MacBook Pro 13" Core i5 Mid-2012 MacBookPro9,2

[newtomacbookpro]

Besides having used an iPhone 6 briefly and some experience using iPads, I do not know much about Apple devices. I am an android and windows guy through and through. I saved an old MBP from the e-cycle heap last week. Checked everything works as it should but really slow with 4GB memory and a 500GB spinner. The case is a bit scratched and that is it.

I had spare 2x8GB DDR3 memory and a 120GB SSD so after watching youtube I managed to install both and updated to Catalina 10.15.7 19H1922. The battery cycle is 125 and normal - don't know if that means it has 125 cycles left and will die soon?

So now the fun is over so what am I to do with it? I have a thunderbolt adapter and can run external display but resolution is not great on a 4k tv.

 

[eyoungren]

Besides having used an iPhone 6 briefly and some experience using iPads, I do not know much about Apple devices. I am an android and windows guy through and through. I saved an old MBP from the e-cycle heap last week. Checked everything works as it should but really slow with 4GB memory and a 500GB spinner. The case is a bit scratched and that is it.

I had spare 2x8GB DDR3 memory and a 120GB SSD so after watching youtube I managed to install both and updated to Catalina 10.15.7 19H1922. The battery cycle is 125 and normal - don't know if that means it has 125 cycles left and will die soon?

So now the fun is over so what am I to do with it? I have a thunderbolt adapter and can run external display but resolution is not great on a 4k tv.

You can use it for everything you would normally do on a computer. Catalina will run modern web browsers, you can get Adobe CC21 on there, latest versions of Office, etc.

I have a 2008 MBP running Catalina with a 500GB SSD and 4GB ram and it handles all that just fine.

 

[newtomacbookpro]

You can use it for everything you would normally do on a computer. Catalina will run modern web browsers, you can get Adobe CC21 on there, latest versions of Office, etc.

I have a 2008 MBP running Catalina with a 500GB SSD and 4GB ram and it handles all that just fine.

You have only 4GB memory? What do you run on your MBP?

 

[eyoungren]

You have only 4GB memory? What do you run on your MBP?

Ugh, the better question is what do I NOT run. But my primary apps would be:

Office 2021
Adobe CC 20/21
Vivaldi Browser

I'm not using this Mac as much anymore due to circumstance. I have primarily switched to my 2009 MacPro 4,1 (5,1 upgraded) running Mojave. But when I was using the MBP a lot it handled everything just fine. I had to get it off of El Cap though as it liked to heat up a lot with that OS for some reason.

It was on Mojave for quite a while before I upgraded it to Catalina.

 

[Jack Neill]

The mid 2012 is a great machine. I am typing this on one right now. I have 16GB and a 2TB SSD in mine and its running 11.6.6 fantastically. I would go the OCLP and go for 11.6 over 10.15. It works much smoother IMO. 125 Cycles is still pretty decent although I wouldn't write home about battery life on these beasts..

 

[MysticCow]

Those 2012 MBPs will be my next Mac. I think it's time to finally upgrade from my 2011 mini and into something more Mayan Apocalypse.

 

[Amethyst1]

Those 2012 MBPs will be my next Mac.

Get a 15” with a quad-core if you can. The dual-core in the 13” is showing its age.

 

[MysticCow]

Get a 15” with a quad-core if you can. The dual-core in the 13” is showing its age.

In the macOS or Windows? Because it likely would run Win 10 more often than the macOS.

 

[Amethyst1]

In the macOS or Windows? Because it likely would run Win 10 more often than the macOS.

I meant generally. It really shows when multi-tasking.

 

[MysticCow]

I meant generally. It really shows when multi-tasking.

It's actually rare for me to multi-task.