Apple Laptop <$500 - Suggestions & Insight

[cam_wmh]

hi guys

We have a family friend, we want to buy a laptop for, and have decided a Mac is the way to go.

We only have a budget of $500, and thus am asking for your suggestions.

I see many on Kijiji around this figure, but have no idea where to start. While I have Apple devices, I've never owned a Mac laptop. I know OS upgrades can be contentious.

Here's a link to those search criteria.
http://www.kijiji.ca/b-laptops/calga...price=200__600

Thanks much
Cam

[Neil4Speed]

I can't speak specifically to Apple, however, I think this is a situation where you would gain serious benefit out of installing an SSD drive.

Are you choosing apple as the user of the laptop is older and apple is more user friendly? I would still encourage you look at a PC if this is the case. Windows 10 is pretty good, and you can get a decent new laptop in your budget (vs. a 6 year old Macbook)

A quick example: http://www.dell.com/ca/p/inspiron-15...15-3558-laptop

[Mitsu3000gt]

Buying an ancient Macbook is asking for a big repair bill, on obsolete hardware no less.

Some of those laptops in the Kijiji link are 8 years old! Just about anything is better than that.

I'm assuming this is for basic use, but there are lots of modern laptops in that price range if Windows is OK:

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX60598

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX62977

W7/W10 could not be simpler to use if that is a concern.

[Xtrema]

Buying a used Mac is no different than buying a 10 year old MB S500.

Unless you are chained to OS for some reason, I don't see why a cheap Windows laptop can't do the same.

[Seth1968]

Definitely agree with Neil and Mitsu.

$500 for an old Mac? You've just spent $500.00 for huge repair costs.

Given your budget and the above, I suggest the Asus that Mitsu posted.

[riander5]

Yea don't be dumb

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by Xtrema

Unless you are chained to OS for some reason, I don't see why a cheap Windows laptop can't do the same.

You guys do know you can run the latest Mac OS's on PC's... right?

[dirtsniffer]

Originally posted by riander5
Yea don't be dumb

[Redlyne_mr2]

I have a 5 year old MacBook pro that Im super hard on and it runs as good as the day I bought it. Just installed the newest operating system so she's good to go. Every PC I ever buy bogs down and turns to junk after 9 months.

[Seth1968]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1


You guys do know you can run the latest Mac OS's on PC's... right?

Like this nightmare:

http://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac...on-pc-3632329/

Never mind the illegal stuff. The hassle is insane, and even if you get it up and running, good luck with the hardware drivers.

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
I have a 5 year old MacBook pro that Im super hard on and it runs as good as the day I bought it. Just installed the newest operating system so she's good to go. Every PC I ever buy bogs down and turns to junk after 9 months.

I don't even...

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
I have a 5 year old MacBook pro that Im super hard on and it runs as good as the day I bought it. Just installed the newest operating system so she's good to go. Every PC I ever buy bogs down and turns to junk after 9 months.

That has nothing to do with PC vs Mac, must have been something else going on. You can get junk on both that will slow them down. If your PC is turning to "junk" in 9(!) months, that is absolutely ridiculous and something totally different is going on. I sell all my PC's when they are 6-7 years old and they are good as new at that time, just obviously with old hardware.

[dtrieu]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
I have a 5 year old MacBook pro that Im super hard on and it runs as good as the day I bought it. Just installed the newest operating system so she's good to go. Every PC I ever buy bogs down and turns to junk after 9 months.

+1. 15" MBP

[flipstah]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


That has nothing to do with PC vs Mac, must have been something else going on. You can get junk on both that will slow them down. If your PC is turning to &quot;junk&quot; in 9(!) months, that is absolutely ridiculous and something totally different is going on. I sell all my PC's when they are 6-7 years old and they are good as new at that time, just obviously with old hardware.

Yup. I have a PC laptop from 2007. I still use it and still runs well.

[Strider]

Having a quick browse through the kijiji listings you linked, a good number of them have had battery replacements (or are currently in need of a new battery), a few have had touchpad replacements, and a few mention minor cracks.

Would you really want to gift a laptop to somebody, knowing it could cost them $150 for a battery replacement in the near future?

[yellowsnow]

I'll say one thing, apple products retain the value fairly well. 8 year old laptop for $500?

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
I have a 5 year old MacBook pro that Im super hard on and it runs as good as the day I bought it. Just installed the newest operating system so she's good to go. Every PC I ever buy bogs down and turns to junk after 9 months.

I have to say that if you don't know what you're doing, it's much easier to get malware and spyware on PCs which is majority of the pain. That's was 5 years ago.

The malware/spayware market has since shift to Apple/Android products as much as Windows, so the pain is equal if the user is not internet savvy.

Originally posted by HiTempguy1


You guys do know you can run the latest Mac OS's on PC's... right?

I won't do this as a gift. As a toy for myself to screw around, sure.


While this PC is weaker than Mitsu's suggestion, the SSD may make up for it.

https://www.microsoftstore.com/store...ctID.857311700

[Seth1968]

Originally posted by Xtrema


I have to say that if you don't know what you're doing, it's much easier to get malware and spyware on PCs which is majority of the pain. That's was 5 years ago.

The malware/spayware market has since shift to Apple/Android products as much as Windows, so the pain is equal if the user is not internet savvy.

Not quite equal, but getting close.

Up until about 2 years ago, I never had a call with in infected Mac. I'm now at the point of about one a week.

The two most prevalent are Mackeeper and the Mac variant of PC's fake Microsoft phone number.

[Mitsu3000gt]

If you just click "yes" to everything that pops up without reading it as some people do, it doesn't matter what OS you're running you are probably going to have issues at some point down the road.

Anyone that thinks PC's just automatically slow down after X amount of time are probably the same people who don't read popups and warnings. Never in my life have I had a virus or a experienced a computer randomly becoming chronically sluggish and I don't do anything special at all or run any third party active monitoring software.

One reason Mac's didn't used to get viruses as often back in the day was because they were such a tiny market share and virus/malware creators didn't care about them. Apple is also notoriously slow at dealing with security vulnerabilities when they do arise.

I also wonder how many people don't even know their Mac is infected with a piece of malware or spyware or whatever - some of it is very difficult to detect, and if they think their computer is immune to such things, they will never bother looking for it. Even the employees at the Apple store are telling people it's impossible for a Mac to get a virus, malware, or spyware - those customers are not at all likely to ever go looking for something that may have infected their computer, so I imagine it's hard to even get statistical data on such a thing.

[Seth1968]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
Apple is also notoriously slow at dealing with security vulnerabilities when they do arise.

Yep, that's been well known in the industry. Nothing to see here. EXCEPT:

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/c...703-21ei4.html


Like a comment posted and what I've been saying all along:

It's only because they haven't been targeted that they seem safe. Until recently there haven't been enough Mac users to make it worthwhile making Mac viruses. To think Apple somehow made immune computers is moronic, but I suppose they market to the gullible.

[Seth1968]

With all that said in this thread, the OP is probably now thinking, FAAK.