Is an old Macbook worth it?

I'm currently looking for a laptop / notebook that I can work on, even on the go.

It should be relatively thin, have a little battery, but I don't need a lot of power.

Internet, research, office programs, maybe a little bit of HTML / Python, but nothing great.
It should be as cheap as possible.

That's when I came across the idea of buying an old MacBook used.

2014/15 he MacBooks are relatively cheap and they look right for me?

Does anyone have experience with it?

Is it worth it?

No, it's not worth it.

Even those are still quite expensive for their age. For that you already get something comparable new. (And then the battery is still good)

Wouldn't buy an old Macbook. Better get a good Windows notebook. With Ryzen cpu's you now have a very, very good battery life. Something like an IdeaPad or an HP laptop with Ryzen is highly recommended.

Okay what would you suggest?

How much can it cost?

Do you have wishes? For example in terms of size?

300-400 euro, not more.

Size is not so important, it should be thin and light. That's why I can air on the MacBook

With a Macbook you are tied to the Mac OS as the operating system and at some point there will be no updates for older devices (similar situation to iPhones and Androids).

How about a used Thinkpad from the same price range? You have very solid workmanship (business class), but you are not bound to Mac OS. Something like Thinkpad T450s, maybe.

Sorry, but for the price you absolutely can't recommend a laptop with a clear conscience.

Then buy such an old MacBook, but don't be too disappointed if it's pretty lame. You can't expect anything else at that age.

Thinkpads are so thick… Or do I just find the wrong ones?

The thickness varies, but of course, you usually can't get a Macbook Air (except maybe the X1). The T450s weighs around 1.6kg and is 2cm thick. The advantage of the thicker construction is that not everything is soldered and you can upgrade the hard drive and RAM, which is perhaps not so uninteresting when buying a used item.

Unfortunately, this also makes it harder to take with you, especially when traveling, in small bags, etc.

What just surprised me about a friend's MacBook Air was its robustness.
Dropping from a small height etc. Wasn't a problem, not that we did that on purpose, but it just happens on the way. Are the thinkpads that good?

I would not get MacBooks that are older than 3 years. As with all brands, these will no longer receive updates at some point.

I bought a new MacBook Air 2020 in the middle of the year. Unfortunately, I don't know what you mean by "as cheap as possible". However, I bought my new Macbook for around 1200 euro. I think this is a very good offer for a new MacBook.

I use it every day and am still very happy with it. The keyboard is just perfect for typing. I got an i3 processor. For the Internet and Office, etc. This is completely sufficient. If you want to cut on it, I would possibly get an i5 or even i7 processor, but it will also be more expensive.

However, if it is too expensive for you, I would advise against a Mac. Apple is just an expensive brand. Still, I think it's worth the money.

Thank you! I thought more of 300-400 euro because I found such offers for 2015 MacBook Air.
How long will they be supplied with new updates?

Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly. But I assume 6-8 years. A notebook isn't something that you buy every 2 years. Once you have a notebook, you will likely get by with it for over 4 years.

With a Macbook, you are tied to Mac OS as the operating system

Since when? You can install Windows, Linux and Unix, native or parallel. Besides that, you buy a Mac because of macOS.

All right, thank you. Don't you want to sell your Macbook by accident XD?

I'll have a look around, because I just like the macbook to work with, even when I'm typing on a Windows PC.

I don't know MacOS that well, I do have a little bit of experience, but you learn the rest of it bit by bit.

Are the thinkpads that good?

Yes, they're actually pretty well known for their sturdiness.

In terms of weight: A MacBook Air 2015 with 13 "weighs 1.35 kg, the Thinkpad T450s from the same year with 14" weighs 1.6 kg - I don't think the difference is dramatic.

Yes, you want to use Mac OS, but you are limited because of the old version. Well, a 2015 device wouldn't be that old that you couldn't upgrade to the current version, but you probably want to use it longer and the support status would be questionable.

With a Mac you are by no means tied to MacOS. In contrast to Windows PCs, you can also install Windows as a second operating system on Mac computers in addition to MacOS and thus use Windows programs. It doesn't work the other way around, or not without errors.

Sure, it's not that difficult.

One can assume eight years, that would mean by 2023 for a 2015 model. So from autumn 2024 it will no longer be the latest version. I think it's manageable.