day without charging. They’re not perfect but pretty close (see my three-month review).

iPad Pro

For about two years it was my main computer, as iPadOS gained a better browser, file management and mouse and keyboard support. It has features no Mac has: a touch screen and cellular, and it’s a better media device with an amazing screen and speakers. It’s still my favorite way to edit photos and video (LumaFusion, with the trackpad, Pencil or fingers, anywhere, even on the couch with your feet up), and I used Photoshop for iPad for thumbnails and Word for scripts. I switched because I needed multicam editing; LumaFusion has announced it’s coming this year, so I may try again. Now I use it for checking out apps like Mojo (simple motion graphics).

Apple TV

On all my TVs now, for nearly all my content: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and live TV with AT&T TV Now. Complaints about the remote aside, the hardware is fast and fluid, has all the apps, integrates perfectly with AirPlay and, despite the price, I know Apple isn’t tracking everything I watch. I also like that you can calibrate audio delay and now even calibrate color from the Apple TV using your iPhone. I was all-in on Roku for years, but small things like these make the Apple TV a more complete set-top box.

That’s most of the Apple products, and I may have a problem. Do you switch between products like I do, or have a smaller set of go-to devices? New devices, including the new iMac, are coming in a couple of weeks.

Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a small commission. See my ethics statement.

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