My elementary school aged daughter is using my old 13" MacBook Pro 2009 Core 2 Duo 2.26 GHz (MacBookPro5,5). She uses it for school work, but it's relatively low impact, with Google Classroom, educational videos, and online educational games. She also has an iPad Air 2. Actually, the MBP 2009 is too slow for some of those games, so she's been using for iPad for that, but the screen on the iPad is cramped.
My wife is using an old 13" MacBook 2008 Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz (MacBook5,1). She uses it mainly as a kitchen machine for recipes, casual surfing, and email, etc. She also has an iPad 7 cellular 4G, with Smart Keyboard, but that's mainly used outside the house or for FaceTiming.
The pricing of used Broadwell Macs is pleasingly low these days, presumably not just because of their age but also because the M1 and M1 Pro/Max machines are out. So, for Xmas I bought two used machines to give as gifts to family members. I deliberately avoided butterfly keyboard models.
1) Mint condition 2015 Retina MacBook Pro 13"
2560x1600 Retina screen. Looks amazing at the 1280x800 setting, and looks very good at the 1440x900 setting.
2.7 GHz Core i5-5257U - Geekbench ~790/1750
Intel Iris Graphics 6100
8 GB RAM
128 GB SSD, which I then proceeded to upgrade to 256 GB (OEM Apple/Samsung).
Battery in great condition (Normal, ~30 cycles).
Force Touch trackpad
2) Mint condition 2017 MacBook Air 13"
1440x900 non-Retina screen. Looks OK at the 1440x900 setting and looks like crap at any other setting.
1.8 GHz Core i5-5350U - Geekbench ~735/1540
8 GB RAM
Intel HD Graphics 6000
128 GB SSD
Battery in good condition (Normal, ~460 cycles).
Mechanical trackpad <-- I didn't realize this. I just assumed all of this era would be Force Touch.
Advantages of the MBP include about 5-15% more speed, 256 GB SSD, new battery, and amazing Retina screen.
Advantages of the MBA include lighter weight and slimmer design. It's also a 2017 so I'm thinking it may get macOS updates longer.
Which would you give to whom? I'm thinking of giving the MBP to the kid. The Air is much sleeker, but she won't be carrying it around much at this time. The MBA just somehow seems more suited for a kitchen machine, which is where my wife uses the computer 90% of the time, and sometimes gets baking products on it. ? Both their computing needs right now are light, but I think my daughter's computing needs will grow over time. I don't think my wife's computing needs will change that much going forward.
My wife is using an old 13" MacBook 2008 Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz (MacBook5,1). She uses it mainly as a kitchen machine for recipes, casual surfing, and email, etc. She also has an iPad 7 cellular 4G, with Smart Keyboard, but that's mainly used outside the house or for FaceTiming.
The pricing of used Broadwell Macs is pleasingly low these days, presumably not just because of their age but also because the M1 and M1 Pro/Max machines are out. So, for Xmas I bought two used machines to give as gifts to family members. I deliberately avoided butterfly keyboard models.
1) Mint condition 2015 Retina MacBook Pro 13"
2560x1600 Retina screen. Looks amazing at the 1280x800 setting, and looks very good at the 1440x900 setting.
2.7 GHz Core i5-5257U - Geekbench ~790/1750
Intel Iris Graphics 6100
8 GB RAM
128 GB SSD, which I then proceeded to upgrade to 256 GB (OEM Apple/Samsung).
Battery in great condition (Normal, ~30 cycles).
Force Touch trackpad
2) Mint condition 2017 MacBook Air 13"
1440x900 non-Retina screen. Looks OK at the 1440x900 setting and looks like crap at any other setting.
1.8 GHz Core i5-5350U - Geekbench ~735/1540
8 GB RAM
Intel HD Graphics 6000
128 GB SSD
Battery in good condition (Normal, ~460 cycles).
Mechanical trackpad <-- I didn't realize this. I just assumed all of this era would be Force Touch.
Advantages of the MBP include about 5-15% more speed, 256 GB SSD, new battery, and amazing Retina screen.
Advantages of the MBA include lighter weight and slimmer design. It's also a 2017 so I'm thinking it may get macOS updates longer.
Which would you give to whom? I'm thinking of giving the MBP to the kid. The Air is much sleeker, but she won't be carrying it around much at this time. The MBA just somehow seems more suited for a kitchen machine, which is where my wife uses the computer 90% of the time, and sometimes gets baking products on it. ? Both their computing needs right now are light, but I think my daughter's computing needs will grow over time. I don't think my wife's computing needs will change that much going forward.