Mac noob need help in determining which macbook to buy

I am trying to get an idea of various types of Macbook available to buy.
From my googling, I did find a few wiki sites that assist in identifying the different between various year/make/model of macbook.

I am trying to find a cost effective macbook to learn how to write iPhone/iPad apps.

I am trying to compare early 2009 2.0ghz macbook vs. a early 2008 2.4 ghz macbook.

I see the difference between the graphics cards 2008 (intel) and 2009 (nvidia) and have read the speed differences.

I suppose Graphics is not a big concern given that I am going to mainly use the macbook to code. Which one would you recommend if the prices were the same.

I am leaning towards the 2009, because it is nearly mint condition (it was a refurb logic board replaced unit) ,and it is newer. The 2008 is certainly faster, but probably more drain to the battery life.

Any opinion on this subject matter will be greatly appreciated.

thanks

thejipster said:

I am trying to get an idea of various types of Macbook available to buy.

I am trying to compare early 2009 2.0ghz macbook vs. a early 2008 2.4 ghz macbook.

I am leaning towards the 2009, because it is nearly mint condition (it was a refurb logic board replaced unit) ,and it is newer. The 2008 is certainly faster, but probably more drain to the battery life.

Any opinion on this subject matter will be greatly appreciated.

thanks

Click to expand...

Am I correct in assuming that you are considering used Macintosh laptops only?...it sounds that way reading the info you provided.

Are you also looking at specific laptops which are for sale on Craig's List or e-Bay?...since you said the 2009 is in mint condition.

If you are looking at specific laptops...it would also help to know what the prices are on them & the exact specs. on each one...since that can make a big difference which one is the better deal.

- Nick

You didn't say "where" you were going to buy from. That makes a difference because buying a refurbished MacBook anywhere other than from Apple is risky.

Just be careful if you intend to buy used from either eBay or Craig's list. I personally would not buy from either, but that's just me. Anyway, go for the newest model you can afford. Or break out your credit card and buy a new one from your local Apple store.

Regards.

pigoo3 said:

Am I correct in assuming that you are considering used Macintosh laptops only?...it sounds that way reading the info you provided.

Are you also looking at specific laptops which are for sale on Craig's List or e-Bay?...since you said the 2009 is in mint condition.

If you are looking at specific laptops...it would also help to know what the prices are on them & the exact specs. on each one...since that can make a big difference which one is the better deal.

- Nick

Click to expand...

I have been looking at Craigslist....

The specs for the 2009 model is $500 (logic board replaced)

-2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
-2GB RAM
-120GB Hard Drive
-256MB Nvidia GeForce Graphics Card
-OSX Snow Leopard, iLife, and MS Office installed
-Battery Holds Great Charge (only 90 cycles)
-Power Adapter Included



The specs for the 2008 model is
Processor Information $600 (never had a repair)

-2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
-4GB RAM
-160GB Hard Drive
-Intel graphics
-OSX Snow Leopard, iLife, and MS Office installed
-Power Adapter Included

Let me know if you need more info.

thejipster said:

I have been looking at Craigslist....

The specs for the 2009 model is $500 (logic board replaced)

-2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
-2GB RAM
-120GB Hard Drive
-256MB Nvidia GeForce Graphics Card
-OSX Snow Leopard, iLife, and MS Office installed
-Battery Holds Great Charge (only 90 cycles)
-Power Adapter Included



The specs for the 2008 model is
Processor Information $600 (never had a repair)

-2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
-4GB RAM
-160GB Hard Drive
-Intel graphics
-OSX Snow Leopard, iLife, and MS Office installed
-Power Adapter Included

Let me know if you need more info.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info...but in your initial posting you said that the 2008 MacBook had a 2.4ghz cpu. PLease be accurate...otherwise it is difficult to make a recommendation.

Also...are you saying that the 2008 is $500, and the 2009 is $600?

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Thanks for the info...but in your initial posting you said that the 2008 MacBook had a 2.4ghz cpu. PLease be accurate...otherwise it is difficult to make a recommendation.

Also...are you saying that the 2008 is $500, and the 2009 is $600?

- Nick

Click to expand...

Sorry, had a typo, and have since fixed it.
2008 has 2.4 ghz, 4 gig ram for $600
2009 has 2.0 ghz, 2 gig ram for $500

thejipster said:

Sorry, had a typo, and have since fixed it.
2008 has 2.4 ghz, 4 gig ram for $600
2009 has 2.0 ghz, 2 gig ram for $500

Click to expand...

First let me say that for the tasks you mentioned (iPhone/iPad app. development)...either one of these laptops would be fine. Also...the price on both of them is very good as well.

That logic board repair on the 2009 seems a bit unusual...before buying this one, I would want to know as much details from the seller as possible...as to why the logic board was replaced (and who replaced it).

It's sort of a hard decision. The 2008 has the faster CPU (2.4 vs. 2.0 ghz)...but the 2009 has the better 9400m graphics vs. the X3100 on the 2008.

See this comparison of the integrated 9400m graphics vs. the dedicated X3100:

How much faster is the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor in the "Unibody" MacBook models compared to the Intel GMA X3100 and GMA 950 in earlier models? Is gaming performance improved? @ EveryMac.com

So overall the:

2009:

- Pros: faster graphics hardware, newer model, $100 less
- Cons: replaced logic board might be something to be careful of

2008:

- Pros: More ram, bigger HD, faster CPU,
- Cons: $100 more

Like I said it's a tough decision. I think that if the seller could make me feel comfortable with why the logic board was replaced...I would go for the 2009 MacBook (lower price, better graphics...can always upgrade the ram & HD later if needed).

Hope this helps,

- Nick

Thanks Nick!

Thanks for the feedback.
He mentioned the logic board was replaced due to water damage.
I have received the serial number and verified that it is an early 2009 model.

Is there anything I should ask since this is water damaged repair.

thejipster said:

Thanks for the feedback.
He mentioned the logic board was replaced due to water damage.
I have received the serial number and verified that it is an early 2009 model.

Is there anything I should ask since this is water damaged repair.

Click to expand...

Water damage is never a good thing. I would want to know:

- who did the logic board repair?
- could the water damage have damaged anything else?
- is this MacBook still under warranty (since it's a 2009 model)?
- If it is under warranty...would/could this water damage cause any future warranty claim issues (Apple is pretty strict when it comes to NOT covering MacBooks damaged by water)? You might have to call Apple about this...the seller may not really be able to give you an answer.

$500 for a 2009 MacBook is actually a VERY good price...so could this be a situation of..."If it seems too good to be true...it probably is?"

- Nick

Testing peripherals

pigoo3 said:

Water damage is never a good thing. I would want to know:

- who did the logic board repair?
- could the water damage have damaged anything else?
- is this MacBook still under warranty (since it's a 2009 model)?
- If it is under warranty...would/could this water damage cause any future warranty claim issues (Apple is pretty strict when it comes to NOT covering MacBooks damaged by water)? You might have to call Apple about this...the seller may not really be able to give you an answer.

$500 for a 2009 MacBook is actually a VERY good price...so could this be a situation of..."If it seems too good to be true...it probably is?"

- Nick

Click to expand...

He originally wanted $650, which is around market price on Craigslist around here (maybe still on the low side). I could ask for him to put it ebay so that I have the option to buy a 3rd party warranty through SquareTrade.

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I doubt Apple would warranty this after it was repaired for water damage. He did say he installed a brand new logic board and everything about the macbook is working as it should.

I have a question about the other physical interfaces on the Macbook.
Would it be easy for me to test bluetooth, usb, dvi ( mini to large dvi converter)

I assume I could tether the macbook to my iPhone via bluetooth or USB to test them out. What other interfaces should I be concerned about while I test and what's the easiest way to test it.

Thanks
- J

thejipster said:

He originally wanted $650, which is around market price on Craigslist around here (maybe still on the low side). I could ask for him to put it ebay so that I have the option to buy a 3rd party warranty through SquareTrade.

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I doubt Apple would warranty this after it was repaired for water damage. He did say he installed a brand new logic board and everything about the macbook is working as it should.

I have a question about the other physical interfaces on the Macbook.
Would it be easy for me to test bluetooth, usb, dvi ( mini to large dvi converter)

I assume I could tether the macbook to my iPhone via bluetooth or USB to test them out. What other interfaces should I be concerned about while I test and what's the easiest way to test it.

Thanks
- J

Click to expand...

If as you say the seller was originally asking $650 (and this is a fair price for a 2009 MacBook in your area)...why has he come all the way down to $500?

Plus if he did the logic board repair...why is he even mentioning that the logic board was replaced? On one hand it's good of him to be upfront & honest...but is there something else going on with this laptop which made it "mandatory" of him to mention the logic board replacement?

As far as testing the 2009 MacBooks ports...testing the most important ports (firewire, USB, display out).

- testing the USB ports you could use an external mouse.
- testing the firewire you could use an external firewire hard drive.
- testing the display out port is a bit harder if you don't have the correct display adapter & external monitor.

Seems to me this 2009 MacBook could involve more risk (than the average used MacBook purchase) due to the logic board repair & the fact that the seller did the repair (does the seller at least have a receipt for the parts)?

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

If as you say the seller was originally asking $650 (and this is a fair price for a 2009 MacBook in your area)...why has he come all the way down to $500?

Plus if he did the logic board repair...why is he even mentioning that the logic board was replaced? On one hand it's good of him to be upfront & honest...but is there something else going on with this laptop which made it "mandatory" of him to mention the logic board replacement?

As far as testing the 2009 MacBooks ports...testing the most important ports (firewire, USB, display out).

- testing the USB ports you could use an external mouse.
- testing the firewire you could use an external firewire hard drive.
- testing the display out port is a bit harder if you don't have the correct display adapter & external monitor.

Seems to me this 2009 MacBook could involve more risk (than the average used MacBook purchase) due to the logic board repair & the fact that the seller did the repair (does the seller at least have a receipt for the parts)?

- Nick

Click to expand...

Very good points indeed. I did a little googling and did find his full name, facebook account (including a list of all his friend list). Within 1 hour, I could probably find his home address too if needed. My intuition tells me he isn't here to rip me off. He dropped the price for me because he thought it was going to a good cause when I told him that I mainly will use this as a programming machine, and not for general use. For completeness, I did email him to have him confirm that each of those port have been verified to be working.

Wifi
bluetooth
10/100/1000 ethernet
mini-dvi port
audio in/out
mini display port
firewire

I will try to test as much as I can while I am there.
Thanks
- J

thejipster said:

Very good points indeed. I did a little googling and did find his full name, facebook account (including a list of all his friend list). Within 1 hour, I could probably find his home address too if needed. My intuition tells me he isn't here to rip me off.

I will try to test as much as I can while I am there.
Thanks
- J

Click to expand...

At this point it really comes down to how comfortable are you with what you know about this laptop so far...and how well the laptop looks & performs when you see it.

The sellers name, address, phone number, and Face Book account really doesn't matter (assuming the laptop isn't stolen).

I have purchased many used computers from Craig's List...and you basically have to "size up" the seller & the computer they're selling when you meet.

Don't forget to make sure the Airport works as well. The bottom line is you don't want to buy someone else's problems!!!

Good luck,

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

At this point it really comes down to how comfortable are you with what you know about this laptop so far...and how well the laptop looks & performs when you see it.

The sellers name, address, phone number, and Face Book account really doesn't matter (assuming the laptop isn't stolen).

I have purchased many used computers from Craig's List...and you basically have to "size up" the seller & the computer they're selling when you meet.

Don't forget to make sure the Airport works as well.

Good luck,

- Nick

Click to expand...

Nick, thanks again for all your input on this. Definitely put a lot of thoughts into my head to think about.

As a noob, is Airport the Wifi or something else.
I am meeting at Starbucks (which is the norm for CL transactions), I assume as long as I can get to a login webpage, the Wifi is working.

thejipster said:

Nick, thanks again for all your input on this. Definitely put a lot of thoughts into my head to think about.

As a noob, is Airport the Wifi or something else.
I am meeting at Starbucks (which is the norm for CL transactions), I assume as long as I can get to a login webpage, the Wifi is working.

Click to expand...

Yes...Airport is the wireless networking. As far as meeting at Starbucks. I used to meet seller's there as well when Starbucks had free WIFI. But now you need an account at Starbucks to sign-on to their network.

If neither you or the seller have the appropriate account...you can still get free WIFI at Panera Bread locations or at McDonalds with WIFI.

- Nick

reporting back

Just reporting back that the Macbook I bought was exactly as advertised in perfect working condition for $500.

2009 model
2 ghz
2 gb ram
120 gb hd

thanks for the feedback. I am probably going to buy a late model 2009 (unibody white) from the same guy for $700.

thanks