Question Macbook purchase advice ?

[papalzru]

My daughter wants a Macbook for University. She's asked me for help in purchasing one. I really haven't got a clue as I am a Windows user.

She needs it for day to day University work. She doesn't want to spend a fortune but also doesn't want something thats useless. I think around 500-600 mark is what she'd like.

Can anyone recommend what model would be best. I really need help as I'm clueless when it comes to Apple products. Refurbished is fine.

Cheers.

 

[velocityg4]

They start closer to $1000. The base M1 MacBook Air is fine for most university work. You might be able to find on sale for $850-900. Apple has an education store. But I think those will also be about $900.

Ones for $600 are going to just be used. Some shops might claim refurbished. But they are just used. Those shops are also usually huge ripoffs. So, what you get for $600 will be really old.

Frankly, if you can’t afford it new or from the official Apple refurbished store. I’d just say, “Sorry honey. It’s too expensive.” Because buying used is a crapshoot and shouldn’t be done unless you really know what you are doing and willing to risk a lemon.

 

[Dave8671]

Yes you are better off looking at laptops with windows 10 on it. Also to keep the laptop future proof 11 gen CPU's. Here is a list below. I am not saying buy a laptop from amazon, this is just a list of what is out there.

Windows laptops

 

[papalzru]

Thank you both for your honest replies. Just to confirm, would something like the following not be worth buying?

Macbook

Cheers

 

[velocityg4]

Thank you both for your honest replies. Just to confirm, would something like the following not be worth buying?

Macbook

Cheers

Overpriced in my opinion. You also want to avoid 2016-2019 models like the plague. Because they had a faulty keyboard design. Which will eventually fail and replacement is expensive.

I really wouldn't want any of the Intel models. As Apple switched to ARM and will eventually phase out Intel support in their OS. Probably not for another three or four years. So, I'd look at used M1 Macbook Airs for a deal. But you aren't likely to find one that cheap in good condition. They seem to start at around 700 in the UK. The M1 models can also run some iPhone/iPad apps. If the developers allow it.

You can try the 2020 Intel models of the Macbook Air (i5 not i3) or Macbook Pro. You'll find some used in your price range in the UK. They have a good keyboard and should last through university, assuming nothing fails. Just be careful in the listings though. There's scammers who'll mislead you with something like 2020 macOS in the heading. Which means it's probably something from 2010 running the last supported macOS.

 

[Dave8671]

Here is a better macbook pro for the same price. This one has a much bigger drive 1 TB, and 16gb ram.

Macbook

I see laptops all the time with 128 ssd drives and it make me think that the manufacturer is a cheap skate. Tip always buy a laptop with 500 plus drive in them save you a hassle later.

 

[velocityg4]

Here is a better macbook pro for the same price. This one has a much bigger drive 1 TB, and 16gb ram.

Macbook

I see laptops all the time with 128 ssd drives and it make me think that the manufacturer is a cheap skate. Tip always buy a laptop with 500 plus drive in them save you a hassle later.

Edited:

@papalzru Don’t buy that! That’s over twice what it is worth. That is one of those misleading scam listings I was warning the you about. That is a 2012 model. They use the year of the OS installed into tricking people into buying a much older model.

The 2012 doesn’t even support Monterey. Which means it is using Open core Legacy Patcher to work. Making it buggy.

Also, SSD size only really matters if you store a decent amount of files or a lot of large programs. Doing on site IT work. I find the vast majority of people are fine with 256GB. 128GB is a bit tight. Simply because OS and apps take up so much space now. For straight college work, 256GB is enough. It'll only be an issue if she wants to store a bunch of stuff like pictures and videos or games.

128GB can work. She wouldn't be able to store much locally. So, she might have to use it as more of a web terminal. With many files and productivity software being run through a browser. Which she probably already is doing in college with Google Docs and Google Drive. Since those two are really popular in colleges. Also I'm guessing she has an iPhone and is already using iCloud for pictures and video storage.

 

[velocityg4]

@papalzru

Apples prices in the UK just went up by a lot today. Since I assume you are in the UK from the item you linked. You better buy something real fast. Before the used market adjusts and prices go up too.

 

[Dave8671]

Well I just noticed that it was a 2012 release date. I am going to send a message to the seller about that. Which will flag it for eBay. Yes do not buy it.

The issue with macs is the hardware is great but over time operating will slow down. And owners should only upgrade to the same version as the MacBook came with. Mine I had was a 2009 macbook with 10.5 tiger. I would never upgrade it to OSX 11. For what macs cost it's just not worth it.


I would stick with windows 10 or windows 11 systems. Look for a laptop with 8 to 16 gb ram and 500 gb hard drive. Not so easy to find these days.

I would stick with new windows laptops. This is due to windows 11 requirements. Most new systems I have seen are 11 generation CPU's in stores. Only issue is they have what is called blotware. Applications that most user's will never use.

 

[Nighthawk117]

She would be better off with something like this:
https://www.currys.co.uk/products/a...VBOvtCh0Z6gc1EAQYASABEgIssvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[ohio_buckeye]

In my opinion, if from the USA, pick up something like this.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-i...12gb-ssd-pebble-green/6503233.p?skuId=6503233

Puts you right about 799 for an i7 class cpu(amd ryzen 7), 16gb ram and a 512gb ssd. 14 inch screen and looks relatively small and light. Use the savings to get a good accidental plan on it from Best Buy in case anything were to happen to it.

 

[LordVile]

My daughter wants a Macbook for University. She's asked me for help in purchasing one. I really haven't got a clue as I am a Windows user.

She needs it for day to day University work. She doesn't want to spend a fortune but also doesn't want something thats useless. I think around 500-600 mark is what she'd like.

Can anyone recommend what model would be best. I really need help as I'm clueless when it comes to Apple products. Refurbished is fine.

Cheers.

I’d look at the apple refurbish store. You might be able to find an M1 Air for 700-800 on sale.

 

[fileminecr4fts]

The MacBook Air 2017 Apple has been a huge hit since its launch, and for now it's still good enough for everything you throw at it. The product is equipped with a 1.6GHz dual-core intel i5 5250U chip, 8GB of memory and a 128GB SSD so you can comfortably surf the Internet, play games, run Office, Photoshop, and AI software smoothly.