Good Enough Computing

Have you heard of “good enough computing?” I happened across this term recently and it caught my interest. I haven’t read much about the subject yet, but it sounds akin to both a simple and frugal approach to what computer devices and apps one chooses to rely on. Of course, this ties into the idea of the “Apple Tax” and things like a $3,500 Vision Pro headset versus, for example, a $350 Chromebook. (Yeah, this geek has the audacity to compare a 3D VR headset with a “just a browser” laptop.)

Right off the bat, I can tell you with certainty that as a blogger who relies on robust text manipulation, I would be far more productive on a $350 Chromebook than a $3,500 Vision Pro since, out of the box, the former has a physical keyboard and trackpad while the latter lacks any tactile input mechanism. A headset, Meta Quest or otherwise, wouldn’t be good enough for writing. A laptop is more frugal, simple, and practical than a headset.

Then again, I imagine many said the same thing about paper ledgers, folders, and notebooks when the first Macintosh debuted in 1984. So who knows; maybe Vision Pro is the “future of computing” and I should prepare to give Apple all my money unless, of course, there’s an Android version coming. Queue the copiers.

Seriously though, the concept or notion of “good enough computing” sounds super attractive to me. It tickles my minimalism bone. Yet right now, this idea appeals more to my frugal interests than my simple ones.

Nevermind the $3,500 Vision Pro, just comparing laptops has me questioning how much of a computer I really need. I mostly use my M1 MacBook Air, which I bought on Apple’s refurb store for $850. But I know I can do basically most of my computing on an iPad (with accessories) for less than that. Further still, I know I can do all my computing on a $300 Chromebook too - gasp! Web apps and Android mobile apps are enough.

My needs are simple: text wrangling, web surfing, email, etc. Photo editing is about as complex as my computing gets, and my smartphone handles that well enough, whether I use iCloud Photos, Google Photos, Snapseed, or maybe Pixlr. Actually, on occasion, I create graphics for my blog and find Canva, the web-app, to be great for my simple needs. So yeah, I have totally done that on a Chromebook.

What’s been dubbed the “Apple Tax” speaks to the high-margin prices that Apple enjoys. It’s a business, so making good profit follows. It’s also a brand, so marketing itself within certain financial brackets follows. Apple is premium and aspirational. But ignoring that, I can attest to the great quality and reliability of Apple hardware and, usually, its software.

That said, there is a diminishing return, a threshold where, at some crossing point, the extra money you spend to buy a device brings less value. So, for example, a $1,000 smartphone is not necessarily twice as good as a $500 smartphone; it may only be 10% better. When a $500 phone does all the basics “good enough”, why spend another $500 on what amounts to bells and whistles?

Don’t get me wrong; I like some bells and whistles. But I also like having money leftover. And of course, I prefer to buy what I need, like a USB-C port on a phone rather than a “Dynamic Island,” which is a clever way to hide a gross display notch on an Apple iPhone that, somehow, Samsung and other Android makers manage to avoid altogether.

Case in point: as of this past week, the Google Pixel 7a was on sale for a mere $374 a Best Buy. By all accounts, it’s a great smartphone overall with a miniscule hole-punch versus a notch canyon. Why spend more?

As a consumer on a budget, besides asking myself if I can afford a gadget, I ask if I should. So should I have bought my $850 MacBook, or should I have instead found a good Chromebook for half that? Well, there are always other factors at play besides purchase cost, but that’s often the bottom line. I think I did okay since I bought my Mac refurbished instead of new, which would have cost $999.

Likewise, I bought my iPhone 12 mini renewed on Amazon for a low $330. That said, I can buy a brand new Android phone with a larger screen, a bigger battery, and more storage for a low $200 on sale at Best Buy - the Samsung Galaxy A15. Is that good enough? It seems like incredible value.

To me, good enough computing isn’t only about the financial aspect but the practical one too. Sometimes one’s needs require a more expensive device. If I needed to do 3D rendering or AutoCAD on my personal computer, a sub-$500 Chromebook wouldn’t be on the table. A Vision Pro wouldn’t be on the table either. I’d likely grab a gaming PC or workstation, spending $1,000 or more.

Anyways, just putting some of my initial thoughts out there about “good enough computing.” I think I’ll be thinking about it more in the coming weeks. What are your thoughts?