Replacing an iMac 2011 running High Sierra?

[Bodhitree]

So I have a question about my elderly mother’s iMac, which is a Late 2011 model which can’t go higher than macOS High Sierra. She uses it mainly for internet banking, her taxes and a few important legal documents. The question is, how long can you safely keep on doing these things on a machine which is no longer receiving security updates?

I’ve installed Microsoft Edge as an alternate browser to Safari, it still receives support and so should be safer.

It’s a bit of a piece of string question, it depends on how safety conscious you are. My mother is pretty sensible and is unlikely to do silly things like installing a virus package or visiting dodgy websites. Still, she accesses her savings accounts with this machine, and there is a considerable amount of money in there which she can’t afford to lose.

I’ve been preparing her to let go of the old machine and buy a new Mac, the old iMac has had a good run, but recently she asked the question just how urgent is this?

Interested to hear what you will say, is it time to pull the trigger?

 

[phillytim]

As a computer professional who is *still* running his 2011 MacBook Pro with the OS same limit of High Sierra as you folks, I think that you are doing alright so long as you keep a currently-updated browser.

Since your main concern is the security of your banking, the primary issue is keeping an updated, secure browser. Edge is great, but I urge you to at least install the "Ublock Origin" & "Privacy Badger" browser extensions (whether it be Edge, Brave, Firefox, or others) - and your mom should be just fine.

The caveats are that she should be fine until she starts hearing weird noises coming from the computer (like a fan getting louder, or hard drive making clicks), or when the software she needs can no longer be installed because the version of MacOS is not supported. I had to move to TurboTax Online (website) due to TurboTax software requiring a newer version of macOS than High Sierra.

What's the main reason that you folks don't upgrade?

Mine has been that I primarily work off my iPhone & iPad, and that the laptop really is just a storage repository for my files & photos that I don't need access to often - so I string out the use of that laptop, which is starting to get occasional "Service Battery" warnings which tell me that I do need to upgrade sooner than later.

 

[Bodhitree]

Well, for my mom it comes down to money. She’d like a 16” MacBook Pro for the beautiful large screen, but those are 2750 euro’s over here for the base spec, and thats nearly 3k euro’s which she then couldn’t use for a wheelchair for her even-more-elderly husband. She will spend the money if she has to (and enjoy a beautiful new computer) but she is somewhat wrestling with doubt. She hasn’t upgraded so far because she doesn’t use her iMac that often, and tends to do a bunch of household tasks in one sitting.

From my perspective, a large MBP is overkill for what she’s likely to do with it. She has no real pro uses for the machine, and a base M1 would be perfectly fine, but shes worried about her eyes and thinks 13” laptops seem a bit small.

I’m rather thinking that an M1 Pro machine bought now would probably see her through to the end of her retirement. It certainly wouldn’t be the worst buy she could do.

 

[James_C]

For a replacement machine one of the current M1 iMacs would be perfect for her, if she already has an iMac. Take a look at Apple's refurbished website or Amazon that often will give discounts on Apple devices. Much less expansive than a 16" MBP.

 

[Bodhitree]

Yes, I remember making this argument, @James_C.

But she has this vision in her head of showing said even-more-elderly husband beautiful photo’s on the MBP while sitting comfortably in the living room. It’s something we will have to discuss again, I reckon.

 

[James_C]

@Bodhitree how about a M1 MBA and an a third party display. Significantly less expensive that a MBP and the best of both worlds - Large display to edit photos, browse the web and send emails, and a powerful silent Mac that has a great screen and battery life to show Photo's to her husband ?

 

[Bodhitree]

I’ve been through the options with her, but it seems she’s got her heart set on that 16” MBP, if she needs to upgrade at all. And in the end it is her money, after all.

 

[James_C]

I’ve been through the options with her, but it seems she’s got her heart set on that 16” MBP, if she needs to upgrade at all. And in the end it is her money, after all.

If it is any consolation she is justified. I had an M1 MBA for a year, it was a fantastic machine, but I have always had a 15" MBP in the past, and missed the larger screen, so I upgraded to the 16 M1 Pro MBP when they were released. If the 2016 15" MBP was the worst Apple laptop I ever bought, the 16" M1 MBP has been the best. Apple really knocked it out of the park with that one, so I can completely see her point of view.