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Macbook White - is it worth to buy?
- Thread starter Emzijs
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I just sold a white macbook on here, and before that it was my main email/facebook/office computer. If you plan on upgrading the laptop to its max amount of RAM or using an older OS, there's no reason why it wouldn't work. Having said that, even a near perfect condition battery is only going to give you ~3 hours of battery life, where as newer laptops can get over 12 hours.
So basically, if you can get it for the right price, I wouldn't advise against it, as long as you're aware of its limitations.
So basically, if you can get it for the right price, I wouldn't advise against it, as long as you're aware of its limitations.
I was given a 2010 white macbook recently. I put in 4gb ram and a samsung evo 840 ssd. Upgraded to Yosemite and it is running great. Boots almost as fast as my 2013 Air. I had the memory from another macbook upgrade and the evo 840 120gb cost around a hundred bucks. It was definitely worth it for me.
If it is the White Unibody model it could be worthwhile. If it is an older model limited to 10.7 I wouldn't bother. I still use mine but I would not put any more money into it as it can't run a current OS X and third party software support is just starting to slip.
It's a shame that Apple dropped support as they were more than fast enough and capable of running a 64bit OS even if the chipset wasn't 64bit. I have considered running Windows 8.1 on it for a modern OS.
It's a shame that Apple dropped support as they were more than fast enough and capable of running a 64bit OS even if the chipset wasn't 64bit. I have considered running Windows 8.1 on it for a modern OS.
I rebuild and repair older MacBook models for a living. My experience is that they work fine with SSD and so long as you don't exceed the maximum supported OS (10.6.8 for MacBook 2,1 and 10.7 for 4,1 models) 2GB RAM works fine. Crucial (and maybe other makers) have their own garbage control firmware built-in (it's OS-agnostic so works for all versions of Win & OSX) so TRIM isn't strictly necessary (there are limitations to garbage control in that it has to be able to run 24/7) but if prefer to use TRIM Enabler anyway.
Remember that A1181 models are SATA l interface so there's a cap on the maximum data-flow through the interface; don't get fooled into 6Gbps SSD models as you'll never get the benefit.
Later models can upgrade to Mavericks then 4GB RAM is better but there's an issue with TRIM on Yosemite that you'd need to research before installing it.
Keep the 2,1/4,1 models to Office 2004 though later models can run '2008; I have a prejudice against the later version so can't comment objectively on when best to install it.
For me they work fine (a 2,1 with 10.6.8 runs sweetly) with SSD, smart and responsive (Snow Leopard is Apple's XP) but iTunes, Mail and Safari with JavaScript can cause the system to slow a little.
You'll only get 300 cycles out of after-market batteries but at least they're easy and cheap to buy and user replaceable.
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I'm using an early-2009 white MacBook for my daily work as an editor (text editing, e-mail, web surfing) and it does the job. I never upgraded from the stock 2Gb memory. I also stayed with OSX 10.6.8 for familiarity/reliability on this particular machine, rather than further upgrading the OS.
I also have a MacBook Air but I do love my old whitebook, which is desk-based and plugged into a larger monitor for when I'm proofreading. I'd recommend the early-2009 MacBook model or the unibody version that came after it, preferably running OSX 10.6.8. Obviously it's all 'old technology' so I definitely wouldn't go paying too much for it, but if you get one for a good price you'll find it a sweet introduction to Macs.
I also have a MacBook Air but I do love my old whitebook, which is desk-based and plugged into a larger monitor for when I'm proofreading. I'd recommend the early-2009 MacBook model or the unibody version that came after it, preferably running OSX 10.6.8. Obviously it's all 'old technology' so I definitely wouldn't go paying too much for it, but if you get one for a good price you'll find it a sweet introduction to Macs.
I'm using the last of the white MacBooks. A Mid 2010 model.
I've upgraded to 240G SSD & 8G RAM.
Works great. I have a newish HP Z15 hot rod at work. This MacBook is more useable. And the Z15 is not that much faster.
I have an older 2007 MacBook. I'd pass on any thing older that the mid 2010 model.
I've upgraded to 240G SSD & 8G RAM.
Works great. I have a newish HP Z15 hot rod at work. This MacBook is more useable. And the Z15 is not that much faster.
I have an older 2007 MacBook. I'd pass on any thing older that the mid 2010 model.
Thanks for your answers!I borrowed MacBook Air(year of 2009,i think?Correct me if i'm wrong) from a friend of mine who wasn't using it since he bought it.He used it for an hour,and didn't like it,so he returned to Windows.I have used it one day and i like it - even if it is a OSX 10.6.8,it works pretty good and i didn't felt needing to return on my Windows.
Which SSD drives do you recommend for older MacBooks? I have a 2009 whitebook already with 4gb ram but doesn't run Mavericks well, and my bro has a 2006 core duo MacBook with an older OS that seems to run quite smoothly.
Thinking of upgrading both MacBooks to SSD, either 64 or 120GB, but want to spend as little as possible obviously. Looked at Kingston but the Amazon reviews are giving me pause. Crucial mx100 seems good, but it is 50% more than the Kingston. Given that both MacBooks have older SATA, max throughput is a waste of time, but would be nice to have good random access, and that's where the Kingston seems to fail.
I have a Samsung SSD 840 EVO 250GB in my MacBook. Even had it in my 2007 MacBook. It work great then too.
I think speed is a function of size of the SSD (some what). At the lower sizes, like 64G, the number of flash devices in the SSD are a big factor. It seems at 240G & above tis factor goes away.
I think speed is a function of size of the SSD (some what). At the lower sizes, like 64G, the number of flash devices in the SSD are a big factor. It seems at 240G & above tis factor goes away.
I went through this thread last month and got a lot of great advice about my 2009 White Unibody MacBook. I ended up cranking the RAM to 8GB and replaced the HDD with a SSD. VERY happy with the improvements. No more spinning beach-balls of death 
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1824511/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1824511/
Yeah, I think much the same as many of the others above. I actually just bought one for my wife to replace our Mini desktop that she never used (chasing a toddler doesn't work well with sitting in a desk chair). That said, I plan to immediately upgrade the RAM and install the SSD I removed from the Mini - all told it'll have a 120GB SSD and 5GB of RAM (1 of the original sticks and a spare 4GB I have). I will be keeping it at Snow Leopard, though - our 2.53GHz C2D Mini was a dog on anything above Snow, so this 2.26GHz Macbook will obviously be a step slower.
If you find one for the right price (around $200, I think), then just understand its limits and it should be a decent basic use machine and intro to OS X.
Thank you for your answers.Sadly,but last MacBook White,which was in decent condition has been sold,price was 170 euros(230 dollars,i think).But i am currently using friend's MacBook Air(2009,specs - 2GB ram,C2D and 120GB SSD) with OSX 10.6.8.Is it worth to buy,and what could be price for this spec MacBook?How about upgrading?
It seems to go for about $300 to $350 on eBay in good condition. This is for listings that actually sold. Take off 10% to 15% for a cash deal. As your friend doesn't have Paypal, auction fees or shipping to deal with. If it needs a new battery that would affect price.
As for upgrades you can go up to 480GB on an OWC SSD. Although that is a ridiculous amount to spend on such an old computer. Along with the battery and computer itself you'd be close to buying a brand new Macbook Air.
Personally the current $300 to $350 value sounds way too high for a six year old computer limited to 2GB RAM and a Core 2 Duo. I wouldn't spend more than $150.
I have a pair of Macbooks-a late 2007 model in black, and a white mid-2009.
Both have(cheap) SSDs-a 120gb Sandisk in the black Macbook and a 240gb Kingston in the White Macbook. The Blackbook has 2gb of RAM and is running 10.7. It will very shortly be upgraded to 4gb-a friend has promised me some 2gb DDR2 SO-DIMMS from an old Compaq he junked. 10.7 is the maximum it will support. The white is running Yosemite(officially supported on this model) and has 4gb of RAM. It will officially hold 8gb, but IMO 4gb DDR-2 modules are prohibitively expensive considering the age/value of the computer.
I regularly let others use these computers, and everyone is impressed with how responsive and useable they are given their age. Both have Office 2011, Photoshop CS6, and quite a few other "heavy" programs installed-they handle them fairly gracefully, and of course with an SSD launch any of these almost instantly.
The Blackbook has its original battery with ~150 cycles on it and will reliably run for 2.5-3h on a charge. The white book had an a new aftermarket battery in it when I bought it that gave me no end of trouble. The computer would randomly shut off when running on the battery, and finally after a few months(and no more than a couple dozen cycles) got to where it wouldn't charge at all. Rather than buying a new battery from Apple(still available, but almost as much as I paid for the computer) or another questionable aftermarket battery, I gambled on a lightly used(reportedly 6 cycles) Apple OEM battery for $50 on Ebay. That battery actually is older than the computer(late 2008 manufacture date) but most of the battery utilities report it with better than 100% health and it will run the computer for a solid 4 hours.
After several bad experience with aftermarket batteries having very short use lived before they failed(primarily with PPC laptops, but also Intel), I've sworn off most of them. I stick to Apple OEM batteries, or if I must buy aftermarket I always try to get Newertech NuPower batteries(these are available from OWC). They are a lot pricier than most of the aftermarket batteries you find on Ebay, but are less expensive than OEM. In my experience they will power the computer for about as long as an OEM battery, last about as long as an Apple battery(~300 cycles), and tend to have fairly good fit and finish so they don't stick out like a sore thumb when installed. For older computers, they also have the advantage of likely being "fresher" than an OEM battery.
Both have(cheap) SSDs-a 120gb Sandisk in the black Macbook and a 240gb Kingston in the White Macbook. The Blackbook has 2gb of RAM and is running 10.7. It will very shortly be upgraded to 4gb-a friend has promised me some 2gb DDR2 SO-DIMMS from an old Compaq he junked. 10.7 is the maximum it will support. The white is running Yosemite(officially supported on this model) and has 4gb of RAM. It will officially hold 8gb, but IMO 4gb DDR-2 modules are prohibitively expensive considering the age/value of the computer.
I regularly let others use these computers, and everyone is impressed with how responsive and useable they are given their age. Both have Office 2011, Photoshop CS6, and quite a few other "heavy" programs installed-they handle them fairly gracefully, and of course with an SSD launch any of these almost instantly.
The Blackbook has its original battery with ~150 cycles on it and will reliably run for 2.5-3h on a charge. The white book had an a new aftermarket battery in it when I bought it that gave me no end of trouble. The computer would randomly shut off when running on the battery, and finally after a few months(and no more than a couple dozen cycles) got to where it wouldn't charge at all. Rather than buying a new battery from Apple(still available, but almost as much as I paid for the computer) or another questionable aftermarket battery, I gambled on a lightly used(reportedly 6 cycles) Apple OEM battery for $50 on Ebay. That battery actually is older than the computer(late 2008 manufacture date) but most of the battery utilities report it with better than 100% health and it will run the computer for a solid 4 hours.
After several bad experience with aftermarket batteries having very short use lived before they failed(primarily with PPC laptops, but also Intel), I've sworn off most of them. I stick to Apple OEM batteries, or if I must buy aftermarket I always try to get Newertech NuPower batteries(these are available from OWC). They are a lot pricier than most of the aftermarket batteries you find on Ebay, but are less expensive than OEM. In my experience they will power the computer for about as long as an OEM battery, last about as long as an Apple battery(~300 cycles), and tend to have fairly good fit and finish so they don't stick out like a sore thumb when installed. For older computers, they also have the advantage of likely being "fresher" than an OEM battery.
Hello.Sorry for upping a very old topic but u need a help.
I still haven't got my MacBook (sadly) because of some mayor issues, but I am ready to get around it now.
I have a 200 euro budget and I have few options:
1)Early 2008 MacBook Black with 2,4GHz Core 2 Duo,250GB HDD and 4GB Ram
2)2010 MacBook White with 2,4GHz Core 2 Duo,HDD and 2GB Ram(damaged bottom case)
3)MacBook Air 2009 with Core 2 Duo,SSD and 2GB Ram
I am planning on upgrade a HDD to SSD and put extra ram for performance.It would be great if one of the Mac's could run OSX Maverick or even Yosemite.
Which is the best option?Is there any other options?
I still haven't got my MacBook (sadly) because of some mayor issues, but I am ready to get around it now.
I have a 200 euro budget and I have few options:
1)Early 2008 MacBook Black with 2,4GHz Core 2 Duo,250GB HDD and 4GB Ram
2)2010 MacBook White with 2,4GHz Core 2 Duo,HDD and 2GB Ram(damaged bottom case)
3)MacBook Air 2009 with Core 2 Duo,SSD and 2GB Ram
I am planning on upgrade a HDD to SSD and put extra ram for performance.It would be great if one of the Mac's could run OSX Maverick or even Yosemite.
Which is the best option?Is there any other options?
The 2010 white macbook will run Maverick or Yosemite. I have a mid 2010 white macbook that I increased the memory to 4gb from crucial and added a 250gb samsung evo 850. It runs great now. Crucial shows the max ram for this machine to be 4gb but OWC says you can max it out at 8gb. For my usage I only need the 4gb ram. The upgrade made a huge performance jump from the original memory and 5400rpm hard drive.
I'm typing this on a 2010 MacBook with a 240 SSD. Runs great! I prefer it over my 2014 HP Zbook workstation laptop!
My recommendation is the 2010 MacBook. I suspect likely battery problems with the earlier MacBook. I have 2 2007 MacBooks. 1 runs plugged in all the time & can't run Yosemite. Can't give opinion on the MacBook Air.
My recommendation is the 2010 MacBook. I suspect likely battery problems with the earlier MacBook. I have 2 2007 MacBooks. 1 runs plugged in all the time & can't run Yosemite. Can't give opinion on the MacBook Air.
Thanks for the answers!Now i made up my mind and i will buy MacBook White 2010 Unibody.
But there is a little problem - this macbook is damaged bottom case,image below:
http://imgur.com/BncbRbO
What do i need to do about it?If i am buying this,i need to buy completely new bottom case?
But there is a little problem - this macbook is damaged bottom case,image below:
http://imgur.com/BncbRbO
What do i need to do about it?If i am buying this,i need to buy completely new bottom case?
Apple has a replacement program for that, check it out here: https://www.apple.com/support/macbook-bottomcase/