Advice for elder, purchase options.

[dwig]

I to lean toward recommending a Mac Mini with a separate monitor and reusing her existing mouse and keyboard.

The upside to this is that when (when, not if) the Mini gets too old to get upgrades you will likely be able to replace it for less than replacing and iMac.

There is a downside to looking at older used/refirb devices. They will have a shorter life span before that are too old for upgrades. If you go this way, get the newest model you can afford.

 

[MajorFubar]

How about buying used, anything from 2015 onwards? Of course there is always a risk, but all iMacs and Mac Minis are pretty reliable compared to the Macbook and Macbook Pro which shall we say went through a bit of a rough patch.

 

[theStruggle]

Chromebooks don't run Windows. Chromebooks (generally) don't have to deal with viruses and worst case if the device gets screwed up it's easy to wipe it and reset everything back to defaults. Chromebooks update automatically. Chromebooks are cheap. I talked my tech illiterate uncle into giving up his ancient Windows machine that kept getting viruses and it was the best thing I ever did for him. For the absolute basics you want once it was set up all she would have to do it log in and double click an icon to launch her browser.

Ah, that's really great option for many and I'm glad you found something that solved your uncles issue! I haven't bothered looking into anything else than PC or Mac products - mostly because it hasn't been worth looking at for us.

My dad uses a PC (not long ago we upgraded his setup so he could use W11, also we've subscribed to Malwarebytes AV for years) and has an iPhone 12 , but my for my mom it's been a bit different. I've been teaching her to use these things for a decade and that's nothing she is willing to give up on, she's confident in what she knows now even though she has to ask me quite a lot sometimes, my dad has asked her several times to get something else but it's not an option.

The thing is, she is used to Safari all the functionality that comes with it. Also the Mail App. Furthermore it's crucial for her that all the things she finds when not at the desktop computer through her iPhone or iPad syncs with her desktop of choice - which would become a cumbersome issue if it wouldn't be a Mac.

TLDR: Chromebooks, thanks, but no thanks.

 

[richmlow]

My mother has had an old iMac 2009 model for some time now and it's worked alright for her needs,
but not before I swapped in an SSD and removed the disc drive. I installed a fan utility to make the fan
go quietly.

However now a lot of sites she needs to access aren't working properly and they are even saying that
she'd have to upgrade her browser. This is a problem since she cannot upgrade to newer OS versions.
It's also been tough to use Zoom, it is a little bit demanding for the current setup.

She doesn't have a lot of income, I'm willing to help her buy a new system that would suit her needs.
However we would very much not enjoy having to buy a new system after a few years because it isn't
supported for OS upgrades anymore.

Main uses:

1. Browse the web.
2. Use Zoom for calls and meets.

She is well incorporated into the Apple Eco-system with these products:

• iPad Air (First Gen, used for browsing recipes in the kitchen)
• iPad (Latest Gen, mostly used for different reading apps, and uses Facetime to call her almost 100 year old mother. Also plays golf via Apple Arcade)
• Iphone SE (Latest Gen, upgraded from the last gen SE model)

Now hitting a rough patch with very little to spend on other things than food and bills for the foreseeable future,
What kind of system would you recommend?


Thank you for your time to read, and for the eventual advice.


EDIT:
(Previously I'd written that she had a 2013 model, causing a lot of unnecessary replies.
I'm sorry guys!)

I recommend a Mac Mini M1 (Apple Silicon). Please see attached screenshot. Note that the cost is in US Dollars.

Good luck on your decision.


richmlow

 

[Baja63]

Having gone through this with my father, I’d say a 24” iMac. It’s got everything built in and plenty powerful enough to do what she needs at a decent price. iPads are better in general for elderly users with little computer familiarity but given that she has been using OS X for years, I’d stick with the iMac.

 

[throAU]

Either replace with a 24" iMac or buy the apple keyboard/trackpad for her ipad (or an ipad pro 12.9).

Her use case is 100% iPad ideal.

Instead of screwing around with pairing peripherals just get the apple kit for an ipad pro, and it will just work.

But if she truly still wants to keep a mac around, 24" imac will do the job just fine. Way better than the mac it is replacing.

 

[Fishrrman]

A Mini is probably going to be the best deal.
Again ... get one with an SSD inside.

And if her eyesight is getting weaker... consider a larger-sized display, such a 27".
4k will yield a slightly sharper image, but I've found that with age, it's more "the size of text" rather than "the clarity" that makes it easier to discern...

 

[Thirio2]

If she doesn’t want to use a keypad with her latest iPad, could she use a mini with her old iMac in target display mode? it seems this would be the next least expensive solution. She could even use her existing keyboard and mouse/trackpad.

 

[Euroamerican]

Yeah.... I see the OP's discussion about the user's familiarity with the MacOS and the iOS devices and now "vote" for the the "buy a new or refurb" later model iMac or Mac Mini solution.

If she is a fully Apple user, then there's no point in trying to into a new OS. I'd be more interested in suggesting Chromebook if she were a Google mail person NOT also having iOS devices. I tell ya, it's all the little things that add to make support frustrating, and it's worth the money to avoid the avoidable.

 

[KaliYoni]

If she is a fully Apple user, then there's no point in trying to into a new OS.

That was my view as well, until recently. Now, my approach begins with how a person uses their devices. A person who relies on memorized patterns and muscle memory to accomplish their tasks will have trouble adjusting to just about any change in hardware, software, or UI. So the support "work" for upgrading vs. replacement might not be that different, depending on the individual involved.

 

[theStruggle]

Sorry to bring this back from the dead, but I'd just like to report how this concluded.

We got her brand new gear. Bought her the Mac through my nephew who got student discounts.

- BenQ monitor (Specialized to reduce eye-strain)

Regarding this monitor; she immediately found herself having almost no eye fatigue at all and little to no headaches.​

- Mac Mini (M2)
- Magic Mouse (donated by me)
- Magic Keyboard (donated by me)


She's very happy with everything.

 

[ChrisA]

I would advise you to NOT buy "the cheapest one". I believe it has only 2 ports on the back, and it doesn't have an ethernet connection.

We are taling about an older person who only uses the Mac for Zoom meetings, online shopoing and email. Every current Mac is "overkill". and quite literally she coud use a Chromebook.

But if she wants Mac, then screen size is likey the singlemost impotant thing. So either the base model iMac or a Mini with a decent 27 inch monitor.

 

[splifingate]

Furthermore it's crucial for her that all the things she finds when not at the desktop computer through her iPhone or iPad syncs with her desktop of choice

Narrows-it-down to Mac, I believe

[edit]

Well, that's completed, I now see