MacBook Pro 2012 13in Or MacBook Air 2015 13in?

[bluely]

Hello, I'm looking into a MacBook for school just to do the basics: searching the web, music, Netflix, and things like that.

My friend is selling me his MacBook Pro 2012 13in for 450$, it's in okay conditions, it works fine it has some scratches, the battery may need a replacement and the screen wobbles a bit. But overalll it seems to work great. I don't know how much it would cost me for a battery replacement/the fixing of the wobble screen.

I was also thinking of getting the MacBook Air 2015 13in for 850$ or so as I saw that it was lighter and had extra battery life. It would be brand new.

Would it be worth it to buy the MBA for 900$? Or should I spend the 450 on the MBP

I really need help on this. I don't really know about computers.
Thanks.

 

[mripadmini]

get the air.

 

[Brammy]

Get the air.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Hello, I'm looking into a MacBook for school just to do the basics: searching the web, music, Netflix, and things like that.

My friend is selling me his MacBook Pro 2012 13in for 450$, it's in okay conditions, it works fine it has some scratches, the battery may need a replacement and the screen wobbles a bit. But overalll it seems to work great. I don't know how much it would cost me for a battery replacement/the fixing of the wobble screen.

I was also thinking of getting the MacBook Air 2015 13in for 850$ or so as I saw that it was lighter and had extra battery life. It would be brand new.

Would it be worth it to buy the MBA for 900$? Or should I spend the 450 on the MBP

I really need help on this. I don't really know about computers.
Thanks.

I wouldn't touch that 2012 MBP with a bargepole. Likely to cost £$£$ to get right.

Nor would I spend $850 on a MacBook Air in 2018. The lack of Retina display would kill it for me.

I would be looking at a 12" MacBook ultraportable, but more expensive. There are some 2016 models (wouldn't advise 2015 model) in the Apple refurb store starting at $1209.

Apple Refurbished are like new and carry full warranty rights, but are 200-300 cheaper.

There is also a 2017 MacBook Air in the Apple Refurb store for $1019, if Retina display is not important for you.

 

[bluely]

I wouldn't touch that 2012 MBP with a bargepole. Likely to cost £$£$ to get right.

Nor would I spend $850 on a MacBook Air in 2018. The lack of Retina display would kill it for me.

I would be looking at a 12" MacBook ultraportable, but more expensive. There are some 2016 models (wouldn't advise 2015 model) in the Apple refurb store starting at $1209.

Apple Refurbished are like new and carry full warranty rights, but are 200-300 cheaper.

There is also a 2017 MacBook Air in the Apple Refurb store for $1019, if Retina display is not important for you.

Thank you for the imput. I'm still trying to decide what to get. The MacBook Pro that my friend wants to give me for 450$ battery only last roughly 4 or so hours, which isn't enough for me since I use it for school daily. Also it is quite heavy. I don't want to spend so much money on a computer, which is why I really don't want to buy any new Air/Pro models. I'm trying to keep the budget at around 700-800$ and most of my friends have told me the MacBook Air 2015 is great and it works for them, but it too is very expensive. The Retina display isn't a big deal for me, as again I just need it for some basic work. Maybe occasionally watch a movie. So I'm looking in to more of getting the air but I might need some more opinions on what to do because I'm still not sure. Thanks again!

 

[mikzn]

Does the MBP2012 have an SSD drive? if not consider that as part of the price difference? It might justify the mac book air.

4 hours battery life is not unusual for a 2012 MBP - I have one and never gets past 4 hours.

The wobbly screen does not sound good?

2012 MBP is a great machine if is has an SSD drive and has at least 8g of memory and is in good condition? on the other hand if you have to spend $400 to replace the drive and update the memory the MacBook Air might make more sense.

 

[Guy Clark]

If its the non-Retina model go with the MacBook Pro.

Being from 2012 it is still a very capable machine and although non-Retina the Display is still outstanding and is ideally suited to basic tasking.

The major advantage with the non-Retina MacBook Pro being it is user serviceable/upgradeable so if you were looking to upgrade the RAM or fit an SSD/Dual Hard Drive it is very straightforward
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+RAM+Replacement/10374
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Hard+Drive+Replacement/10378
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Dual+Hard+Drive/13787

Also the non-Retina has a built in Superdrive the last of any of the MacBook Pro range to include one.

I would say however the price for the condition you have described is a high when an immaculate one can be purchased for around $550 or less.
[doublepost=1521403427][/doublepost]

I wouldn't touch that 2012 MBP with a bargepole. Likely to cost £$£$ to get right.

Nor would I spend $850 on a MacBook Air in 2018. The lack of Retina display would kill it for me.

I would be looking at a 12" MacBook ultraportable, but more expensive. There are some 2016 models (wouldn't advise 2015 model) in the Apple refurb store starting at $1209.

Apple Refurbished are like new and carry full warranty rights, but are 200-300 cheaper.

There is also a 2017 MacBook Air in the Apple Refurb store for $1019, if Retina display is not important for you.

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the 2012 MacBook Pro it is an incredibly versatile machine and if a Retina display is not important then it makes it the ideal Mac for the tasks outlined. I would however go for one in immaculate condition which are readily available for $550 or less if you shop around.

 

[bluely]

Does the MBP2012 have an SSD drive? if not consider that as part of the price difference? It might justify the mac book air.

4 hours battery life is not unusual for a 2012 MBP - I have one and never gets past 4 hours.

The wobbly screen does not sound good?

2012 MBP is a great machine if is has an SSD drive and has at least 8g of memory and is in good condition? on the other hand if you have to spend $400 to replace the drive and update the memory the MacBook Air might make more sense.

I don't know if it has a SSD drive, I'll have to ask. But I do know that it has 8g of memory and the computer works good, all it has are some scratches and a little dent but it's still useable. I was concerned with the wobbly screen, but I heard that it could be easily fixed. Right now I think his computer can run 4 hours with a single charge. It has a battery cycle of 700 or so I think. If I replace the battery how long do you think it can last? I will keep in mind what you said! Thanks!
[doublepost=1521421008][/doublepost]

If its the non-Retina model go with the MacBook Pro.

Being from 2012 it is still a very capable machine and although non-Retina the Display is still outstanding and is ideally suited to basic tasking.

The major advantage with the non-Retina MacBook Pro being it is user serviceable/upgradeable so if you were looking to upgrade the RAM or fit an SSD/Dual Hard Drive it is very straightforward
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+RAM+Replacement/10374
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Hard+Drive+Replacement/10378
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Dual+Hard+Drive/13787

Also the non-Retina has a built in Superdrive the last of any of the MacBook Pro range to include one.

I would say however the price for the condition you have described is a high when an immaculate one can be purchased for around $550 or less.
[doublepost=1521403427][/doublepost]
I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the 2012 MacBook Pro it is an incredibly versatile machine and if a Retina display is not important then it makes it the ideal Mac for the tasks outlined. I would however go for one in immaculate condition which are readily available for $550 or less if you shop around.

Thank you, I will keep this in mind!

 

[mikzn]

I don't know if it has a SSD drive, I'll have to ask. But I do know that it has 8g of memory and the computer works good, all it has are some scratches and a little dent but it's still useable. I was concerned with the wobbly screen, but I heard that it could be easily fixed. Right now I think his computer can run 4 hours with a single charge. It has a battery cycle of 700 or so I think. If I replace the battery how long do you think it can last? I will keep in mind what you said! Thanks!

IMHO - 450 is a resonable price for that MBP - you can check on ebay to compare - I agree with Guy Clark's comments

A SSD would be a bonus if already upgraded but if not it is easy to do and would really be worth it - much much faster with the SSD drive. (Suggest - Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB)

If the processor is an i7 that would be even more good news - a pretty powerful MBP

I have had my Mid2012 MBP "i7" (15 inch) since i bought it new in 2012 and the battery has never lasted more than 4 hours - so I am not sure a new battery would help (the original specs said 7 hours) - if you get 4 hours you might consider waiting.

Cheap replacement batteries are even worse - My recommendation is get a Lizone Battery when you need it - that said the cylce count of 700 is near recommended replacement

 

[Mike Boreham]

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the 2012 MacBook Pro it is an incredibly versatile machine and if a Retina display is not important then it makes it the ideal Mac for the tasks outlined. I would however go for one in immaculate condition which are readily available for $550 or less if you shop around.

I agree with that. My "bargepole" comment was mainly motivated by mention of the dodgy screen on a six year old machine.

The non-retina MBP is significantly heavier than the Air, so it's the usual balance between portability and capability.

If $800 is a hard ceiling it rules out refurbs and means a second hand purchase. In the UK I would be looking at buying from a shop selling used computers with warranty. CEX in UK sells all computers with a two year warranty. I guess there are similar in the US.

 

[bluely]

IMHO - 450 is a resonable price for that MBP - you can check on ebay to compare - I agree with Guy Clark's comments

A SSD would be a bonus if already upgraded but if not it is easy to do and would really be worth it - much much faster with the SSD drive. (Suggest - Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB)

If the processor is an i7 that would be even more good news - a pretty powerful MBP

I have had my Mid2012 MBP "i7" (15 inch) since i bought it new in 2012 and the battery has never lasted more than 4 hours - so I am not sure a new battery would help (the original specs said 7 hours) - if you get 4 hours you might consider waiting.

Cheap replacement batteries are even worse - My recommendation is get a Lizone Battery when you need it - that said the cylce count of 700 is near recommended replacement

Thank you very much!

 

[Mike Boreham]

IMHO - 450 is a resonable price for that MBP - you can check on ebay to compare - I agree with Guy Clark's comments

I haven't researched 2012 MBP prices in the US, but if you can get an immaculate one for $550 as Guy says, get that rather than one with scratches that has a wobbly screen and needs a new battery, for $450.

 

[Clix Pix]

Actually, you're in the wrong section of this site if you're interested in the MacBook Air; this is the discussion area for the 12" MacBook, which is a different machine from either the MacBook Air or the MacBook Pro. You need to take a look at this subforum: https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/macbook-air.122/ and there you will find a lot of discussion specifically around the MBA.

As for the MBP you're thinking about, it does sound as though there may be some potential issues with it, especially that "wobbly screen," so this is something to take into consideration: how much would it cost to repair or replace an essential part in the future? Aside from that, though, if the machine has a "platter" or "spinner" HDD as opposed to a Solid State Drive (SSD) there are ways to work around that without opening up the machine; one can buy an external SSD and use that as a boot drive or use it for speeding up critical apps or as a way of supplementing storage. However, realistically, regardless of its current condition, a 2012 MBP is not going to have too much longer a life span in terms of being able to continue updating when Apple releases new versions of MacOS, and that could be an important consideration if you are thinking you'll be using it over the next three, four or more years.

There have been rumors about Apple planning to bring out a less-expensive new computer, perhaps an updated MBA or perhaps it will change names, but that is something to be thinking about, too, as in the end, a brand-new machine, even if a little bit more money than you wanted to spend, in the long run will have many advantages and should be OS-upgradeable and function well for several years. Once this new machine hits the street, it will be at a low (for Apple) base price range and this will also affect the sales of current and gently-used MacBook Airs and even MacBook Pros. I think I'd keep saving your money for a little longer, keep an eye out for what is coming down the pike, and then make your decision......