How we work: Charles prepares for a big Apple tech refresh in 2025

Charles really loves his mostly-older Apple gear, but 2025 is going to be a year of change. Here's how he gets work done at AppleInsider.

I only develop and write stories for AppleInsider on the weekends, hence my Weekend Editor title. As a result, I have a pretty modest setup and workflow compared to most of the full-timers.

Versatility for travel is one of my key requirements, since I am on the road at various times of the year. Even when I'm at home, I'm often in a cafe or occasionally doing local radio as a "computer guru," or on Zoom teaching online tech classes.

As a result, the center of my Apple universe when it comes to writing articles is my MacBook Pro, which is no longer a recent model. It is, in fact, one of the very last of the Intel-based MacBook Pros.

To be specific, it's a 2019 15.4-inch that runs a 2.3GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of internal storage, and both Intel built-in graphics and a Radeon Pro 560X. It's still reasonably fast for a Mac despite the lack of an M-series chip, and has the touch bar — which I find useful for my core apps.

My primary uses of this computer are writing, online research, photo editing, and Wordpress — none of which need a particularly beefy or high-end computer. I purchased it in December of 2019 for half of its usual $3000-plus price, because it was being cleared out to make room for the 2020 models.

It's attached to a 4K external monitor, and I tend to use an Apple Bluetooth trackpad rather than the built-in one when I'm at home. I have a couple of hubs — the one seen above for home use, and another for the iPad Pro — to give me Ethernet and HDMI, along with USB-A ports and a camera card reader for times when or if I need them.

I mostly use my MBP most in a corner-desk setup, where everything I might need for writing, website work, Zoom meetings, FaceTime and podcasting are all at my fingertips. I use mostly Byword for writing, Pixelmator Pro for graphics, Luminar for photo editing, and Safari as my preferred browser.

Because I serve as tech support for many clients, friends, and relatives — not all of whom have Apple products — when I'm not working here, I also keep up to date with Windows. I have a current Lenovo laptop that probably feels pretty unloved most of the time, but it really helps me help people who work with Windows 10 and 11.

The machine I can't live without: the iPad Pro

Occasionally, I have to fulfill some of my AppleInsider duties entirely on my second-gen 11-inch iPad Pro, which I got new in 2020. Thanks to a HyperDrive USB-C hub, I can add photos or connect to a hotel TV if needed.

This keeps things light, which is important for me when traveling. In 2024 alone, I visited five countries and more than half a dozen cities.

With the iPad Pro, a USB-C hub, the Magic Keyboard case, and a travel bag to carry it all, that's nearly all I need for technology on the go. That is, apart from my iPhone 12 and reliable internet, of course.

An iPad hub by Hyper and an HDMI cable lets me use my iPad Pro on a 27-inch monitor.

When I sometimes need to bring the MacBook Pro with me as well, the iPad can be used as a secondary screen wirelessly, which is very useful. When I only have the iPad Pro, I often use the hotel's TV as my main screen — thanks to either AirPlay, or my travel hub and an HDMI cable.

Apart from its lighter weight, the iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard case also fits on tray tables in coach class, where my larger MacBook Pro would be a bit awkward, and that's invaluable for working while flying. The battery life of the iPad Pro never fails to impress me.

My other must-have bit of tech gear are my second-generation AirPods Pro, which I got new in 2022. The noise cancellation is a must while traveling and in restaurants, and now the hearing protection features are invaluable when I opt to go to loud rock concerts or other noisy events.

2025 is a rebuilding year

While I still get a lot of reasonably quick use out of my current gear, I do like to upgrade before the machines start to falter or lose too much resale value. As all three of my main Apple devices are four years old or older, 2025 and the raves over the M4 chip are really pushing me to upgrade.

Boxing Week deals — or after-Christmas sales as they are known in the US — provide a serious opportunity to comparison-shop deals with local cellular providers for iPhones. One of our local tech chains decided to start the holiday discounts early, so I took the opportunity on Christmas to finally upgrade my iPhone 12 to an iPhone 16 Pro, as I tend to take a lot of photos.

While I've enjoyed the screen space of my current 16-inch MacBook Pro, I really need a main computer that can run Apple Intelligence. The M4 Mac mini is looking like a steal at its new price, though I might want to continue with an M4 MacBook Pro instead — but if I do that, I'm downsizing to the 14-inch model this time around, as I prefer the more-compact size for travel (check discounted prices).

I'm also keen on updating my 11-inch iPad Pro to the M4 model, though this is probably the least urgent upgrade. If that should prove unaffordable until tax-refund time, I might instead replace my pair of first-gen full-size HomePods if a new model appears.

I currently use my HomePods for streaming music, but also as my TV's speakers via the Apple TV 4K, the combination of which has been very enjoyable and truly among my favorite pieces of household tech. A further smart-home upgrade to HomePod, which seems to be in the works, would be really great.

Clearly, 2025 is going to be a bit of an expensive year for me. Even though my main uses of Apple gear probably pale in sophistication to many of our readers, I have to maintain my "guru" status for my many friends and relatives who count on me for technical support — and this means reasonably upgrading my PC arsenal for best results.