I want to buy a used apple computer and need advice?

Question

My daughter wants and apple to use for i tunes, email and IM ing friends. I would like one of the "colored ones" (indigo graphite etc) but what should I look for when ordering on ebay? Mghz/gb/g3 etc.

Answer 1

If you look near the bottom of Apple's online store, there's a section for refurbished computers. These are (I've heard, anyway) pretty much as good as new, and usually a few hundred dollars cheaper than a brand-new Mac.

The coloured Macs (the original iMacs and iBooks) were discontinued long ago, and aren't powerful enough to run today's software, unfortunately. I know how cute they are, but a newer model would definitely be the way to go.

I strongly recommend against getting a Windows-based computer for a child. Windows is a downright dangerous operating system unless you are very experienced with it and can properly maintain it to keep it (relatively) free of viruses, adware, spyware, registry errors and network vulnerabilities. None of these problems exist for Mac OS X (except network vulnerabilities, and even then you have to deliberately open up holes in your firewall to *make* it a problem).

Answer 2

Go to store.apple.com, or a real store, where you can buy directly from the manufacturer of Apple computers. This means better support, computers built by the developers themselves, and an overall better experience.

The colored iMacs aren't manufactured anymore, and besides, they're too slow to run iTunes, or the new Apple programs anymore. Used Apple computers are usually pretty old...

The new Macs are much better, and start from $600. Apple computers come in set configurations, so you don't need to worry about technical stuff: just know that the more money you shell out, the more advanced the setup (meaning more speed, etc.)

For iTunes, e-mailing, and IM-ing, you probably don't need a very expensive computer. A basic $600 Mac Mini (which does NOT come with a monitor, keyboard, or mouse), the basic $1000 iMac or the $1100 Macbook will probably work fine. Just browse around; you'll find something you like.

Answer 3

Well, I got a Macbook Air last year, and I can tell you, it's amazing. No matter what I've done, I haven't been really able to slow it down to make it as slow as my last (HP) computer. The RAM isn't upgradable, so it may be worth investing into a Macbook Pro (the non-retina one) to get RAM which you can swap. As for the displays, there are cables which you can buy to connect to your VGA display, as well as cables which you can connect to your DVI display. Nevertheless, unless you get the pro, you can't connect directly both displays. There are splitters that you can buy on ebay which allow you to use a single Thunderbolt port with multiple monitors, and there are also adapters that you can use to connect a display via USB 3.0. Personally I would go with the Macbook Air any day because it's a bloody workhorse everywhere. It almost meets my expectations in terms of video editing (I can do everything, but I can't preview a video that I'm working on in 1080p unfortunately) and it has an amazing battery life. I'm able to go to school all day, use it in most lessons, and then do stuff in the evening as well as go back home on the train, whilst using it. I've never gotten the 7 hours they claim, however I've been able to get 6 hours on basic use, and 4ish hours of heavy use.

Answer 4

i would not buy something like a laptop off of ebay. you dont know what u are getting. just buy a new one. they start at only 1,000.00. laptops are good investments especially for younger people. they have white and black in the smaller cheaper one, the macbook. they also have the macbook pro which i have. it starts at 2,000.00. they come only in the grey steal color. its a great computer. definetely worth the money. apple is way better than windows. no viruses.

Answer 5

A regular windows based PC will do that for you, and more. itunes, IM, emal, etc runs just as good, and Mac's are usually overpriced, due to the fact they have a monopoly on the PowerPC market for consumers. Just egt an acer, they are cheaper, faster, and very reliable.

Answer 6

You could get a pc that can do that for as little as $400, and Apple doesn't make colored macs anymore...hp or compaq(hp is better, but compaq is cheaper) are good manufacturers.