Poss Mac book air purchase for Xmas present

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Felstmiester

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Quick one. I know nothing about computers. The wife has mentioned she would like a Mac book air to use for her work. Is buying one used a bad idea? I’ve seen 2015 ones advertised.
 
There’s a new model Air out, with a vastly improved screen and other features such as Touch ID.
 
There’s a new model Air out, with a vastly improved screen and other features such as Touch ID.
lol great! We’re talking over a grand for the new ones aren’t we? Like said I know nothing about them.
 
Hi,
Before you buy a MacBook - just have a look at the new IPad Pro 12.9 inch with the keyboard/cover attachment.
It is an extremely powerful, light and very capable alternative to a MacBook!
Depending on the model you buy - it is also considerably cheaper.
My wife just bought me one for my birthday and it’s really an awesome upgrade to my iPad Air!

Article about comparison is here:-

https://www.t3.com/features/ipad-pro-2018-vs-macbook-air-2018-specs-features
Cheers
Steve
 
The MacBook Air is fabulous. I'm an old Tech industry geezer who has been buying his personal computers used since 1979 (sic).

I swop my MacBook Pro every 18 months, always for a 6-12 month old product which has had little use.

MacBook Air's aren't quite as solid as the Pro, but they're built to industrial standards for daily commercial use. Personally I would go for the 13 inch unless you're a gynaecologist or really do need to carry it with you every day. Most students go for a 13 inch Air or Pro.

Just look for one that hasn't had significant use, indicated by low battery cycle count (ask the seller what the battery cycle is), and signs of shine on the keyboard. A box is always a sign that you're probably dealing with the original owner.

Functionally, you're not missing out by buying a three year old machine for £400, which is 2/3rds off its original price of nearly £1200.
 
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Quick one. I know nothing about computers. The wife has mentioned she would like a Mac book air to use for her work. Is buying one used a bad idea? I’ve seen 2015 ones advertised.
Hi FM, before you buy any sort of laptop may I suggest you look into buying 'er indoors a Google Chromebook.

I've been using one for the last 2 years , after having a series of Windows-based lappys. The Chromebook is lighter, cheaper, faster by a mile and is easy to carry and link onto wi-fi at all her favorites places. I have mine in my backpack at all times.

It's been 100% reliable with all-day battery life - mine cost 180€ from Amazon and here's a list of some of what's available right now :
https://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_s...i:aps,k:acer+chromebook+14&tag=amazon0c7b3-21
 
Thanks guys. Basically I’ve been told that it has to be apple based because it has to link with her iPhone as she works through social media. She’s basically said there’s certain things that the MacBook can do that an iPad or iPhone can’t. Obviously the keyboard is essential as well.
 
Thanks guys. Basically I’ve been told that it has to be apple based because it has to link with her iPhone as she works through social media. She’s basically said there’s certain things that the MacBook can do that an iPad or iPhone can’t. Obviously the keyboard is essential as well.

If she's actually working on the laptop, it might be worth considering whether 13 inch MacBook Pro would be a better choice. For another £100-200, you'd get a much more powerful processor, higher quality screen, as well as greater long term reliability. At £500-600, they're as cheap as chips for a work laptop. (But if you do get a Pro - you do need to find one that's only had private / light use - some will have been worked very hard)
 
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If you decide to buy new PM me with the best price you have found in UK and I will beat it for you ;-).

Same offer to all forum members.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 
Quick one. I know nothing about computers. The wife has mentioned she would like a Mac book air to use for her work. Is buying one used a bad idea? I’ve seen 2015 ones advertised.

Can't go wrong with an Apple Refurbished. I recently got an Ipad4 for my quadcopter. Even the casing was brand new.

Improved screens - who cares - unless you are a serious photo / video editor nobody will bother with the difference. I have a 2014 model and because I was living away from home, I was doing a lot of LightRoom work on it. When I looked at photos on my desktop with calibrated screens, the was a bit of tweaking but my wife cannot see the difference.

I use mine for travel, and daily instead of an iPad. It has had daily extensive used since I purchased it and is still going strong with no issues.
 
The MacBook Air is fabulous. I'm an old Tech industry geezer who has been buying his personal computers used since 1979 (sic).

I swop my MacBook Pro every 18 months, always for a 6-12 month old product which has had little use.

MacBook Air's aren't quite as solid as the Pro, but they're built to industrial standards for daily commercial use. Personally I would go for the 13 inch unless you're a gynaecologist or really do need to carry it with you every day. Most students go for a 13 inch Air or Pro.

Just look for one that hasn't had significant use, indicated by low battery cycle count (ask the seller what the battery cycle is), and signs of shine on the keyboard. A box is always a sign that you're probably dealing with the original owner.

Functionally, you're not missing out by buying a three year old machine for £400, which is 2/3rds off its original price of nearly £1200.


Pretty much what I do with mine , although I tend to keep mine 5 years or more between changes I’m only now thinking about changing my 2008 MacPro 8 core and 2009 17” MBP , both of which I’ve had about that long and both of which are only now starting to be unable to use some of the latest Adobe updates .

I’ll be looking into this in the new year , probably the MP first , and may just go for a late pre trashcan 12core MacPro , and wait to see what the successor will be like then a year or two for used ones to filter through .

Even when I do upgrade , the old machine will still find a use somewhere , and I’ll possibly retire the G5 I still have hanging on my network for running legacy software .

The MBP may soldier on a bit longer as I like my 17” screen for LR , Photoshop and FCP and I got used to it through previous generation MBP and G4 PB models . I also still like and use my optical drives which newer ones don’t have .

My only real concern with a used MBA would be battery life as this can reduce over time , especially if not used correctly. Certainly in my unibody MBP , I could open the case and change the battery ( mine coming on 10 yrs old is still showing 88% efficiency because I regularly use it , drain fully then recharge fully - worst thing is constant use on power adaptor ) .

As said , the MBP will perform a bit better than MBA but it is that little bit heavier and thicker .

Besides Apple refurbished, also look at The Bookyard who sell refurbished Macs with warranties.
 
Hi FM, before you buy any sort of laptop may I suggest you look into buying 'er indoors a Google Chromebook.

I've been using one for the last 2 years , after having a series of Windows-based lappys. The Chromebook is lighter, cheaper, faster by a mile and is easy to carry and link onto wi-fi at all her favorites places. I have mine in my backpack at all times.

It's been 100% reliable with all-day battery life - mine cost 180€ from Amazon and here's a list of some of what's available right now :
https://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_10/258-8602576-6092045?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=acer+chromebook+14&sprefix=Chromebook,aps,216&crid=14HC7OJIT72P3&rh=i:aps,k:acer+chromebook+14

A lot depends what you’re used to - I’ve used Apple all my life , ever since the AppleII , and have never owned any windows kit , nor had much to do with it .

Changed roles recently at work and was given this Windows 10 HP laptop and a Samsung Android phone - both are a pure pain to me due to alien OS and nothing at all intuitive.

If the OPs wife is used to Macs she won’t like anything else .
 

Ask him what the battery cycle count is on the machine. (Click on Apple / About this Mac / System Report / Power)
If it really has been lightly used it'll be less than 40 cycles / year of ownership. This is the total number of full charge equivalents that the laptop has been through. A more heavily used domestic machine might be up to 200 cycles.

He's priced it right at the top at £600. He hasn't got a cat's chance in hell of achieving that. MacBook Airs go in the range of £350-£550.

He's been trying to sell this for over THREE months now (since the 24th August !!), and curiously the listing has NO watchers, and has had 121 hits.

But it's an attractive, near new condition boxed machine, so it's worth considering. £500 is value for you, but £450 is probably a fairer value, given the many MacBook Air's that are up for sale.




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