Help with Old (2017) macbook pro

[kingston73]

I have an old macbook pro from 2017 and I'm wondering what the best cheap upgrade route would be. It is just for home use and my work computer and all my experience other than this one macbook has been Windows. I've used Linux distros a little but mostly just to play on, nothing serious. I'm wondering how best to upgrade now without spending a ton of money.
So far I've thought of these options:
1. using one of the patch apps to force a macOS update
2. Trying to install Windows on my macbook
3. Install a Linux distro
4. Sending my macbook to apple and buying something new (I already checked and they only offered me $75 for trade in)
5. Buying a cheaper Windows laptop new
6. Other???

 

[eyoungren]

I have an old macbook pro from 2017 and I'm wondering what the best cheap upgrade route would be. It is just for home use and my work computer and all my experience other than this one macbook has been Windows. I've used Linux distros a little but mostly just to play on, nothing serious. I'm wondering how best to upgrade now without spending a ton of money.
So far I've thought of these options:
1. using one of the patch apps to force a macOS update
2. Trying to install Windows on my macbook
3. Install a Linux distro
4. Sending my macbook to apple and buying something new (I already checked and they only offered me $75 for trade in)
5. Buying a cheaper Windows laptop new
6. Other???

I have Sonoma installed on my wife's 2015 MBP (using OCLP). She doesn't use that Mac much, but I hear no complaints. I'm typing this message in on a 2009 MacPro running Sonoma. That's quite a bit more powerful than an MBP, even considering that it's older. But I have no issues.

What is it you're wanting to (or need to) do with your MBP? Or are you simply considering options just because you have no idea what to do with it?

 

[kingston73]

I'm just considering options for when I lose updates completely. I think for my 2017 that is this year? Or next year?

I've never tried to use the OCLP or any other patch app, is it fairly straightforward? Are there other things I'd need to do once I installed Sonoma? I've read things about the graphics card not working after a forced update but don't know if that's univeral or isolated cases?

 

[eyoungren]

I'm just considering options for when I lose updates completely. I think for my 2017 that is this year? Or next year?

I've never tried to use the OCLP or any other patch app, is it fairly straightforward? Are there other things I'd need to do once I installed Sonoma? I've read things about the graphics card not working after a forced update but don't know if that's univeral or isolated cases?

My youngest Mac is a 2011 MBA, but due to ram limitation I've left it on High Sierra. That leaves two 2009 Mac Minis, my 2009 MacPro and a 2008 MBP. All of which have seen various patchers up to Catalina and with the 2008 MBP and my 2009 MacPro, Sonoma via OCLP.

I was afraid of OCLP. But I simply followed their instructions on their website and read through all their warning and suggestions. I've had no significant issues on Sonoma, but I'm also not a heavy user of a lot of Apple's features (I usually have alternatives already or am not interested).

I did choose, however, to wait to upgrade (via OCLP) to Sequoia until the next version of MacOS is released. I figure that by that point, any issues or bugs with Sequoia, the OCLP people will have worked out or mitigated by that time.

If you take your time and look through things and ask questions here, OCLP might seem less daunting. But I would wait until there are no more native updates. You also have the advantage of having a much newer Mac.

 

[uacd]

Installing Windows is your best choice. It will run smoothly and doesn’t cost a fortune.

Also, from my experience I would tell not to be afraid of losing updates. Your system will work smoothly for another 5-7 years after you receive no updates. Your best indicator – browser support: until you don’t get errors when browsing your machine is perfectly fine. So you can use macOS as usual. When time comes you will upgrade, but now your mac is only 8 years old. I still have my old iMac from 2012 and it opens webpages (in Firefox) perfectly fine with macOS Mojave that was last updated in 2018, tho I moved to my ARM MacBook for most stuff