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verseafterverse

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 17, 2013
86
0
What is the current status of macbooks (the white ones ofc), I want to pick one up for a year or 2 of college to get acquainted with osx are any of them getting to the point of being phased out it, it wouldn't be for any gaming or anything graphically intense thats what my gaming pc is for I would watch some netflix and use some garage band. I just want one that I can install the newest os when it comes out.
 

TacticalDesire

macrumors 68020
Mar 19, 2012
2,286
23
Michigan
Try to find one with the 9400m or 320m graphics as those will be the most future proof with new versions of OSX and doing anything at all with watching videos. The older models with the GMA 950 or X3100 have next to no graphics power at all, even for non graphically intense tasks.
 

AppleFanatic10

macrumors 68030
Nov 2, 2010
2,809
297
Hawthorne, CA
What is the current status of macbooks (the white ones ofc), I want to pick one up for a year or 2 of college to get acquainted with osx are any of them getting to the point of being phased out it, it wouldn't be for any gaming or anything graphically intense thats what my gaming pc is for I would watch some netflix and use some garage band. I just want one that I can install the newest os when it comes out.

Not sure if you know or not but Apple has discontinued the white MB since 2012 I believe. You can always get one used...
 

comda

macrumors 6502a
Mar 15, 2011
619
85
These machines are still great! I currently have been using The macbook 3,1 as my main laptop for the past 7 years since its purchase new from 2007.

As to the advice TacticalDesire has given. I agree and disagree. Yes get a newer one as technology does outdate and becomes less useful. however he is wrong with the fact the graphics cards have no power the X3100 or 950.. My macbook is the 3,1 so intel X3100 Graphics. I have 4gb ram, 750GB hard drive the 2.2 ghz core 2 duo and my mac rocks it! I mainly use it for school such as word etc. However for the last 2 years ive been using final cut pro 6 on it aswell as imovie and some minor games like GTA VC or san andreas... No It isnt the best graphics card. However it still works great! With the new ML post factor i will soon be installing mountain lion on the computer system. In my opinion id buy a macbook if its a reasonable price for reasonable model. So if it has 4gb ram and maybe a 160gb drive running snow leopard or lion then id pay 250-350 ish. Thats my opinion.
Mines running SNow leopard and win 7 Pro without any issues. Im last year high school and plan to take it through University. a later model would be more worth your price though Good luck
 

verseafterverse

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 17, 2013
86
0
Well I have my macbook pro retina I just don't want to take it out of the house to uni/college I spent 13-1400 on it and don't want it to get stolen or have coffee spilled on it so I figured for 3-350 I could get a older macbook and still have a mac as I have a pc at home for my gaming/editing needs.(im also a cheep bastard)
 

Altemose

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2013
9,189
488
Elkton, Maryland
Well I have my macbook pro retina I just don't want to take it out of the house to uni/college I spent 13-1400 on it and don't want it to get stolen or have coffee spilled on it so I figured for 3-350 I could get a older macbook and still have a mac as I have a pc at home for my gaming/editing needs.(im also a cheep bastard)

Get a 2010 if you can afford it. They can do 16 GB of RAM and paired with an SSD will easily last you years into the future.
 

unclegrumpyinc

macrumors newbie
Jun 16, 2014
13
0
I got a macbook around 10 years ago and it still works great! the only thing is i can't update the os anymore since leopard i believe.

but if they are still built the same they are great computers!
 

Altemose

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2013
9,189
488
Elkton, Maryland
I got a macbook around 10 years ago and it still works great! the only thing is i can't update the os anymore since leopard i believe.

but if they are still built the same they are great computers!

10 years ago was 2004 and all Intels could update at least to Snow Leopard. I am thinking you have an iBook G4 or PowerBook. Look below the screen and it will say.
 

unclegrumpyinc

macrumors newbie
Jun 16, 2014
13
0
10 years ago was 2004 and all Intels could update at least to Snow Leopard. I am thinking you have an iBook G4 or PowerBook. Look below the screen and it will say.

It was the first generation of the silver metal macbook.
and I think ur right snow lepoard was the last os.
 

matthewscott661

macrumors 6502
Jun 27, 2009
327
4
Chicago
I'm using a late '06 black MacBook for my personal computer (we use windows 7 at work, much to my chagrin) and other than having to lower the quality on youtube and netflix to below 1080, it does amazingly well. As long as you max out memory and possibly get an SSD, an '09-'10 MacBook should last you quite a long while, especially if only used as a secondary computer like mine
 

Aperturexs

macrumors newbie
Apr 30, 2014
22
0
I have my Mid-2007 Black MacBook with 4GB of RAM, and a 200GB HD. It purrs on lion, however it has little to no graphics at all. Whenever I load up Minecraft or subsequent games, the fans go full blast, with about 60 FPS if you are lucky on low settings. However for a college student like yourself (I am still in high school) you should be able to get along just fine with about any mac made after 2009 with a Nvidia graphics card (e.g.. the 9400m or 320m), and go for a unibody MacBook, because those get much higher battery life. I hope you find exactly what you are looking for and that I helped! Have fun shopping. REMEMBER: NO INTEL GRAPHICS. NONE. UNACCEPTABLE.
 
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