My PC Died and I'm Looking At Used and Refurb Macbook Pro's HELP PLEASE!

Hello,

I'm very new to Apple I currently have an Iphone 6 and Ipad Air and I love them. I've been using a windows laptop that just recently died and frankly I am sick and tired of Windows machines.

The thing is I need to pick something up in a hurry, but do not have much to spend only $520 max right now. I've been searching Ebay, however I do not know anything about Macs so I don't know how to tell if something is sufficient for what I need.

I use my computer for pretty basic computing I sell on Ebay and Amazon so I need something to create post listings and do very basic photo editing. I also use Quicken to manage my finances. I would like to also like to be able to run Dragon for Mac, because I have nerve damage in my right arm and hand and typing for long causes extreme pain.

I'll go back to Windows if my budget gives me no choice, but against my own will.

I've found following would it meet my needs?


Any assistance will be extremely appreciated!

Yes, this will be a satisfactory computer for you.

Any Macbook 2011 or newer that has a Core i5 CPU is going to be a very good system for you. CPUs have only made modest gains over the last few years and while battery life significantly improved in computers released in 2013, the raw performance of a 2011 or 2012 system is still quite good.

That MacBook Pro hasn't been updated since mid 2012, so it's basically the same as if you were buying it now, brand new.

If your budget can swing it, having GB of ram would be nice. Dragon should be fine on that machine. I've run it on a 2008 MacBook Pro with 8 GB and it ran pretty well.

While I also suggest you get that machine (it's a good deal), you might consider whether you could do what you say you need to do with the iPad Air. The photo editing could likely be done using Snapseed or Pixelmator or Enlight (et al), dictation for dictation (also works on OS X), and perhaps there are some apps for Ebay posting and the like. People tend to really underestimate what the iPad can do with the help of a good BT keyboard, I find.

Okay so I didn't get this one instead I picked up a A1286 from a local guy. Whom I think didn't know that he was supposed to revert it back to the original OSX. I asked him if he had Recovery Disks and he didn't, but said there is one built in. He sold it to me with his login credentials, but I want to do a factory reset. I read somewhere that this machine which I'm using right now came originally with Snow Leopard. Current it has either Lion or Mountain Lion. Since Snow Leopard is only $20 from Apple I figure I'll just buy a copy. Would the local Sacramento Apple Store likely have Snow Leopard in Stock? If so I'll go over there tomorrow and buy a copy.

No. Apple Online sells Snow Leopard for the $20 including postage. With Snow Leopard installed it may be a machine that is getting on a little, 2011 at least. Believe it or not, the model 1286 refers to all 15" MBP from 2008-2012.

Compared to the one you posted about earlier, you probably got rooked.

I looked it up with the Serial number and it indeed is a early 2011 and it currently has 8gb of ram installed. I got it quite cheap so I'm not terribly worried. I looked it up on Ebay and from what I could see there I got a very good deal.

Anyway would it be worth upgrading to 16gb ram and a 500gb SSD. If so what ram would be good I've heard you do not have to buy ram that says its for Mac on the package and can get it cheaper if it doesn't - is that true and if so what are the specks I need to look for. I figure I might want to buy a new battery too.

An SSD makes a noticeable improvement in performance any time you have to read/write files. If you are the kind of user that turns of their Mac each night (some do/some don't) you'll be glad you have it. My boot times were cut almost in half when I put an SSD in my 2008 MacBook Pro.

With 8 GB of ram I'd run the machine for a bit and see how it performs before adding more memory. Depending upon how many apps are open and what you are doing 8 GB may be sufficient.

Most of our members recommend either Crucial or OWC for memory. Memory built for PCs often does not meet the exact specs as closely as it needs to and can cause problems. The OWC page that I linked to will help you identify your exact model and show memory modules that have been tested and found to work. The title also contains installation videos.

t.allyn said:

Anyway would it be worth upgrading to 16gb ram and a 500gb SSD.

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If your original budget was $520…and if you're thinking of a 16gig ram upgrade & installing 500gig SSD…you must have gotten the computer for a really really great price!!!

Since otherwise…computer + 16gig ram upgrade + 500gig SSD…will certainly put you above that $520 budget!

Depending where you purchase the ram & SSD…you're looking at about $300 for that stuff.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

If your original budget was $520…and if you're thinking of a 16gig ram upgrade & installing 500gig SSD…you must have gotten the computer for a really really great price!!!

Since otherwise…computer + 16gig ram upgrade + 500gig SSD…will certainly put you above that $520 budget!

Depending where you purchase the ram & SSD…you're looking at about $300 for that stuff.

- Nick

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Point well taken. However yes I did get a great deal plus the place I purchased it from took several old dead pcs and a couple other things in trade which knocked the price down considerably. Plus, they asked me for consultation regarding their Ebay sales for which I was rewarded handsomely. So ya I got a very good deal.

The advice to wait on a ram upgrade is good!

I decided this morning to contact Apple and to my surprise I was helped with greatly with a couple issues I had. In the process I learned something about operating this thing that shortened my learning curve a bit. Additionally I am now running OS x El Capitan.

I hope you do not mind my asking, would the following Samsung SSD work in this unit:
Capacity: 500GB
Form Factor: 2.5 inch
Interface: SATA 6Gb/s (Compatible with SATA 3Gb/s & SATA 1.5Gb/s)
NAND Flash: 32 Layer 3D V-NAND
Thickness: 7.0 mm
Optimized performance for everyday computing needs
Sequential read speed 540 MB/s; Sequential write speed 520 MB/s; Random read speed 100K; Random write speed 90K

Or this one.

Form Factor: 2.5" Storage Capacity: 500GB
Brand:
Crucial
Interface: SATA III
Model:
CT500MX200SSD1

I would go Crucial or OWC both mac specialists.

Samsungs have been reported to sometimes not work well in Macs. I don't have the details, but I'd avoid Samsungs for now. Crucial is OK. I have one, and I have another SSD from OWC. Both work well.

MacInWin said:

Samsungs have been reported to sometimes not work well in Macs. I don't have the details, but I'd avoid Samsungs for now. Crucial is OK. I have one, and I have another SSD from OWC. Both work well.

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Thats disappointing news, because I decided I am going to get a 240gb instead of 500gb for the cost savings and I was going to pick up a Samsung tonight from Best Buy and see what they'd charge to switch everything and install it. i figure I can use cloud storage for my documents and pictures.

I wish Toshiba SSD's were good, because they have good prices on those too.

Well, you can always try it and if it works, great, if not, make sure BB knows you'll be back.

I just put a 500GB Crucial MX200 in my 2011 15" Macbook Pro. It is not that hard to do. Go to ifixit.com and they have step by step pictures along with the tools you will need. If you do it yourself and save the $$$ you could get the 500GB. I got mine at Amazon for $165 + state tax.

Lisa

I got mine at Amazon for $165 + state tax.

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I usually try to avoid ordering anything from Amazon since they started charging state sales tax. Too many other good on line resellers that don't. Next time try NewEgg or B&H Photo in NY.

Newegg was higher even without tax. But for some reason I never think of B&H for computer parts. Camera stuff - yes. I need to rethink that. They would have been cheaper because of no tax. I will keep them in mind.

Thanks!

Lisa