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How old is too old?

BigBlur said:
Unfortunately, OCLP is nearing the end of the road and will soon be dead. It only works with Intel Macs without the T2 chip and doesn't work with Apple Silicon. Apple has said Tahoe will be the last OS for Intel, so it'll be the last OS OCLP can work with. They are still in the process of getting Tahoe working/patched.

Once on Apple Silicon hardware, there will likely be no way to run newer OSes on older unsupported hardware for multiple technical reasons.
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Yeah that’s a shame, I’m really greatful to the OCLP team for having managed to keep older hardware from ending up in landfills for that long.

Once that no longer works one can always install Linux, I’ve tried it recently on an almost 15 years old MacBook Air and I was surprised how well it was running compared to the latest Mac OS.
 
When OCLP stops working, in other words when you think Tahoe is too old, put Unix on it: I have Ubuntu running on my late-2013 MBP.

The screen on that old MBP is smashed, so I opened up the case and disconnected the cable connecting the display to the system board (so that it would always try to boot up to an external monitor or TV - it has HDMI).

It has a 512GB SSD inside, so I configured Samba such that it works as a networked Time Machine destination and I use it to back up my current Macbook.

I can boot it up with no display connected as I've configured remote access (ssh for terminal and RDP for the GUI). It flies! Well, not that I do much with it - it was setting all this up which was fun. Now it's running well I've lost interest in it 😁 Apart from TM backups of course.,
 
danielristic said:
Yeah that’s a shame, I’m really greatful to the OCLP team for having managed to keep older hardware from ending up in landfills for that long.

Once that no longer works one can always install Linux, I’ve tried it recently on an almost 15 years old MacBook Air and I was surprised how well it was running compared to the latest Mac OS.
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Landfills? You mean the Apple recycling program is a hoax?
 
As someone who uses Monterey everyday, I suggest doing some spring cleaning or re-installing. I am not experiencing any of those issues on the MBP 2015 with Monterey.

Browser wise, that can change all the time. I suggest trying Orion and seeing if that changes anything with Facebook first. If it does, then it might be the older Safari that is causing it. Orion is also based on the newer WebKit releases, so it is great for testing and using on older macOS. Also deleting cookies in Safari could also solve all your browser issues. I've experienced that multiple times with social media sites.

Hope that helps.
 
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It would also be too old if you get fiber optic internet and can no longer control the mesh repeater.
 
Jeeve Stubbs said:
Landfills? You mean the Apple recycling program is a hoax?
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Ha ha, yes Apple’s recycling program with their disassembly robots is a joke and mostly a pretext to remove perfectly fine devices from reaching the second hand market (which is their biggest competition).
 
When is old too old? Never. Unless it runs slow. I have a whole range of Mac minis, running various versions of OS X. Even a Core 2 Duo isn't really slow when running the OS closest to the time of release. Snow Leopard, for my old apps, actually boots faster on Core 2 Duo than my newer Intel Macs. Haha! Security risk when running old? Perhaps to some extent, but I don't run apps with high security risk. iMessage, Facetime, Mail, Safari on these Macs? Nope. Browser and mail on Mojave only on apps that are still updated like ESR release of FireFox. I think most people will be fine if you don't use too many apps or third party drivers, and don't turn off SIP. Some attacks need direct access to the Mac. Those that do not exploit Safari or iMessage or Mail. Some Adobe app exploits caused SIP to be circumvented. There are limited reports of real exploited attacks in the wild. Mail on Sierra and earlier can be exploited by simply downloading an attachment. Apple has not patched it, only in High Sierra and higher. So be careful with these if the OS is too old. With a little care, I would not worry too much about running old systems.
 
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The Man said:
Mail on Sierra and earlier can be exploited by simply downloading an attachment. Apple has not patched it, only in High Sierra and higher.
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So, what would happen on your system if you did fall for such an email? How far could malware go before elevated user rights are needed to progress?
 
I really like the 2015 15" MBP, think it was probably one of the last great MBPs of the Intel era (although I really liked the 2014 when Apple still used mechanical TrackPad instead of ForceTouch and had an Nvidia GPU).

Anyhow, the wife had refused to upgrade from the 2015 MBP she's been using. I've reinstalled Monterey every year the past few years and it runs quite well after a clean install. Not experiencing any of the issuse OP is experiencing. I even had to get her to start using Pop!_OS in a virtual machine occasionally, letting her know that if she won't let me buy her a new MacBook, it's getting time to go the Linux route on the 2015. Installed Sequoia via OCLP and all her apps but the fans run a lot more often for whatever she's doing. So went back to Monterey.

However, this story takes a turn for the worse... despite MagSafe she tripped over the power cord and it was just enough of a jolt to pull the open MBP down from the dining table and onto the tile floor. She started crying (not for the cost of a new machine, mind you, but because she is sentimental as heck about this 2015 MBP). It landed on the top right edge of the display (you'd think being bottom heavy, it would have landed somewhere on the base). Now most of the menu bar is black as the first 40-50 rows of pixels are out of commission and some bits now rattle inside the base. Trooper that she is, she said "This is fine..." and using muscle memory to click on the no longer visible menu items. lol I had already replaced the display, battery, and left speaker back in spring 2025. But enough is enough. I surprised her with a loaded M4 Air and only took her about a day and a half to get over losing the 2015. She's amazed at the speed, brighter screen, and no fan noise at all. So all's well that end's well.

While the 2015 MBP is still plenty usable in 2026, I'd recommend getting a new MBP just for quality of life improvements, if budget allows.
 
loophole52 said:
My 2015 MBP might be starting to show it's age. Running Monterey 12.7.6 Strange things are occurring including distorted email (font beyond tiny). I'm also having difficulty posting in Facebook groups. Could these symptoms indicate that my MBP is due for replacement?
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I have a 2013 Mac Pro 6,1 (see my signature) which still works very quickly.

It sounds like there is something not right with your OS or computer.
 
boppin said:
New is always better.
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If you are using stock Mac apps or not doing a lot, then yes, that can be true.

Otherwise, I have found newer is not always better. Aside from major macOS bugs, take getting a new 2016 MBP with its problematic hardware or the Mac Pro 2019 that was solid, hardware wise, but couldn't run 32-bit apps, for example. Or needing to run certain software that requires a certain macOS version. Or needing to run VM's that require an Intel Mac, like older versions of Mac OS X etc. The list is endless.

Newer is not always better these days, like it was back in the late 90's or 2000's. Sometimes, you can get more done for much less on an older proven Mac "island" than using the latest and greatest hardware and software.

It all depends on many different factors for the user.

For me, the Mac Pro 2019 could have been the best hardware to buy, if it would have come with Mojave. But since it didn't, it was not a great option because it was stuck with Catalina. That is why the 2010's still rule to this day, for so many use cases.
 
MacHeritage said:
If you are using stock Mac apps or not doing a lot, then yes, that can be true.
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Honestly? Intel hardware is just garbage. I can certainly understand Apple's decision to switch to x86 or x86_64 back then, but still. I've never had such problems with hardware as with Apple. Especially since the 2011 MacBook Pro with its special NVIDIA graphics card.

Or the problems with the constantly running fans, very high CPU usage, overheating, or slow system performance or response.

I'm actually quite glad that Apple finally moved away from Intel, which didn't really surprise me in 2020. And yes, I know it's annoying for those still using Intel when there are no decent updates anymore.
 
boppin said:
Honestly? Intel hardware is just garbage. I can certainly understand Apple's decision to switch to x86 or x86_64 back then, but still. I've never had such problems with hardware as with Apple. Especially since the 2011 MacBook Pro with its special NVIDIA graphics card.

Or the problems with the constantly running fans, very high CPU usage, overheating, or slow system performance or response.

I'm actually quite glad that Apple finally moved away from Intel, which didn't really surprise me in 2020. And yes, I know it's annoying for those still using Intel when there are no decent updates anymore.
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Oh I agree with you, with the exception of Xeon with ECC memory, they were terrible and getting worse every year. And the 2016 released Intel processors, which Apple tested in 2015 are what forced Apple to start working on the M-series in the first place. The 2016 MBP was designed for something else that Intel said they were going to make but instead shipped a hot potato. Apple had to correct so much stuff in software because of Intel... Otherwise, Apple had no reason to do another switch and were happy with staying with Intel. Intel's blunders is what created the need for Apple to build the new arm based platform for the Mac. And also is what caused the death of 32-bit Mac software, which is still felt to this day, especially for Mac gaming and older Pro titles.

But Apple didn't make an M-series processor that can run 32-bit Mac Apps, older macOS's in a VM etc. One can run ancient Windows apps that way but not Mac, unless it was made for Mac OS 9.

If Apple would have provided a way to solve those things, it would be a no brainer and Intel would have died even faster. I mean, we can't even run FireWire anymore on new systems. There is a lot of expensive older audio hardware that only runs on FireWire.

So pointing out that newer is not necessarily better for the user, depending on their use cases. I deal with it all the time.
 
boppin said:
Honestly? Intel hardware is just garbage. I can certainly understand Apple's decision to switch to x86 or x86_64 back then, but still. I've never had such problems with hardware as with Apple. Especially since the 2011 MacBook Pro with its special NVIDIA graphics card.

Or the problems with the constantly running fans, very high CPU usage, overheating, or slow system performance or response.

I'm actually quite glad that Apple finally moved away from Intel, which didn't really surprise me in 2020. And yes, I know it's annoying for those still using Intel when there are no decent updates anymore.
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Well, next to the old space heaters powered by IBM it was pretty great, no? Anyway, 2011 MBP's came with an ATI/AMD Radeon GPU, just saying...

Biggest issue I had was the 2013 Mac Pro. That's also my only casualty so far that wasn't phased out due to age but died right before me.
 
th0masp said:
Well, next to the old space heaters powered by IBM it was pretty great, no? Anyway, 2011 MBP's came with an ATI/AMD Radeon GPU, just saying...
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And you're getting hung up on that? On a case of mistaken identity?

And I really don't remember the IBM machines at all.
 
boppin said:
And you're getting hung up on that? On a case of mistaken identity?

And I really don't remember the IBM machines at all.
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Well you are either misremembering the model year of your laptop or the party responsible for making its GPU. Not surprising then that you'd not remember the Power-PC CPU's either that were replaced by Intel's 'garbage'. 😀

(They were not competitive by the time the Intel switch happened)
 
th0masp said:
Well you are either misremembering the model year of your laptop or the party responsible for making its GPU. Not surprising then that you'd not remember the Power-PC CPU's either that were replaced by Intel's 'garbage'. 😀
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Yeah, whatever. To me, it's all ancient stuff. No longer relevant. And it's over and done with. Why should I care about ancient stories from way back when?
 
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