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Getting a Blackbook

If it will fit your needs, then sure. But really, it's an underpowered machine. 2.0GHz Core Duo (way slow today), 512MB RAM (2GB is small today) and only an 80GB hard drive. I personally wouldn't pay that much for such a low spec'd computer, but if you think it's powerful enough go for it. I feel like with a slightly larger budget you could get an older MBA and be happier.
 
It's not worth it. way too much for such an old computer. If I really had to buy it, i'd pay 50$ max.
 
rjcalifornia said:
So,

Someone is selling me this blackbook:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/specs/macbook_2.0_black.html

for USD $450, it has a new hard drive and new charger and battery is holding strong (3 hours)

So my question is: Is it worth it? The conditions is brand new, not even one scratch. It belongs to someone who ONLY uses it for streaming soccer games. So, is it good or rip off?
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450 for a machine that is 7 years old?

no way. It can't even run Lion and maxes out at 2gigs of ram
 
If you're dead set on getting a Blackbook, that's the model to get. It's the fastest and has the better of the two (still not really great) GPU in it. I still use mine old Blackbook daily. It's held up really well over the years and is covered with battle scars. Recently put in a SSD, makes it feel like a new machine. However, at that price it is a bit much. But in your area it might be a good price.
 
Intell said:
If you're dead set on getting a Blackbook, that's the model to get. It's the fastest and has the better of the two (still not really great) GPU in it. I still use mine old Blackbook daily. It's held up really well over the years and is covered with battle scars. Recently put in a SSD, makes it feel like a new machine. However, at that price it is a bit much. But in your area it might be a good price.
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Yeah, however on ebay those blackbooks are going higher. I doubt he will go down as 350, but 400 is an acceptable price. I still don't know, I mean even if I find a cheaper on ebay, it could be 'dead on arrival', get lost, or worst: Broken.

I will go tomorrow, and negotiate 😀 hehe I think I will get it in two payments haha

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dukebound85 said:
450 for a machine that is 7 years old?

no way. It can't even run Lion and maxes out at 2gigs of ram
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Yeah... read my signature 😉 lol
 
rjcalifornia said:
Yeah, however on ebay those blackbooks are going higher. I doubt he will go down as 350, but 400 is an acceptable price. I still don't know, I mean even if I find a cheaper on ebay, it could be 'dead on arrival', get lost, or worst: Broken.

I will go tomorrow, and negotiate 😀 hehe I think I will get it in two payments haha

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Yeah... read my signature 😉 lol
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That is the same exact model that I have. If it is still looking brandnew. Go for it for 400. Remember to get all the disks and packaging.

I got mine a BlackBook 2.4GHz with 4GB and 250GB 5400HDD for 350 as far as i can remember at the marketplace here in MR. It was pretty pristine and impressive with the original packaging, disks and a snowleopard install disk. I have updated to a 120GB Intel SSD since then. It is not my primary notebook per see but it is my mobile since it is much lighter and smaller to carry than my PB.

Never had a hiccup with it.
 
Nameci said:
That is the same exact model that I have. If it is still looking brandnew. Go for it for 400. Remember to get all the disks and packaging.

I got mine a BlackBook 2.4GHz with 4GB and 250GB 5400HDD for 350 as far as i can remember at the marketplace here in MR. It was pretty pristine and impressive with the original packaging, disks and a snowleopard install disk. I have updated to a 120GB Intel SSD since then. It is not my primary notebook per see but it is my mobile since it is much lighter and smaller to carry than my PB.

Never had a hiccup with it.
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Thanks! I will go tomorrow 😀
 
Why?

I have that same mac, and it's sitting on a shelf in my office. It's slow, the display isn't as good as either of my newer macs, the battery life is poor, and the ram is limited.

It looks great, but do you buy a computer to use or look at?
 
Svend said:
Why?

I have that same mac, and it's sitting on a shelf in my office. It's slow, the display isn't as good as either of my newer macs, the battery life is poor, and the ram is limited.

It looks great, but do you buy a computer to use or look at?
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Well, just for my job, some HD video editing. I mean if I can get my job done on an old iBook G4, I don't see why I wouldn't get it done on a black macbook...

It's not the fastest, but I've tested and it works pretty good.
 
rjcalifornia said:
So the blackbook is in excellent condition 😀

I am going to get it! 😀
Click to expand...

There is nothing that would make it worth that price, even if completely unused, but it's your money. Problems are basically too old to service if something does go wrong, the displays used in that era weren't even good for their respective era, and GMA sucked even at that time. Personally I avoid sellers that ask too much for old technology.
 
thekev said:
There is nothing that would make it worth that price, even if completely unused, but it's your money. Problems are basically too old to service if something does go wrong, the displays used in that era weren't even good for their respective era, and GMA sucked even at that time. Personally I avoid sellers that ask too much for old technology.
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Do note that he's in El Salvador and Macs aren't very common there. Even if he were to buy one from the USA, he'd still have to pay for the high cost of shipping. To him and possibly others there, it may be worth it.
 
Intell said:
Do note that he's in El Salvador and Macs aren't very common there. Even if he were to buy one from the USA, he'd still have to pay for the high cost of shipping. To him and possibly others there, it may be worth it.
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I didn't think realize El Salvador was one of the countries with that issue. The problem with really old machines is you have fewer service options. Drives tend be much slower. If it's the original battery, it can be expensive if that goes out. I know in the US you don't have so many options if repair is needed. Out of warranty a few years old you might be able to get depot repair, but that one is probably too old. I tend to be really hesitant about spending much on old hardware with limited service options even though I often keep computers for a number of years.
 
thekev said:
There is nothing that would make it worth that price, even if completely unused, but it's your money. Problems are basically too old to service if something does go wrong, the displays used in that era weren't even good for their respective era, and GMA sucked even at that time. Personally I avoid sellers that ask too much for old technology.
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I know, it is old to service, but I fix computers myself and I love learning. If a problem arises, well I will try to fix it and learn.

I don't need that much video graphics, I get my movies and tv shows off netflix on my xbox 360 and my main desktop computer.

I know what you mean and I understand. I found some around 230 on ebay, however those are either cracked, scratched, dead battery, dead hard drive, etc.

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Intell said:
Do note that he's in El Salvador and Macs aren't very common there. Even if he were to buy one from the USA, he'd still have to pay for the high cost of shipping. To him and possibly others there, it may be worth it.
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Shipping is actually not that high, around 30-40 dollars. The problem is the customs department down here. If I find one in perfect condition for USD $250, I will have to pay USD $134.27 in taxes. Yes, even if it is used.

If I find one for USD $300, with 30 of shipping, I will have to pay USD $163.39 in taxes. That's the main problem.

I hate my government btw

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thekev said:
I didn't think realize El Salvador was one of the countries with that issue. The problem with really old machines is you have fewer service options. Drives tend be much slower. If it's the original battery, it can be expensive if that goes out. I know in the US you don't have so many options if repair is needed. Out of warranty a few years old you might be able to get depot repair, but that one is probably too old. I tend to be really hesitant about spending much on old hardware with limited service options even though I often keep computers for a number of years.
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I know and I understand. There's actually a big mac reseller down here, and it only sells new mac equipment, they don't even sell macs released last year. I don't really want to spend that kind of money on a laptop, with half of that money I can get a faster windows machine, which I already did, a brand new AMD desktop machine which is faster, more stable, quiet, and with an SLI Nvidia graphics...
 
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Wouldn't pay more than $100 max for that. I have a late 2007 Blackbook (2.16GHz/1GB 667MHz DDR2 RAM/160GB HD) and although it still runs fine and is close to unbreakable, it's time has long since passed. With upgraded RAM and a better hard-drive it would obviously run smoother, but still it's far too dated and unable to run current operating systems (I have Snow Leopard on mine). The woeful GMA950 chipset and terrible panel are reason alone to stay far away from it. For $450, I'd rather just get an iPad which is much better suited to handle modern requirements.
 
Wow...I don't understand why people pay for old hardware. Just surfed ebay for a couple of minutes, found a set that included a 2012 MBA, iPod Touch 5th Gen, Magic Mouse and Keyboard for 750$. IMO, the OP is getting ripped off.
 
larry918 said:
Wow...I don't understand why people pay for old hardware. Just surfed ebay for a couple of minutes, found a set that included a 2012 MBA, iPod Touch 5th Gen, Magic Mouse and Keyboard for 750$. IMO, the OP is getting ripped off.
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I don't understand why people buy suck book airs, iCrap touches, and a mouse without buttons!!!
iTouches are simply the worst apple products ever made.
MacBook air are great for web browsing, but terrible for anything other than that.
Magic mice need to be stuffed into mouse traps!

Why don't people like you just leave this forum, I've used a brand new 2012 MBA and it was worse than my 2004 PowerBook, continuous beach balls, kernel panics, incredible slowness.
When I use my main computer, a PowerMac G5 at 2.5GHz, with four cores, soon to be 20GB of RAM, and a completely discreet nVidia 7800GTX it is the best computer I have ever owned, I have owned Mac Pros, iMacs, alienwares, and pretty much anything made by apple, and the G5 is just better, it feels like a real mac and not just some crappy PC workstation with a copy of OS X thrown on it, like a Mac Pro is.
 
To the Original Poster,

That's a fine MacBook. Yes, it's older and slower than today's computers, but it's still very capable.

I own a similar one (mine's white) and it handles everything I do with it (I don't do HD video editing, gaming, or 3D Rendering) but I have no problem with HD youtube, browsing, or software development.

By USA standards you're paying at the top end of asking price, but only YOU can decide if it is worth it.

Good Luck!!!
 
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