Just wondering with the introduction of the M1 macbooks, if any of the Intel macbooks are still usable now that it's been 2 years?
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Are any of the Intel Macbooks still usable in 2022?
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Yes, why wouldn’t they be usable?
It’s not like they’re suddenly going to stop working because Apple released new Macs.
It’s not like they’re suddenly going to stop working because Apple released new Macs.
Nope they’re out of date. Please send them to me for recycling 😂😂
Seriously, though of course they’re usable. They’re just as usable as they were when they came out.
I would not buy an Intel MacBook today unless you’re on a tight budget and it was cheap or you needed support for some legacy feature.
Seriously, though of course they’re usable. They’re just as usable as they were when they came out.
I would not buy an Intel MacBook today unless you’re on a tight budget and it was cheap or you needed support for some legacy feature.
I think the general qualification of “usable” means - are they still supported and getting updates -
The short answer to that is, yes. Intel Macs will continue to run the latest OS’s as they are released over the next few years, and even after that will continue to get security updates as required. My 2011 Mac Mini still gets security updates, for example..
The only real question is, for how long…
The short answer to that is, yes. Intel Macs will continue to run the latest OS’s as they are released over the next few years, and even after that will continue to get security updates as required. My 2011 Mac Mini still gets security updates, for example..
The only real question is, for how long…
Uh, yes. Yes they are still usable. In fact, many many production environments will still need Intel for the foreseeable future.
Every single functioning Intel MacBook since 2006 is still useable in 2022.
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We tend to keep Macs forever. My son is still using my old maxed out 2012 1st Gen retina MacBook Pro 15" (OS Catalina?). My two daughters have my old 2014 MBP 13" and MBP 15" respectively (both maxed out). They all get the job done.
My 8-core Intel i9 MacBook Pro 16 inch from March 2020 is still very fast and useable on Mac OS 12.6, and with 32GB RAM/2TB SSD plus 8GB VRAM I hope that it will have many more years left in it.
Our late 2015 iMac with 4-core i5 still runs great, because we upgraded from 8GB RAM to 32GB 2 years ago, and upgraded the 1TB fusion drive to a 2TB SSD at the same time. So it's very fast and responsive in Mac OS 12.6 as well. It definitely bums me out that Apple won't support it in future OS updates, to run Ventura when we end up updating everything else to stay current. This is the Mac that has the 8TB iTunes library drive plugged in all the time, and sits in the kitchen 24/7 for whomever need to use it when they are on the main floor - other Macs in the house can access the iTunes library over the network.
However, my old 2013 MBA with 2-core i5 and 8GB/512GB is a bit slow. Maybe it should have stayed on Mac OS X instead of OS 11. Or I may need need to do a clean install of Mac OS 11 to see if all the old legacy extensions and background daemons added over the past decade of OS upgrades have clogged things up. This has been the Macbook that's so light that I would carry it around the house when I'm doing stuff that needs more than just an iPad.
Having USB 3 and Thunderbolt, with SD card reader keeps the old MBA useful with todays peripherals, and I'm thinking of sending it to my mom. She is still using a 2011 MacBook Air 4GB/128GB with USB 2.0! for syncing her iCloud so it matches what's on her iPhone but with a bigger screen. With its new battery she could use it for several more years for what she needs to do with it.
My 8-core Intel i9 MacBook Pro 16 inch from March 2020 is still very fast and useable on Mac OS 12.6, and with 32GB RAM/2TB SSD plus 8GB VRAM I hope that it will have many more years left in it.
Our late 2015 iMac with 4-core i5 still runs great, because we upgraded from 8GB RAM to 32GB 2 years ago, and upgraded the 1TB fusion drive to a 2TB SSD at the same time. So it's very fast and responsive in Mac OS 12.6 as well. It definitely bums me out that Apple won't support it in future OS updates, to run Ventura when we end up updating everything else to stay current. This is the Mac that has the 8TB iTunes library drive plugged in all the time, and sits in the kitchen 24/7 for whomever need to use it when they are on the main floor - other Macs in the house can access the iTunes library over the network.
However, my old 2013 MBA with 2-core i5 and 8GB/512GB is a bit slow. Maybe it should have stayed on Mac OS X instead of OS 11. Or I may need need to do a clean install of Mac OS 11 to see if all the old legacy extensions and background daemons added over the past decade of OS upgrades have clogged things up. This has been the Macbook that's so light that I would carry it around the house when I'm doing stuff that needs more than just an iPad.
Having USB 3 and Thunderbolt, with SD card reader keeps the old MBA useful with todays peripherals, and I'm thinking of sending it to my mom. She is still using a 2011 MacBook Air 4GB/128GB with USB 2.0! for syncing her iCloud so it matches what's on her iPhone but with a bigger screen. With its new battery she could use it for several more years for what she needs to do with it.
LOL I'm still using my Late 2013 rMBP every day for "office" work, both at home and on the road. I feel no great need to upgrade. (When the time comes, I'm sure I'll enjoy the upgrade, but I certainly don't need it.)
Of course. We have nearly 10 year old computers at work still running just fine.
They sure are, I have to use iTunes on my 2015 MBP for example.
Hmm...my first ever Mac, a 2006 PPC Mini is used as my music centre, a mid 2012 MBP is connected to my TV to: A. turn it into a smart TV, and B. record TV programmes. My second ever Mac, an early intel Mini, is used to play the TV recordings at our holiday home. I have a 2009 White MacBook the I use if I need to use iDVD, and I'm typing this on my current M1 MBA.
I also have an iPhone 3GS that I use as an iPod and an iPhone 5S is my current phone.
I also have an iPhone 3GS that I use as an iPod and an iPhone 5S is my current phone.
Only barely. Having used an M1 (Pro) Mac, the old Intel Macs appear as old and slow to me now.