Would you buy a MacBook 12" in 2021?

[Feek]

I absolutely loved my 12" MacBook, it was the first Apple laptop I'd had since a heavy MBP back in 2011. The form factor was perfect and although it was underpowered (even the m7), it still did everything I wanted it to.
If it's cheap then go for it. It's a laptop that makes you smile whenever you pick it up just because it's so small and light.

I replaced mine with a launch day M1 MBA and although this is a fantastic laptop, it's still noticeably heavier and larger. Please Apple, release a 12" M1 laptop and I'll be all over it.

 

[ARK]

Hey guys,

So I have come across a really good deal (considering a bit expensive for an older device) but gorgeous 2017 (released 2018) Gold MacBook 12" 8GB, 512GB i5 Intel which is on sale at the moment.

I know stock will be hard to find and I am thinking that it's really unlikely that Apple will revisit this size and form factor for the M1 chip - which irritates me, but I am so tempted to buy this as a new laptop in 2021 in addition to my current MacBook M1 Pro.

It would literally be a glorified purchase to have this nice form factor and use it when travelling or on the go working opposed to using my MacBook M1 Pro which is a power horse and an amazing battery.

Although these machines, discontinued, are still quite expensive - any ideas if you would purchase one today or continue to wait and pray Apple does actually re-release the MacBook Air with smaller bezels and thinner and lighter more alike to the MacBook 12" with an M1X chip?

Dont listen to these other guys and instead go with your instinct and gut. You know the 12" is slower already, you know Apple could theoretically replace it with something else, and you know the M1 is future proof.

You have to ask yourself, would you be bummed if the sale went away? Would you be bummed if the model was completely sold out and unavailable? Ask yourself how would you feel if you went to the website and saw that the listing was removed.

I remember I kept going to several vendor websites and watching sales come and go. 12" grey MacBook, 512gb and 8gb ram. I remember being bummed every time the sale ended and finally when it was removed from the websites. I kept waiting and waiting to see if it would get cheaper until it was gone. I was bummed.

Finally, I decided to just buy a Grey 12" 2017 16gb 512gb on swappa and Ive never been happier. Sure my late 2013 15" is faster but I still like the 12".

 

[FilmIndustryGuy]

No dont buy it. its wonderful but when the M1 version comes out, it will be beautiful. I sold mine and am patiently waiting for the M1 version. I enjoy the big screen of the 16 inch but hate moving it around and never take it out of the house.

 

[Charadis]

Bought a refurbished 2017 model last year through Apple, and I would do it again this year in a heartbeat. Originally had a 2015 a few years back that I loved so much until I decided to pick up a 2015 13" MacBook Pro. That was a good computer, too, but the size and weight really discouraged me to bring it around as much as I did the 12".

Your needs may vary, and like a lot of people here suggest, the newer MacBook Air is more powerful and future proof, and the size is very travel-friendly; it's a huge plus to have the extra USB-C and even the TouchID is a nice touch of security and convenience.

But I love my 12" so much; I intend to keep it as long as I can. It is so portable, and it may be the last Intel-based MacBook of its size; it is so convenient to be able to dual boot Windows and Mac on a whim. Good luck on your search

 

[Dhonk]

My school district is pushing us towards Chromebooks. In our new adoption, I have the choice of a Pixelbook Original, Pixelbook Go, early 2020 MacBook Air (i5), or Windows laptop (i5). Unfortunately the only educational software tool I use is Examview Pro, which is currently only supported on Windows. So now I'm torn with my decision. I may keep my personal 12" rMB for the long run since it runs Windows 10 just fine, and will allow me to run this one application. I think I'd rather go with the Pixelbook Go for my work provided laptop rather than a Windows computer or the i5 Air. One benefit is our smart screens run Android, so the Pixelbook Go would connect easily. I'm likely upgrading to a personal M1 Air as my daily driver at home, as the 12" rMB is more of my couch companion (when iPad isn't preferred).

 

[tuc]

I bought a mid-2017 MacBook (i5-7Y54, 8gb RAM, 512gb SSD) in perfect condition about a year ago. It's not my favorite color (gold) but it was offered at a very good price so I bought it anyway.

I expected it to be quite slow, given that it was a 3-year-old model with a paltry 4.5W processor, but actually it's fine. It's no speed demon, but it handles way-too-many tabs in Safari better than I expected. I'm using it right now to write this.

It has the "butterfly" keyboard, which so many people hate. They're not reliable, which is why last year Apple switched back to the "scissor" keyboard that everyone likes, but it's been ok for me so far. Every once in a while (about once a week) I have trouble with the space bar not responding correctly. I expect that problems such as this will become more prevalent over time.

Limiting it to a single USB-C port was a dumb design choice, but it hasn't been as inconvenient as I had expected. However I did buy a cheap USB hub that supports power pass-through, so I can connect USB devices (such as thumb drives) and/or an external display while simultaneously charging the battery.

The 2304⨉1440 retina display is nice, but even Apple's entry-level laptops have retina screens now. I'd think a recent MacBook Air, even an Intel one but especially an M1 one, would be a better choice. But that's easy for me to say because I have no nostalgia for the 2017 MacBook.

 

[oneMadRssn]

If your top priority above everything else is having the lightest possible Mac laptop, then yes, the 12" rMB is the best thing you can get. It weighs 2.03lbs, compared to the current MBA which weighs 2.8lbs. While both are lightweight in their own right, that difference is noticeable. Indeed, even an 11" iPad Pro with the matching Magic Keyboard weighs 2.4lbs or so. So the 12" rMB was truly the lightest full-featured Apple device you could get. It really is a feather when handling it.

That said, for everything else, I don't recommend it today. The fanless design is nice but the CPU overheats if in a warm room. It's fast enough for browsing and office-type tasks, but it chugs on anything that starts to be computationally expensive, and I think that is only going to get worse over time. The one-port design is fine I think, but it lacks Tb3 which hinders docking expandability. Finally, the battery life is meh compared to the current offerings.

 

[jazz1]

Never. It's small and outdated. You will be better off buying an iPad Pro for traveling and get a Magic Keyboard if needed.

Mimiron, you are absolutely correct. Even new my 12" MacBook was slow.

But, when I heft my now dead 12" MacPro in one hand, and the 2018 iPad Pro 12.9" MK in the other hand a small tear forms in my eye I truly love the form factor, (thin and light MB 12") vs the comparatively thick and heavy iPad/MK.

The OP did not mention price, or RAM, or memory. If the price was right, and the performance met the OP's needs I'd say give it a shot. But, truly it is an antique and the current devices are going to blow the thing away performance wise.

 

[glhiii]

I have a 2017 12" MB with 16gb ram, i7 and 512gb ssd and also an M1 MBA. I find the MB is essential for traveling and taking places -- it's significantly smaller than the MBA. Also, the MB works quite well (surprisingly) with VMWare Fusion -- and it's plenty fast to do all the things I want to. In fact, if I use the M1 instead it doesn't save me a noticeable amount of time. I have had no issues with the keyboard, though I like the new non-butterfly kb on my M1 better. Still, the MacBook is a wonderful and very useful machine. If only Apple would resurrect it with an M1, new keyboard and second port, I'd buy it in a second, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm afraid we're stuck with the M1 MBA.

 

[pacalis]

My 12" MB 2015 was my favorite mac by far, but it started having battery performance issues. It was also not as robust as the others I have owned and had screen damage due to the thin case. I didn't mind the keyboard. Like Jazz I replaced it with a 2018 ipad pro. I wouldn't touch a used 12" MB.

An M1 version at 2lbs would be the perfect laptop, so I have my fingers crossed for that.

 

[EugW]

Mimiron, you are absolutely correct. Even new my 12" MacBook was slow.

But, when I heft my now dead 12" MacPro in one hand, and the 2018 iPad Pro 12.9" MK in the other hand a small tear forms in my eye I truly love the form factor, (thin and light MB 12") vs the comparatively thick and heavy iPad/MK.

The OP did not mention price, or RAM, or memory. If the price was right, and the performance met the OP's needs I'd say give it a shot. But, truly it is an antique and the current devices are going to blow the thing away performance wise.

Which year 12" MacBook?

I bought a mid-2017 MacBook (i5-7Y54, 8gb RAM, 512gb SSD) in perfect condition about a year ago. It's not my favorite color (gold) but it was offered at a very good price so I bought it anyway.

I expected it to be quite slow, given that it was a 3-year-old model with a paltry 4.5W processor, but actually it's fine. It's no speed demon, but it handles way-too-many tabs in Safari better than I expected. I'm using it right now to write this.

That's because you bought the 2017 model. It's considerably faster than the previous models, esp. the 2015. Even in 2015, the 2015 model felt a tad slow. Fast forward a few years and the 2015 feels quite slow. The 2017 is OK. Not fast, but OK.

 

[goApplego]

Hey guys,

So I have come across a really good deal (considering a bit expensive for an older device) but gorgeous 2017 (released 2018) Gold MacBook 12" 8GB, 512GB i5 Intel which is on sale at the moment.

I know stock will be hard to find and I am thinking that it's really unlikely that Apple will revisit this size and form factor for the M1 chip - which irritates me, but I am so tempted to buy this as a new laptop in 2021 in addition to my current MacBook M1 Pro.

It would literally be a glorified purchase to have this nice form factor and use it when travelling or on the go working opposed to using my MacBook M1 Pro which is a power horse and an amazing battery.

Although these machines, discontinued, are still quite expensive - any ideas if you would purchase one today or continue to wait and pray Apple does actually re-release the MacBook Air with smaller bezels and thinner and lighter more alike to the MacBook 12" with an M1X chip?

I'd buy five. For writers they are the Italian Olivetti Typewriters of the modern era.

 

[DenisK]

I'd also beg to differ with some of the "wouldn't touch it" here: to each their own. My spouse is using it as a daily driver, she has the maxed out i7 with 16G of ram - often hooked up to a 4k LG monitor via Apple's standard dongle - and that configuration is something special. It is blazing fast, and is bulletproof. Her use pattern is such that there are literally gazillion of tabs open in Safari and its mostly Pages, and Word, excel and powerpoint, light graphics and photos/videos - and she is a heavy daily user. Her Mac is feather light, super powerful and never had a hiccup aside from one issue with the single USBC port that got misplaced and was serviced out of warranty for free overseas by an Apple sub. When I say its powerful I mean I never heard a complaint of a beachball from her. So, literally, to each their own: a lot depends on the intended use, but to me this particular machine stands out as a jewel. I am certain that for heavy 4K video or PS photo editing there are more suitable tools, but if the weight and compactness are of importance - there is hardly anything that beats it to this day. The only drawback is the single port, but there are dongles for any taste.

 

[EugW]

I'd also beg to differ with some of the "wouldn't touch it" here: to each their own. My spouse is using it as a daily driver, she has the maxed out i7 with 16G of ram - often hooked up to a 4k LG monitor via Apple's standard dongle - and that configuration is something special. It is blazing fast, and is bulletproof. Her use pattern is such that there are literally gazillion of tabs open in Safari and its mostly Pages, and Word, excel and powerpoint, light graphics and photos/videos - and she is a heavy daily user. Her Mac is feather light, super powerful and never had a hiccup aside from one issue with the single USBC port that got misplaced and was serviced out of warranty for free overseas by an Apple sub. When I say its powerful I mean I never heard a complaint of a beachball from her. So, literally, to each their own: a lot depends on the intended use, but to me this particular machine stands out as a jewel. I am certain that for heavy 4K video or PS photo editing there are more suitable tools, but if the weight and compactness are of importance - there is hardly anything that beats it to this day. The only drawback is the single port, but there are dongles for any taste.

One thing I hate about about most external monitor setups with my MacBook is that the MacBook doesn’t get charged.

Is she using a USB-C monitor that charges it?

 

[Deanster]

I have a 2015 12" Macbook in my charging rack as I type this, and it's still a stunningly good little computer.

It's not fast, but it's plenty fast enough for what a machine like that is meant for, which is email, browser and MSOffice tasks. It's also a full and complete MacOS laptop in a tiny package, which is sometimes vastly more useful than an iPad. It's also getting close to half the weight of a 12.9" iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard, and still lighter than an 11" iPad Pro with Magic keyboard.

I increasingly bring it when I'm just not sure whether I'm going to need a 'real computer', so it rides alongside one of my iPads, and then I don't have to bring the weirdly heavy Magic Keyboard. It's a perfect 'insurance computer'.

I pretty routinely consider upgrading it to one of the final versions, but at this point I'm really just waiting to see if Apple ever gives us an Apple Silicon version.

Now that I've seen what they're going for used, though, I might just need to look at selling mine - I really like it, but I don't use it near enough to justify keeping it at these price levels.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Now that I've seen what they're going for used, though, I might just need to look at selling mine - I really like it, but I don't use it near enough to justify keeping it at these price levels.

Indeed! CEX (UK high street and online second hand electronics chain) currently has four maxed out 2017 models for £675-£690. Both the 12" MacBooks I had in the past came from them. They do give a 2 year warranty with everything which justifies some.

 

[Clix Pix]

Back in December 2020 I bought the new 13" M1 MBP and I love it -- great little machine, I'm actually typing on it right now -- and I vaguely had the idea that once things were all set up that I'd probably sell my beloved 2017 12" fully-maxed-out MacBook......but that machine is still here with me and will still be going on trips with me (whenever I start traveling again) because it is just such an ideal traveling companion! It is lighter and slimmer in dimensions than the 13" M1 MBP and although it is not as powerful, of course, it still has plenty of energy to do what I need when on the road somewhere. So the 2018 15" MBP and the 2020 M1 13" MBP will hang out at home while I'm exploring new areas with my 12" MacBook. I just can't let this machine go.....

 

[Nychot]

Hey guys,

So I have come across a really good deal (considering a bit expensive for an older device) but gorgeous 2017 (released 2018) Gold MacBook 12" 8GB, 512GB i5 Intel which is on sale at the moment.

i have a gold early 2015 12" macbook, and it is a great little computer. it just updated to the latest macos. i hadn't used mine for a looooong time, and now the battery has lost a lot of power and i'm going to have to replace it. ebay has them for around $50 new and a local fixit shop can replace it. i think the only issue you will face with the one you want is battery.

 

[DenisK]

One thing I hate about about most external monitor setups with my MacBook is that the MacBook doesn’t get charged.

Is she using a USB-C monitor that charges it?

She uses the standard Apple $69 dongle with USB-C in and an HDMI out - this works out fine. The only limitation is that the external 4K screen runs at 30Hz refresh rate, but for writing and editing it really doesn't not matter that much. I got an additional adapter that should allow for 60Hz refresh rate - but I haven't tried yet.

 

[EugW]

She uses the standard Apple $69 dongle with USB-C in and an HDMI out - this works out fine. The only limitation is that the external 4K screen runs at 30Hz refresh rate, but for writing and editing it really doesn't not matter that much. I got an additional adapter that should allow for 60Hz refresh rate - but I haven't tried yet.

That means she can't keep her MacBook charged though right? For me that would be a deal killer.

 

[Cookie18]

That means she can't keep her MacBook charged though right? For me that would be a deal killer.

You can keep it charged using that dongle. The dongle has HDMI, USB A and USB C so you can have video out, USB A and charge it via the USB C on the adapter.

 

[EugW]

You can keep it charged using that dongle. The dongle has HDMI, USB A and USB C so you can have video out, USB A and charge it via the USB C on the adapter.

Ah right. I now remember the reason I didn't get that dongle was the 4K 30 Hz limitation.

 

[Cookie18]

Ah right. I now remember the reason I didn't get that dongle was the 4K 30 Hz limitation.

It'd work well with my 30" Cinema Display though.

Yeah, the early ones have that. I believe the ones that Apple sell now don't have it though. I think they silently updated it.

Edit: It seems that even though they updated it the 12" MacBook still wouldn't support 60hz.

 

[DenisK]

One thing I hate about about most external monitor setups with my MacBook is that the MacBook doesn’t get charged.

Is she using a USB-C monitor that charges it?

Here is the part that allows 60Hz refresh on a 4K external AND charging, I amazoned it for $20 or so #cdp2dpucp

 

[Ahboyd]

I had 2015 Macbook 12" and just sold it recently. Its a great machine and very portable.

If you are using it for writing, browsing, slides then it is perfectly fine. You might want to consider replacing the battery.

Another attractive option is iPad Pro 2018, one of the most future proof iPad and it even more attractive since they released iPad Pro last week.