![]() But that also means they're getting cheaper. As mentioned, the older machines are Intel-based and will become more and more obsolete. The sweet spot(s) for Mac model yearsĭepending on your budget, I'd recommend a 2014 or 2015 MacBook Pro or - if you have the budget - a 2020 or 2021 machine with Apple's renewed M1 chipset. If a seller doesn't give you any details before you see the machine, avoid them. It will generally give you model year information as well as some other details. If you encounter a seller who claims no knowledge of the model, ask for a serial number (it's available on the unit or in the About this Mac dialog under the Apple menu), and then run the number through Apple's Check Coverage page. I spoke to several sellers who claimed they had no idea. One of the problems with Craigslist, eBay, and Facebook sellers is they often won't specify the year of the machine you're buying. Apparently, Gmail also checks the OS version. Even when using other browsers, Gmail wouldn't work. I got hit with Chrome not upgrading on a too-old machine. I reached out to OWC, which sells refurbs, and it told me a lot of folks are running somewhat older OS versions. See: Which Mac to buy? 10 tips to help you decide The new Apple Silicon Macs have totally eclipsed them in price/performance, so most developers, and certainly Apple, have left the Intel models behind. Just keep in mind that the normal built-in obsolescence inherent in computer purchases is even bigger with the Intel-based Mac. You can still get an Intel Mac now - but get the latest and with the fastest processor and most amount of memory you can afford. That puts a giant obsolescence countdown clock on every Intel-based Mac. If you haven't been following along, Macs running Intel processors have been phased out over the previous two years, replaced by Macs based on Apple's own chips. This way, you can get a better idea of how long you'll be able to use your older Mac and plan for when you'll need to buy another one.Īnd then there's the newest elephant in the room: Apple's move off of Intel x86 processors to Arm (or what Apple calls " Apple Silicon"). So, you can assume that certain models will drop off the OS support list each year. While Apple has never officially published its timetable policy for ending support for older Mac devices, the general rule has been a maximum lifespan of about seven years post-release. When buying a used car, you always want to know its model year, but oddly enough, many Mac resellers (both commercial ones and private parties) seem to gloss over the production year in favor of specs.Īlso: Is Temu legit? What to know before you place an order One of the more interesting challenges in buying used Macs machines is understanding which model year you're buying. They list both model numbers and supported OS versions. If you're going to be buying a used Mac laptop, be sure to bookmark these pages: Instead, it lists the model number of the Mac, which makes it harder to know what you're looking at. When it comes to Amazon, you can do a search for used MacBook Pros by model year, but the company doesn't list them that way. I'll discuss testing procedure later in this article. ![]() Once you get your machine (or machines), load them up fully and test them rigorously. ![]() When you get your machine, you'll have seven to 30 days to fully test it out. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. ![]() ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. ![]()
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