Macbook / Macbook Pro Laptop

[footballmouse]

I frequent the online auction website ebth.com. I'm trying to furnish my house. Anyway, we don't have any type of computer and this past semester one really would have come in handy. My son took an online health class thinking he could use my tablet to do the work. He could at a point but he had to download googledocs and couldn't do it on the tablet.

There is an auction in my city where the owner has a boatload of Macbook laptops and Macbook Pro laptops. I've been reading up on them and they seem pretty decent. The description says that they all cme with Snow Leopard which is the operating system. Is that like a Windows program? Will they be able to use google and other sites. Can things be downloaded to this? Do I have to have other programs installed?

Looking for any input from people who have used this laptop.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Snow Leopard is an older operating system. They should allow you access google etc.. Most of internet should be available when it comes to web surfing. With an older OS you might run into a problem here and there with plugins for some websites not being available. As far as running a lot of apps and stuff, which version of the Mac OS you are running can be pretty important. They are bad about making stuff available only to the "latest and greatest" operating systems.

You might want to find out the year they were manufactured. If they are running Snow Leopard, there is a good chance you can use the newest OS (Yosemite) and upgrade for free. It is pretty important to find out how old the Macbooks are if you can. I just did a quick search, this turned up:

These are the models that are compatible with OS X Yosemite (with exceptions):

• iMac (Mid 2007 or later)
• MacBook (Aluminum Late 2008 and Early 2009 or later)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later; 15-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later; 17-inch, Late 2007 or later)
• MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)

 

[jesse8931]

I repair computers for a living any macbook I would stay away from as they are way to old for modern use.

For the macbook pro you want at least a mid 2010 version.

For used mac's I use this place.
http://www.macofalltrades.com/

And at a minimum I recommend this model.
http://www.macofalltrades.com/MacBook-Pro-13-inch-G-2-4GHz-C2D-Mid-2010-p/mbp-13-24-m10a.htm

 

[jesse8931]

I will say for an extra 50 dollars this is a far better model then the 2010.
http://www.macofalltrades.com/MacBook-Pro-13-inch-G-2-3GHz-i5-Early-2011-p/mbp-13-23-e11a.htm

 

[footballmouse]

Thanks for your help. I checked the auction site again today, they all shot up to over $150. For that price, I'll go get a refurbished laptop.

 

[Mr. lncredible]

I repair computers for a living any macbook I would stay away from as they are way to old for modern use.

They still make Macbooks, so I'm not sure what you mean by too old.

If they are running Snow Leopard, there is a good chance you can use the newest OS (Yosemite) and upgrade for free.

The newest version of OSx is 10.11 (El Capitan).

 

[jesse8931]

They still make Macbooks, so I'm not sure what you mean by too old.

They reintroduced them recently but before that the last model they sold was in 2011 and it was just a rehash of the 2009 model hence why I said too old.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

They still make Macbooks, so I'm not sure what you mean by too old.


The newest version of OSx is 10.11 (El Capitan).

You are so right about that, I am behind the times. Mine is saying it needs to update to El Capitan 10.11.2