Laptop recommendations

[srosk265]

Is the 2015 Macbook still a decent machine? I can get one for $470.. or a lenovo i7 for $545.

Lenovo claimes 15 hours battery life and has a lot of power. Macbook is a bit more portable, but is a lot less powerful.

My main use case would be safari & google sheets. I run a business out of google sheets & email. iMessage is important too. Of course, the occasional netflix and such.

I know that I'm on a Apple forum.. but what would you recommend? Or do I need to splurge for a newer machine and spend 1k on a laptop?

 

[The Samurai]

Given the needs which you have mentioned, the Macbook 12" will be plenty powerful and then some. $470 is a good deal.

Would a Windows based laptop work out cheaper + powerful - sure, but you wouldn't get the portability, Mac OS and iMessage... and you don't need power for the things which you have identified (theres no need to get a Ferrari if you're not going to be doing over 30mph

 

[sculfort]

Is the 2015 Macbook still a decent machine? I can get one for $470.. or a lenovo i7 for $545.

Lenovo claimes 15 hours battery life and has a lot of power. Macbook is a bit more portable, but is a lot less powerful.

My main use case would be safari & google sheets. I run a business out of google sheets & email. iMessage is important too. Of course, the occasional netflix and such.

I know that I'm on a Apple forum.. but what would you recommend? Or do I need to splurge for a newer machine and spend 1k on a laptop?

I think that would be plenty fine to. I highly recommend you check open box at Best Buy. I just picked up a base 2017 model for $540. So for an extra $70 you could get the 2017 model. Either way though I think you should go for it!

 

[nouveau_redneck]

For primarily Safari, Sheets, etc., the specs don't matter as much. The '15 MacBook will do that all day without breaking a sweat. Choose based of the OS and machine that you prefer.

 

[srosk265]

I think that would be plenty fine to. I highly recommend you check open box at Best Buy. I just picked up a base 2017 model for $540. So for an extra $70 you could get the 2017 model. Either way though I think you should go for it!

That's an awesome deal. Will keep an eye.. The 2015 scared me but will keep checking

 

[lambertjohn]

Is the 2015 Macbook still a decent machine? I can get one for $470.. or a lenovo i7 for $545.

Lenovo claimes 15 hours battery life and has a lot of power. Macbook is a bit more portable, but is a lot less powerful.

My main use case would be safari & google sheets. I run a business out of google sheets & email. iMessage is important too. Of course, the occasional netflix and such.

I know that I'm on a Apple forum.. but what would you recommend? Or do I need to splurge for a newer machine and spend 1k on a laptop?

Stay away from the 2015 MacBook. It's slow and has a terrible keyboard. Spend a little more money and go with the 2017 MacBook. Or wait and see if they refresh the MacBook for 2019...or get one of the new Airs!

 

[PsychicRutabaga]

I'm posting this reply from the MacBook 2015. It's still a great laptop for me and has been my main personal computer since summer of 2015. The Keyboard is great for me and it isn't slow at all, unless you're trying to run modern games. I have no intention to upgrade until it is no longer fit for purpose, and right now it's still fine for everything I need it to do (lots of browsing, e-mail, Microsoft Office, older games, music, running an occasional Linux VM, working with photos, some Python programming. Battery isn't as good as it once was, but I mostly use it at home so that's not a big deal for me.

 

[srosk265]

I'm posting this reply from the MacBook 2015. It's still a great laptop for me and has been my main personal computer since summer of 2015. The Keyboard is great for me and it isn't slow at all, unless you're trying to run modern games. I have no intention to upgrade until it is no longer fit for purpose, and right now it's still fine for everything I need it to do (lots of browsing, e-mail, Microsoft Office, older games, music, running an occasional Linux VM, working with photos, some Python programming. Battery isn't as good as it once was, but I mostly use it at home so that's not a big deal for me.

Awesome! Thanks for your feedback