Help on Deciding to Buy New or Used MacBook Pro or Air

[TechFann]

I came here because I have a dilemma. So here it is: I have 2 older Windows PCs that are not supported by Microsoft officially to get the update to Windows 11 with the end of Windows 10 support in 2025. So I would need to buy a new PC and since everything else I have is Apple, I’ve decided to look at MacBooks.

I have an M1 iPad Air with a Magic Keyboard that I use for pretty much everything currently (browsing the web, media consumption, social media, reading, pdf creation and viewing, notes, word documents, and some light spreadsheet creation, etc).

I currently only use my PCs maybe a couple times a month. I really only need a computer type device going forward for data storage, tax season, and I need to use proprietary software to transfer software updates to an SD card for my car. I also have a multi port dongle that has a SD card slot on it.

So what should I do? I don’t feel I need a brand new MacBook Pro or Air considering my minimal use case. Should I buy like a 2018 or 2019 Intel MacBook Pro, a used M1 or M2 MacBook Air, an M1 MacBook Pro, etc? I can buy a new MacBook Air or Pro, but don’t really feel the need to spend that kind of money on a device I will rarely use. I also want to get something that will last maybe for 5 years or so at least? Any suggestions?

 

[Alameda]

If you already have a MacBook Air, and it meets all your needs, why buy anything at all? I mean… what is your reason for needing a second one?

 

[benwiggy]

If you already have a MacBook Air,

They have an iPAD air.

Any suggestions?

You can rule out an Intel Mac. There's no point in getting one for your needs, and it will become unsupported in a few years.

Your needs are light enough that an MBA will be more than sufficient. A Mac Book Pro would be excessive. 15" is also probably too big.

Newer is obviously better, in terms of length of life, battery, and you never quite know what people have done with/to their Mac...

 

[kschendel]

I would agree that your needs are probably best served with a Macbook Air, and you might as well buy used. Screen size choice is up to you; if you're using it for taxes, you might want the larger screen.

I'd probably look for an M2 MBA simply for support longevity, even though an M1 would do the job for you.

 

[Ben J.]

My thiinking would be, like:

If I'm not absolutely sure about making a big investment, I get a used mac, not the latest model so it'll be inexpensive. So maybe a used MBA M1, they're cheap these days, and you could sell it in a one or two years and get 80-90% of the money back.

If I'm really certain of one specific configuration of one specific model will be perfect for me, I buy new, it's safer, I get extra benefits, it will be supported for a long time. Its resale value will fall much over the years, but I don't care, I'm planning to keep it, right?

 

[Snowlover]

I know you are asking about buying a macbook, but did you know you can easily use Rufus to make a windows 11 usb installer that bypasses all requirements that keep you from upgrading your windows 10 pcs?

I did this on an asus transformer with an atom processor and it runs fine, as well as it did on win 10, gets all updates etc.

So if you only use your pc infrequently, you can save a lot of money just using Rufus to update to windows 11.

How to install Windows 11 on almost any unsupported PC

Want Windows 11 but have an unsupported computer? Here's how to install Windows 11 even if your PC doesn't meet the minimum requirements.

www.xda-developers.com

 

[lostPod]

Apple Referb store if they have it.