Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/02/15/need-a-new-macbook-check-out.html
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On all but the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, the keyboards stink and are prone to failure. I’ve had a less than year old MacBook Air’s keyboard replaced twice. Best wait until the rest of the lineup is refreshed with the new keyboard found in the 16-inch. I say all of this as a person who mostly uses Macs.
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Don’t worry. The Macs sold through the Boing Boing Store are so old that they pre-date the butterfly keyboard.
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But Grover Cleveland, in his second term, sent in the National Guard to break the Pullman strike, so I’m not so sure electing him a second time worked out that well!
I have no opinion on whether or not refurbished MacBooks are a good purchase, I just have an opinion on that bastard Grover Cleveland.
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I’m not going to say how much I paid for my refurbished Lenovo X1 Carbon. I am just silently giggling…
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My 2013 Macbook Pro keyboard went out literally the week after Applecare expired. Well, technically all but three keys work.
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The machines might be OK, but I have absolutely no desire to live in Apple’s walled garden. Can you wipe them and install Linux? Then they might be a good deal.
Grover Cleveland that bastard!
I knew we couldn’t trust him.
It sounds like you don’t have too much experience with macOS? It is quite different than iOS/iPadOS – there is no “walled garden” per se. There is one security setting you need to tweak in System Preferences, and then you can install any macOS software you like, whether or not it’s signed.
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Oh, you’re not kidding – the 13" MacBook Pro has a freakin’ optical drive!
Can confirm. The 16” MacBook keyboard is a phenomenally good laptop keyboard. If you care about typing and don’t want a large laptop, I recommend waiting for this keyboard to end up in other models (which I’d have to imagine will be happening any time now).
I just looked at these laptops and like the Mac Mini sale-a-thon from last month, these are not great deals. These are mostly 2011 and 2012 model year laptops that are no longer supported by Apple (so no security updates for you). The “black” MacBook Air is just a silver one with an aftermarket case on it. That’s not confidence inspiring.
Unless you really want an 8-9 year old laptop, you can get much better deals on newer refurbished laptops with a warranty directly from Apple.
I’m all for recycling perfectly good computers but make sure you do some research to know what you’re getting.
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Tchncll y cn stll wrt prtt wll wtht vwls.
Seconded. I have a 16" and it’s everything I’ve wanted in a MBP since 2015 or so. That includes being actually useful for gaming. The keyboard needs to end up on all the other Mac laptops like yesterday.
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I had been in the market for a new computer for some years now and I’m really glad I had the patience to ride out the previous MBP generation and wait for Apple to fix some of the mistakes before taking the plunge.
It’s not perfect. I wish there was at least one USB-A port since #donglelife sucks, I still miss MagSafe, and the TouchBar remains a solution in search of a problem. (I’d much prefer a physical row of keys - especially in Xcode.) But in all it’s a really damn good computer that I’ve been really happy with.
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“These are mostly 2011 and 2012 model year laptops that are no longer supported by Apple (so no security updates for you).”
Yeah, not so sure about that. I’m writing this on a 13" MacBook Pro manufactured in 2012 with an Intel iCore 5 processor and 256G hard drive. I’m running the Mojave OS and as soon as I run a backup, will be installing Catalina. All my apps are current as well as security updates. I purchased this as a refurb from Apple about 5 years ago and have never had any issues. I do try and take good care of it, but it travels with me approximately 150 miles a day in my van so it does get tossed around a bit.
It’s certain other eys. You can actuay type without them, but I think the Macboo eyboards have been a bit of an oe for some time now.
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I take it you didn’t pay the $1289 Lenovo themselves are advertising as a clearance price?
Ok, I was wrong. 2012 model Macs are the minimum spec for Catalina. The 2011 models are out in the cold.
2011 is the last year they offered macbooks with anti glare screens. Those are pure gold!
Yeah, I’ve been kind of surprised myself. I keep waiting for the word to come down from on high that my laptop will now make a nice doorstop, but so far, so good.
