Hi guys so currently im a pc user(blehh ik make fun of me), anyways i found a guy on craigslist who is selling a MBP from mid 2011 with 8 gb ram and a 246 gb ssd. I am wondering if this is still a viable laptop and how to check the mac out to make sure everything works correctly. This will be my first personally owned macbook.(currently i have a dell latitude 6530)
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Should i buy a macbook pro?
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Hi guys so currently im a pc user(blehh ik make fun of me), anyways i found a guy on craigslist who is selling a MBP from mid 2011 with 8 gb ram and a 246 gb ssd. I am wondering if this is still a viable laptop and how to check the mac out to make sure everything works correctly. This will be my first personally owned macbook.(currently i have a dell latitude 6530)
Still very viable. I just bought a mid 2010 macbook pro 15" and so far its great. But it has a 30 day no questions asked return, and 90 day parts and labor. It just arrived saturday. Great condition, too. I'm mainly going to use it for writing using ms word for as a satellite to my mac mini desktop.
So any particular ways i should check for defects?As said in moving over from pc so no idea what to check for. Also how long will the mid 2011 mbp be viable for?(also how do i check battery health)Still very viable. I just bought a mid 2010 macbook pro 15" and so far its great. But it has a 30 day no questions asked return, and 90 day parts and labor. It just arrived saturday. Great condition, too. I'm mainly going to use it for writing using ms word for as a satellite to my mac mini desktop.
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It really depends if it is a 2011 13-inch or 15-inch. The 15-inch model has a well known video card failure which is expensive to repair and is in the middle of a class action lawsuit. So if it is a 15-inch model I would not buy it. Now if it is a 13-inch it better be a smoking deal. Tech has changed a lot with newer models. Even a MacBook air will run laps on a 2011 Macbook pro 13 inch. I had a 2011 15-inch macbook pro myself and ended up selling it and replacing it with a late 2013 13 inch macbook pro. I gained USB 3.0, a PCIE hdd so twice as fast, and a lighter more portable machine. I paid a bit more $1159 refurbished. But also I scored a 2013 13-inch macbook air off craigslist for $400, so search around. The macbook air even is faster than the 2011 MacBook pro due to the PCIE hdd. If you are doing any serious video work then yes the quad core is nice but it isn't huge. I had a late 2013 27-inch iMac fully loaded before I went with laptops and yes the iMac was very fast but I can do just as well on the 13-inch macbook pro. Plus the battery life is night and day, I can go a full day and not use the whole battery. With the air it is even better. Check the Apple refurbished site and see if it makes sense to save $100-300 and lose a 1 year warranty with phone support, and you can also buy 3 year warranty. Just remember you will have questions and having the phone support can be a life saver considering you will be new to OSX.
Its the 13 inch(If you read the op it has a 256 gb ssd as a storage drive)It really depends if it is a 2011 13-inch or 15-inch. The 15-inch model has a well known video card failure which is expensive to repair and is in the middle of a class action lawsuit. So if it is a 15-inch model I would not buy it. Now if it is a 13-inch it better be a smoking deal. Tech has changed a lot with newer models. Even a MacBook air will run laps on a 2011 Macbook pro 13 inch. I had a 2011 15-inch macbook pro myself and ended up selling it and replacing it with a late 2013 13 inch macbook pro. I gained USB 3.0, a PCIE hdd so twice as fast, and a lighter more portable machine. I paid a bit more $1159 refurbished. But also I scored a 2013 13-inch macbook air off craigslist for $400, so search around. The macbook air even is faster than the 2011 MacBook pro due to the PCIE hdd. If you are doing any serious video work then yes the quad core is nice but it isn't huge. I had a late 2013 27-inch iMac fully loaded before I went with laptops and yes the iMac was very fast but I can do just as well on the 13-inch macbook pro. Plus the battery life is night and day, I can go a full day and not use the whole battery. With the air it is even better. Check the Apple refurbished site and see if it makes sense to save $100-300 and lose a 1 year warranty with phone support, and you can also buy 3 year warranty. Just remember you will have questions and having the phone support can be a life saver considering you will be new to OSX.
Is it the same for 13 inches?Do NOT buy that laptop - the 2011 15" pros are notorious for "radeongate" which you should read about. I just dealt with it, and it's not worth the hassle.
Its the 13 inch(If you read the op it has a 256 gb ssd as a storage drive)
I read it and he never said if it is a 13 inch. The 256gb sad means nothing since that is a user replaceable part, unlike the newer models
Im sorry i thought i meant to include 13 inch in descriptionI read it and he never said if it is a 13 inch. The 256gb sad means nothing since that is a user replaceable part, unlike the newer models
Is it the same for 13 inches?
No the 13-inch model uses a intel video card so it doesn't have the 15 inch issue. But like I said the battery life is pretty bad compared to todays standards also the video card is quite a bit slower. And no USB 3.0 is a major drawback. Since the hdd is so small 256gb you will need to use external hdd and having USB 2.0 is a big bottle neck. I would push you toward a MacBook air instead, big jump in performance and long battery life lightweight and portable.
What model macbook air? The only reason im lookign at looking at getting this macbook is its only 350.No the 13-inch model uses a intel video card so it doesn't have the 15 inch issue. But like I said the battery life is pretty bad compared to todays standards also the video card is quite a bit slower. And no USB 3.0 is a major drawback. Since the hdd is so small 256gb you will need to use external hdd and having USB 2.0 is a big bottle neck. I would push you toward a MacBook air instead, big jump in performance and long battery life lightweight and portable.
What model macbook air? The only reason im lookign at looking at getting this macbook is its only 350.
I would look for a 2013 air, but if it is only $350 that isn't bad. Just a matter if you can deal will slow external hdd and poor battery life. I know it is double the cost but look at it this way, if that $350 laptop goes out on you your out $350. So lets say you find another $350 laptop now your in $700 for old tech. When if you would of bit the bullet off the bat you get full warranty and you can sell down the line like this guy is doing. So you buy a refurbished laptop $700-900 and use it for 3-4 years and sell it for $350-400. So really it is going to cost you the same in the long run, yet you get latest tech to enjoy and not old tech you will regret.
I would look for a 2013 air, but if it is only $350 that isn't bad. Just a matter if you can deal will slow external hdd and poor battery life. I know it is double the cost but look at it this way, if that $350 laptop goes out on you your out $350. So lets say you find another $350 laptop now your in $700 for old tech. When if you would of bit the bullet off the bat you get full warranty and you can sell down the line like this guy is doing. So you buy a refurbished laptop $700-900 and use it for 3-4 years and sell it for $350-400. So really it is going to cost you the same in the long run, yet you get latest tech to enjoy and not old tech you will regret.
Alright thanks man ill take your advice into mind, just wondering if the ssd will make the mac faster than it would be with a standerd hdd, he agreeded to let me play aroudn with it for a while without any obligation to buy so im hoping for the best.
Alright thanks man ill take your advice into mind, just wondering if the ssd will make the mac faster than it would be with a standerd hdd, he agreeded to let me play aroudn with it for a while without any obligation to buy so im hoping for the best.
It will be faster than a old spinning hdd, but as your playing with it and you think "wow cool this hdd cooks along" just remember a PCIE which is used in newer models is twice the speed of that ssd in there. Plus 2-3 years down the line it won't be worth much at all. I flip computers like its going out of style and can tell you the 2011 is working its way out quickly.
Alright thanks manIt will be faster than a old spinning hdd, but as your playing with it and you think "wow cool this hdd cooks along" just remember a PCIE which is used in newer models is twice the speed of that ssd in there. Plus 2-3 years down the line it won't be worth much at all. I flip computers like its going out of style and can tell you the 2011 is working its way out quickly.
I disagree with the commenters who say go with a new one. The mid 2010 15" 2.53 ghz mbp i just bought is blazing fast with a 750 gb hybrid drive running yosemite. Plus, the body is in perfect condition. It came with a 30 day return warranty and 90 days on parts and labor. Its from a brick and mortar and ebay dealer, and they sell off-lease apple products that are thoroughly refurbished by apple certified techs. I certainly realize that new mbps are better, of course. But i only need it for word processing in conjunction with my. Desktop mac mini. No games etc. I use my samsung android tablets for all the other online stuff. To me this mbp is just an appliance. I'm not an apple fan boy. In fact i think this used mbp is much better screen-wise and speed-wise than a new 13" macbook air i had and sold replacing it with a 12.2" samsung note pro. Moreover, no cash out of pocket using paypal credit, interest free for 12 months.
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